Replacing Ubuntu with W10 on Laptop

MWombat · 03 Aug 2020

Hello All,
I have a good fairly new laptop running Ubuntu - plenty of RAM, storage etc.
I have an unused legitimate W10 key and want to replace the Ubuntu OS with a new W10 2004 installation.
Plenty of W10 installation experience on various PCs before but have never replaced a Linux set up.
Presumably I create the installation media via another W10 PC, bootable flash drive etc ?
However I am unsure whether the W10 installation media will find the Ubuntu OS and ask if I want it deleted [which I do] or should I wipe the drive beforehand ?
Of course any more advice would be appreciated,
Thanks,
M Wombat

Berton · 03 Aug 2020

Because Linux uses a different file format for the drive/s you'll have to boot to the Win10 media, DVD or USB thumb drive, and do a fully clean install. I find it best to download the GPARTED Bootable LiveCD .iso file, burn the CD then boot to it and delete all partitions on the intended OS/boot drive first. Since all data will be lost be sure to have a copy of what you don't want to lose, that exists nowhere else. If you have the Ubuntu LiveDVD you can boot it, may have GPARTED on it you can use. My Linux Mint computers and discs plus the Live USB have it.

NavyLCDR · 03 Aug 2020

Or, boot from the Windows 10 USB flash drive. When you get to the first installation screen, press Shift+F10. Since it is a laptop, it may be Shift+Fn+F10. This will open a command prompt. Then run the following commands:

diskpart
select disk 0
clean
convert mbr
exit
exit

Then you can proceed with installing Windows 10, using the Custom Install option. When you get to the next screen you will see the laptop hard drive or SSD marked as 1 large unallocated space. Click on the unallocated space, then click next.

MWombat · 03 Aug 2020

Thanks guys for rapid help.
MWombat

Matthew Wai · 04 Aug 2020

MWombat said:

However I am unsure whether the W10 installation media will find the Ubuntu OS and ask if I want it deleted [which I do] or should I wipe the drive beforehand ?

Last year, I replaced Linux with Windows 10. I used GParted to delete all Linux partitions before installing Windows, while the data partition remained unchanged. As a result, Windows Setup found no Linux as shown below: