I was dual booting Windows and Ubuntu on my laptop and decided to remove Linux after seeing a command online. I ran `sudo rm -rf` and ended up destroying the Windows Boot Manager from my boot loader. I've tried to fix it by reinstalling, but my Windows installer needs drivers that are only available as .exe files from Dell. I also used `bootrec.exe /RebuildBcd` which added the Windows Boot Manager back to the boot loader, but it doesn't actually work. The Windows 11 installer doesn't have a 'Repair My Computer' option, and I attempted to use the command prompt with Shift + F10 during the installation process without success. Fortunately, I managed to check my files after reinstalling Ubuntu, and they seem to be intact.
3 Answers
Before trying anything else, you should definitely back up your files while you still can, just to be safe! It sounds like you might have wiped GRUB, which is critical for managing your OS boot options. Running `sudo rm -rf` was a pretty bold move—maybe not the best idea for a beginner with Linux!
Yeah, didn’t realize that command would do so much! The learning curve is steep.
If `bootrec /Rebuildbcd` didn't do the trick, you might want to assign a letter to your EFI partition and then try using `bcdboot` along with `bootrec /fixboot`. There's a handy video that could help you through the process.
I tried that video, but one command failed to copy the boot file, and although I completed the other commands, it still didn't help with my boot loader. It just goes straight to Ubuntu.
At this point, if you're comfortable with Linux, you might just consider sticking with it, especially if you can find a reliable way to run .exe files on it. There are some tools that can help with that!
True, it’s always good to have a backup. If it's mainly games on your system, you might be okay. Just make sure any important data is saved somewhere safe!