Removing Linux from laptop and putting windows 10 back on…

[Big Rig]

I have a laptop which about 6 months ago I put Linux mint on. I now need to put windows 10 back on as the Mrs is having the machine to use for herself.

What is the least painful way of doing this?

[xeny]

USB stick, another windows PC, go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/... and create a bootable Windows USB installer.

Boot laptop from that, wipe disk, reinstall windows.

visit the manufacturer's support page, download the appropriate hardware specific drivers, install.

[Insert Coin]

Windows 10 Media Creation Tool, or Windows 11 if you want to future proof the device.

[Big Rig]

xeny said:

USB stick, another windows PC, go to https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/software-download/... and create a bootable Windows USB installer.

Boot laptop from that, wipe disk, reinstall windows.

visit the manufacturer's support page, download the appropriate hardware specific drivers, install.

Thanks. Have created a bootable usb with windows 10 iso using rufus, when I boot from it will I get the option to wipe the disk before install or should I wipe the dusk first?

[xeny]

I've always let the Windows installer wipe the disk, but ultimately wiped is wiped, wherever you do it. The file system differs between Linux and Windows, so it will be have to be wiped at some point.

[Big Rig]

xeny said:

I've always let the Windows installer wipe the disk, but ultimately wiped is wiped, wherever you do it. The file system differs between Linux and Windows, so it will be have to be wiped at some point.

Won’t let me install, I get this error…

[xeny]

Delete all the partitions. Then it can write a new partition table.

[Big Rig]

xeny said:

Delete all the partitions. Then it can write a new partition table.

It gives me a warning that drivers etc could be installed within those partitions, will I be able to get them after should I need them?

[Motorman74]

Yes, delete everything. The data on the disk relates to Linux as is no use to Windows.

Windows will probably install drivers for all the laptop devices, anything it can't will be on the manufacturer's website.

[Big Rig]

Thanks for all the help guys, worked perfectly.