If you have been running a dual-boot system and then decide to delete your Linux partition, you may encounter errors such as “GRUB rescue>” or “no boot device found.” If you are getting the same error, then don’t worry. Your Windows installation is most likely safe, and you will be able to recover it easily by repairing the Windows bootloader. Here’s how.
Fixed: Can’t boot into Windows after deleting Linux partition
As mentioned, the issue might be occurring because the Windows bootloader is damaged. As a result, you are not able to boot into your Windows installation. If you can’t boot into Windows after deleting the Linux partition, and see errors like “GRUB rescue>” or “no boot device found” take these steps to resolve the boot issue.
- First, boot up your computer using a Windows installation USB.
- Go to Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Command Prompt.
- Over here, run the following commands one by one:
bootrec /fixmbr
bootrec /fixboot
bootrec /scanos
bootrec /rebuildbcd
- Once done, close the command prompt, restart, and check if you can boot into Windows.
Alternatively, you can also run Automatic Repair. To do this, go to Repair your computer > Troubleshoot > Startup Repair and let Windows handle the issue.
If repair attempts fail, you will need to connect your drive to another computer or boot into a live Linux USB to back up your important files, and then perform a clean install of Windows.
Read: How to recover Windows files with Linux Live CD/USB
Why do I get “Access is denied” when running bootrec /fixboot?
On some systems, especially with UEFI and GPT disks, bootrec /fixboot may fail with the “Access is denied” error. In that case, you can try these steps instead:
Run diskpart → list disk → sel disk 0 (or whichever contains Windows) → list vol.
Identify the EFI partition (usually 100–300MB, FAT32). Assign it a letter with assign letter=Z:. Exit diskpart.
Now Run bcdboot C:\Windows /s Z: /f UEFI
This will recreate the EFI boot files and restore boot functionality.
Read: No boot device found
What if Windows boots but skips the boot menu, and I want dual-boot again?
If you deleted Linux but later decide to reinstall it or want a boot menu, you’ll need to reinstall a boot manager. For Windows-only systems, you can enable the Windows Boot Manager by running bcdedit in Command Prompt and adjusting boot entries. If you want Linux back, simply reinstall your preferred Linux distribution. The installer will usually detect Windows and automatically reinstall GRUB with both OS entries.
Read: How to uninstall Linux in Windows Dual Boot setup
