Removing openSUSE installer from Boot Manager (Unable to boot Windows at the moment)

English Install/Boot/Login
1

I have a computer that is shared with another person. The main OS is Windows Vista. One day, the other person wanted to install OpenSUSE onto VMWare but he made a mistake in the process and now every time at the Boot Manager there are options:

  • Microsoft Windows Vista
  • OpenSUSE 11.1 installer (LOCAL)
    I didn’t mind it at first because I could still run Windows without issues.

Just since a few days ago, the computer suddenly refuses to boot my Windows. And I want to get rid of this OpenSUSE installer away first thing from the Boot Manager.

Is it possible to remove that OpenSUSE installer from Boot Manager without booting into the Windows OS? Perhaps through “Repair my computer”?

When I tried to search around, mostly I found that we need to remove partitions from disk management. I can’t boot to Windows to perform that, however, I remember I didn’t see any extra partition for OpenSUSE in the computer’s disk management. I don’t think OpenSUSE was even properly installed as the other person said he made a mistake before he successfully installed it on VMWare.

What should I do? Hope my explanations isn’t confusing and I am not knowlegeable in this field. Your advices are greatly appreciated.

2

As far as I know, this is just a spurious entry in the boot manager database. You should be able to remove it using the BCDEDIT command (from an Admin command prompt).

Unfortunately, the documentation for BCDEDIT is not very good. You will first need to list the current entries, to find the one that needs removing.

Or just leave it there. It does no harm, apart from being annoying. On the positive side, it gives you more time to hit F8 during boot, to access Windows repair options.

I’m pretty sure that entry is not causing your current problems. You should be able to select the Windows boot entry, and boot into Windows (that’s probably the default). If you remove the entry, that would be equivalent to selecting the Windows boot entry.

Try hitting F8 during boot, and see if that gets you some Windows repair options. If that does not help, then you need someone with more knowledge of Windows than I have, to repair your booting. If you have install media for Vista, there’s probably a way of booting that and using it to repair your current Windows.

3

On 2014-04-06 18:06, Melissa M wrote:
>
> I have a computer that is shared with another person. The main OS is
> Windows Vista. One day, the other person wanted to install OpenSUSE
> onto VMWare but he made a mistake in the process and now every time at
> the Boot Manager there are options:
> - Microsoft Windows Vista
> - OpenSUSE 11.1 installer (LOCAL)
> I didn’t mind it at first because I could still run Windows without
> issues.

Yes, that was added by the Windows autorun feature of the installation
DVD (you should deactivate that feature in Windows, it is dangerous), or
by double-clicking on the openSUSE setup icon (LOCAL?). It does not
install anything, just modifies the boot menu of Windows (which is
normally deactivated) so that it offers you on boot to choose the DVD.

I have recommended this feature to be removed. People can just tell
their computer to boot from DVD instead, which is safer, and mishaps
like yours can not happen. That might be done for the next openSUSE
release, 13.2, perhaps. Perhaps not.

By the way, tell your friend that openSUSE 11.1 is quite obsolete, and
unmaintained. If he want to try Linux, try 13.1 instead.

> Just since a few days ago, the computer suddenly refuses to boot my
> Windows. And I want to get rid of this OpenSUSE installer away first
> thing from the Boot Manager.

Maybe there is no DVD in the drive?

> Is it possible to remove that OpenSUSE installer from Boot Manager
> without booting into the Windows OS? Perhaps through “Repair my
> computer”?

It has to be done from Windows.

Besides what nrickert told you, there is another method: install (in
Windows) EasyBCD, which is just a nice Windows GUI application to easily
handle Windows boot menu and options.

The problem is booting Windows first, of course… Perhaps in rescue mode?

> When I tried to search around, mostly I found that we need to remove
> partitions from disk management.

No, I don’t think that Linux had the chance to add any partitions, Linux
was not installed at all.

HTH.

–
Cheers / Saludos,

Carlos E. R.
(from 13.1 x86_64 “Bottle” at Telcontar)

4

If you have the option on boot, run “Repair my computer”, it should fix the boot to Windows. If I recall correctly, it will rewrite the MBR and the boot files to what MS wants.

5

I am relieved to know that this is not a part of the cause to the issue I am having now :slight_smile:
I tried “Repair my computer” before, using the one in my current Windows as well as from Vista installation disc, yet the installer still appears at the Boot Manager… despite it didn’t seem to successfully fix my Windows boot problem.
I do agree with you that it gives me a lot more time to hit F8, sometimes I just wait until the options “Vista or openSUSE installer” came out then press F8.

Yes, my friend is currently using version 13.1 of openSUSE. :slight_smile:
The version 11.1 was installed a few years ago and it has been there in the Boot Manager until now. Sometimes it just makes you feel ‘itchy’ to get rid of it, pretty much Like nrickert said for being annoying.

> Is it possible to remove that OpenSUSE installer from Boot Manager
> without booting into the Windows OS? Perhaps through “Repair my
> computer”?

It has to be done from Windows.

Besides what nrickert told you, there is another method: install (in
Windows) EasyBCD, which is just a nice Windows GUI application to easily
handle Windows boot menu and options.

The problem is booting Windows first, of course… Perhaps in rescue mode?

Is EasyBCD Free version good enough to fix?

I think the Windows problem that I am having is more problematic than I expected. :frowning: Repaired my computer several times already, yet it doesn’t seem to fix it.

But with all the 3 of your guidance, I can leave openSUSE installer in Boot Manager at that for now and focus on fixing my Windows first.

Thank you very much for all your advices! :slight_smile: