Nope grub will remove the entry next kernel update automatically
this post was submitted on 29 Jan 2026
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Okay thanks. I wasn't sure if it would freak out at boot or something due to the missing OS.
If you want to remove the Windows entry immediately after deleting Windows, you can run this in terminal: sudo update-grub
Just remember to backup important files and enjoy the reclaimed free space
I didn't need to. On top of the fact that I've never used Windows on this computer and I have Linux Mint installed on an external hard drive, the Windows installation needed to be repaired as my laptop's CMOS battery died a while back and it made both Linux Mint and Windows 10 unbootable. I was able to repair Linux Mint's installation through the LiveCD but, while I do know how to because I've done it on other computers, I never saw a reason to repair Windows as well and originally intended to wait until I got a new PC.
You don't need to do anything, it'll work without Windows, and grub should auto update with your distro when you do a major update (such as Kernel update)
You might want to manually update grub to remove the Windows entry just to keep it tidy. On mint it's as simple as:
sudo update-grub
It'll scan your installed kernels and other OS. If windows is gone, it will no longer be detected and disappear from the boot list after running this.
If you've set up a default OS at boot (like Windows) you might want to update the grub config files. Thats as simple as editing /etc/default/grub and setting:
GRUB_DEFAULT=0
Where 0 is the first boot entry.
You can also use:
GRUB_DEFAULT="saved"
which will remember the last selected item and boot that. Bit redundant if you're going down to 1 OS.
Fair note: A lot of these comments are under the assumption you are using the os_prober feature in grub to detect the windows install. While this is usually the case, if you have ever supplied a manual entry for windows in /etc/grub.d to specify where your windows install is (I was forced to do this because os_prober refused to see my windows system after recreating my EFI partition), you will need to delete that entry again in order for the windows option to disappear on grub.
It would still boot your Linux mint, but you would have a windows entry in the boot menu that didn't go anywhere.
That's not a problem for me. I've never had to manually add an OS to Grub before.
You're already booting your Linux Mint just fine with the GRUB, right? Assuming you won't be changing your drives, all you'd need to do is nuke the Windows partition and update your GRUB. You can then reuse that partition for something else. Merging that partition would be time consuming and the devs have said to be risky, but it can be done with a LiveUSB, and I haven't had any problem myself aside having to wait some time.
I just realized that my post is missing context if you only read just this post and not the one I linked to in the post. I have Linux installed on an external hard drive and Windows was installed to the SSD which is in the laptop. I've added this information to the post but I don't need help with this anymore. I've already removed Windows from the SSD and have reformatted it to ext4 so I can run games from it.
In my opinion, you're better off backing up your data, then nuking the drive, and installing the standalone Linux distro.
I didn't need to do this. I never used Windows on this computer, so I didn't have data to backup. I've already removed Windows from the SSD and reformatted it. I'm also keeping Linux Mint installed on the external hard drive because it runs fine from the external hard drive and I just want to run games from the SSD.
No. Backup your Linux data then reinstall and tell the installer to use the whole drive for Linux.
Why?
I'm wanting to do the same thing, except windows is on my m2 drive and I want to migrate Linux there from my slower SSD. Does anyone have a guide or best practice for that? Gparted is scary.
I'd imagine that you can just clone your slower SSD and copy it over to your M2 drive but I've never cloned a hard drive before, so I'm probably not the best person to be asking. It might be best to create a new post for this, it'll get seen by more people that way.
Yeah, fair enough. There's plenty of info on dual booting, but not so much when you're ready to send windows to the shredder!
You can clone it with clonezilla, or with dd if you’re feeling particularly ballsy.
If your boot sectors are on the m.2 and you clone to it then you’ll overwrite them though, which is no bueno; and I’m not entirely sure how to fix that, but I’m sure there is a way.
EDIT:
You can use grub-install to do it, from a live USB.
I’d make a full clone of your SSD to a third drive (external?) and then try adding boot sectors to your SSD, then set it as the boot device in your BIOS/UEFI. If it boots successfully, you’re good to clone it to the m.2. If not, restore that backup and do some googling! (Hell, I’d do it anyway just to verify my advice…)
If this is meant for the other user, you replied to the wrong comment.
If you meant to respond to me, I don't need this. I've already removed Windows from the hard drive and I plan on using either Tiny10 or Tiny11 on this computer when I get a new computer to run Linux on in the future.
Remember to back up everything before resizing your partitions. It’s so easy to lose all your data when you do that.
Didn't need to. On top of the fact that I've never used Windows on this computer and I have Linux Mint installed on an external hard drive, the Windows installation needed to be repaired as my laptop's CMOS battery died a while back and it made both Linux Mint and Windows 10 unbootable. I was able to repair Linux Mint's installation through the LiveCD but, while I do know how to because I've done it on other computers, I never saw a reason to repair Windows as well and originally intended to wait until I got a new PC.
Grub should be able to boot mint fine, just know where grub is installed and which disk boots the system before formatting anything. To test, unplug the windows disk and see what happens
I already checked the other day, it's on my external hard drive. Also, I've already removed Windows from the internal hard drive and reformatted it, so I don't need help with this anymore.