How do I re-create the 100mb partition?

Oh yes, I forgot to tell you it was in Spanish.


Here is a rough translation (because I don't know the exact terms in the English version of Windows):


From left to right:


Disc0
465,76
On screen

E:
100MB NTFS
Correct (System

C:
180,57 GB NTFS
Correct, Boot, Pagefile, Dump (not pretty sure about this translation)


-No letter-*
180,60 GB
Correct (Primary partition)

Data (D:)
99,00 GB NTFS
Correct (logical drive)

-No letter-**
5,48 GB
Correct (Primary partition)



* This is Linux's partition. The filesystem is ext3
** This is Linux's swap partition (for memory swaping)


That's it.


So, was it a success then? Can't I make it invisible at least? I have managed to do so under Linux, so that people don't mess with it from Linux (I just discovered that, since it appearas as just another drive, people were saving things to that partition).


Another question: I want to delete the provisional Windows I installed to C. Any advice? Will it automatically detect and use the 100MB partition or do I have to delete it too and start over? What's the best practice when formatting Wijndows 7 regarding that partition?

It looks correct since SysReserved is marked System Active.

So far it appears to be playing well with GRUB if you see evidence that GRUB is still managing the Dual Boot.

However be aware that GRUB can corrupt Win7 at any time and make it unbootable.

The solution to this if you want a Dual Boot with Linux is separate HD's booted via either the BIOS Boot Order or BIOS one-time Boot menu.

Do you know what GRUB corrupts exactly? Does it corrupt the 100MB partition or C:?

If it corrupts the reserved partition it's as simple as having an image of that partition and restoring it every time GRUB corrupts it, since I have no way of getting a separate HD and most of the time I'm using Linux.

Also, if I format C: again, will I have to repeat all these steps again?

Good idea to save a Win7 backup image now so you can easily get back to where you are.

Keep in mind that I'm not a Linux guy, but we see cases here regularly where GRUB appears to corrupt the Win7 bootloader because normal repair methods won't work. For all we know this is a rare exception when you take into account all of the Linux Dual Boots and the small number we probably see here which are corrupted.

However in your case Win7 repairs did work and you apparently can even still boot via GRUB. So I wouldn't worry too much about it. I just didn't want you to be surprised if it fails to boot some time.

In addition you are skilled enough to have determined you needed the SysReserved partition for GRUB to function correctly, something which I can't ever recall an OP knowing before. I thought this was a longshot, but you were ahead of me on that and thus are probably more knowledgeable about GRUB working with SysReserved.

Stick around and help others with these issues.

Let me share what I know:

When you install Windows AFTER Linux, it deletes GRUB and its bootloader takes over, which means Linux will still be there but be unbotable because Windows is not gentle enough to detect and add an entry for Linux.

Now, when you install Linux AFTER Windows, GRUB tries to locate Windows' boot information, creates an entry for it (if successful) and takes over. So every time you start up your machine, the Bootloader that is executed is GRUB. Now if you select the Windows entry, it seems to me that GRUB actually boots Windows using the previously collected information. It's either that or that GRUB call Windows' bootloader and steps back.

Either way, GRUB needs to know where the Windows bootloader resides, otherwise it won't be able to do anything.


You have been of great help guys. Thank you a lot. Now Windows and Linux are working again. However, I want to delete Windows and reinstall it properly again (that was a temporary installation to see if your directions would work). what do I do? Is it OK to delete just C: and reinstall the OS there or should I do something to the reserved partition? Will Windows recognize and use the reserved partition? That would be my final doub in this thread, you have been of a great help.


Thank you

I removed it and everything continued to work just fine. If I can I'll do it next time too (after wiping both partitions, I'm still at that step). My guess is that you are right and it won't boot because Windows' bootloader looks for the necessary files to boot in that partition by referring to it by its drive letter. However, since I'm using GRUB to boot Windows, and Linux does not need drive letters at all as it refers to partitions by device name (HD number 0, partition number 1, HD number 0 partiotion number 2, etc.), so I guess it just goes to the partiotion, fetchs the files and runs the boot process. That must be the reason why nothing bad happens when I change it. If I restore the MBR using Windows it will be a different story though.