Upgrading to Windows 8.1 from 7 while having ubuntu

Hi all,

I recently native installed ubuntu, which I need for some work I am doing. I already have windows 7 as well which I want to upgrade to 8.1. When I start the upgrade process the installer shows me only 2 options 1) Just keep personal files 2) nothing. Now what I am unsure is what will happen to native install of ubuntu which I have on a separate primary partition. Will that come under personal files and will be retained? or This windows installer will see it as non doc non media file and delete stuff? Or because it is on separate primary partition, the installer won't recognize ubuntu at all and everything will be fine?

Sorry, I am a complete noob when it comes to multi-boot stuff. So some advice would help. I will be happy to provide any further info. My disk currently looks like following

primary partition 1: windows 7
primary partition 2: SYSTM_DRV (came when I purchased laptop)
primary 3: recovery drive (also came with purchase)
Extended: has 2 logical 1 full of media and docs other empty
primary 4: ubuntu
primary 5: created by ubuntu install as swap

Thanks in advance.

If you downgrade Win7 to Windows 8 you will not have Win7 any longer. Are you sure you want to do that?

Your files should always be backed up in case of HD failure which happens all the time.

Your Recovery partition will also no longer boot to run if WIn7 partition is overwritten with Win7.

So my suggestion would be to Clean Install - Windows 8 to space you create out of deleted Recovery and System partition and by possibly shrinking one other adjacent partition in advance using Disk Mgmt (if shrinking from the left) or Partition Wizard to Resize Partition - Video Help.

Then Win8 will create a Dual Boot with Win7, while you can add Linux using Dual boot Ubuntu-Win7.

If you want to post back a screenshot of Disk Management - Post a Screen Capture Image
and tell us which you prefer, then we can advise you better.