W7/Linux Mint dual boot upgade

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  1. Posts : 4,663
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
       #1

    W7/Linux Mint dual boot upgade


    I folks,

    Currently I'm running a dual boot with Windows 7 and Linux Mint 10. When I boot up I get Windows Boot Loader and default to W7. If I choose the second choice, Linux Mint, I go to GRUB and boot into Linux Mint.
    Very shortly Linux Mint 11 will be released. The recommendation is for people to do a clean install.
    I'm wondering whether, if I clean install Linux Mint 11 on the partition that LM 10 now occupies (on a separate HDD) it will mess up my boot. What I mean is whether GRUB will be my first boot loader and default into Linux.
    I'd prefer to keep it as it is but I'm unsure about how to go about this upgrade.
    For one thing Windows cannot see Linux so I'm kind of guessing which partition my current Linux install is on.
    As I say, it's on a different HDD, so I could disconnect my Windows drive altogether. Not sure whether this would be a worthwhile thing to do though.

    Any suggestions would be welcome, John:)
    Last edited by johnwillyums; 11 May 2011 at 02:58.
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  2. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #2

    Hello John.



    As you know which HDD is the Windows 7 HDD and so on ...


    The best way would be to power down and disconnect all HDDs except the Windows 7 HDD, connect it to the #1 SATA port of the mobo and set it as the first boot device in the main BIOS, make sure Windows 7 is the Active partition and make sure it boots all by itself as the "System" partition.

    Startup Repair - Run 3 Separate Times


    Then power down and disconnect the Windows 7 HDD and connect the HDD you want to use for Linux and do the install to that; when finished power down and reconnect all the HDDs putting Windows 7 back at SATA #1 and use the one-time boot menu for your Gigabyte board (which is the F12 hot-key) to boot to whichever OS/HDD you want to boot at PC startup.


    Post a snip of disk management to see and if you have questions be sure to ask. :)
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  3. Posts : 4,663
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thanks BFK.

    I'm getting confused here. I have attached a snip of computer management.
    As you can see Disk 0(E) is a 500GB storage drive.
    Disk 1 (C) is my Windows 7 install on a 1TB drive

    Disk 2 is a bit of a mess. I have a 709GB storage space (F) for media etc, a 48GB unallocated, a 81GB partition showing as free space plus a 74GB New Volume (NTFS) and a 17GB New Volume (NTFS).

    I believe that my Linux install is on the 81GB partition.
    The 48GB unallocated was NTFS but I "deleted volume" thinking this would add it to my 709GB storage partition but it didn't
    Ideally I would like to do that but I'm not sure how.
    The 74GB partition and the 17GB partition are NTFS.
    As I say, I believe the Linux install is on the 81GB partition as that shows as free space and not NTFS

    I really shouldn't mess with things I don't understand

    Thanks for your help, John:)
    Attached Thumbnails Attached Thumbnails W7/Linux Mint dual boot upgade-compmanmay11.png  
    Last edited by johnwillyums; 11 May 2011 at 09:59. Reason: unfinished
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  4. Posts : 3,427
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #4

    Hi John,

    When Mint asks you where to put Grub, do NOT let it default. Instead manually select the Mint partition rather than the entire hard disk. This used to be the last screen on the Mint installation, and you had to select "Advanced" to get to it, but I think they changed that with 10.

    So rather than installing to (for example) sda you would install it to sda3

    Although if memory serves me, your installations are on seperate HDD's aren't they? If so then as long as Windows is the first boot device, all should work as it is now.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 4,663
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Sorry, forgot to add it:)
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  6. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #6

    Hello again, Martin has some good info for you above.


    To clarify, since the Windows 7 partition is "System / Active" all you would have to do is to disconnect the HDDs except the Linux HDD and install to that and when done reconnect the others and use the F12 one-time boot menu to start the OS/HDD you want to boot at PC startup.


    To me that's a better way that tying the OSs together the 'old' way, let the BIOS work for you.
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  7. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #7

    johnwillyums said:
    Thanks BFK.




    The 48GB unallocated was NTFS but I "deleted volume" thinking this would add it to my 709GB storage partition but it didn't
    Ideally I would like to do that but I'm not sure how.


    Thanks for your help, John:)

    If you want to recover this into the "Storage" partition, have a look at Step Three of this tutorial at the link below for how, just disregard the first two steps are they are not needed in your situation.

    Partition : Recover Space Used by an Older OS
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  8. Posts : 4,663
    Windows 7 Home Premium 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #8

    Thanks to the both of you. That sounds simpler. To clarify:
    So, if I disconnect Disk 0 and Disk 1 I shouldn't accidently hose my Windows 7 install.
    If I then custom install Linux to the 81GB partition on Disk 2 my 709GB storage partition will be safe.
    And my boot choice would still default to Windows through Windows Boot?

    Have I got that right?
    Thanks, John:)
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 22,814
    W 7 64-bit Ultimate
       #9

    johnwillyums said:
    Thanks to the both of you. That sounds simpler. To clarify:
    So, if I disconnect Disk 0 and Disk 1 I shouldn't accidently hose my Windows 7 install.
    If I then custom install Linux to the 81GB partition on Disk 2 my 709GB storage partition will be safe.
    And my boot choice would still default to Windows through Windows Boot?

    Have I got that right?
    Thanks, John:)

    Exactly!
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 3,427
    Windows 10 Pro x64
       #10

    Hi again john,

    Yes that's right. As long as the Windows disk is set to the first active boot drive (above the Linux one) then it will default to Windows bootloader.

    You may have to just delete and recreate the entry for Mint using EasyBCD as I advised you the first time we set this up. I'm not sure, it may just take it with no fuss, or it may not.
      My Computer


 
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