Reformatting windows partition, loosing grub?

[agostonbejo]

Hi!

I've got a machine in which there is one hard drive which is divided into two partitions. One (let's call it hda1) is an NTFS partition, on which there is a Windows XP, the other (hda5 if you will) is an ext2 partition on which I have an Ubuntu. There's a grub boot manager with which you can choose between the two upon booting. (The file bootgrub and boot.ini control this, I suppose, which are on hda1).

Now my problem is that I want to get rid of the Windows XP and reformat that partition as ext3 or whatever, to claim it completely for my Linux. However, since the boot manager resides on that partition, I don't know whether I'll be able to boot or how I will be able to do that afterwards. (I guess I'll have to install a Linux-based boot manager or something.)

Since I wouldn't like to spend whole weekends by figuring out how to get my Linux running again after reformatting the (I guess primary?) partition, I would be happy if someone could tell me what will happen and what I will have to do about it. I can only hope that by booting from the Ubuntu install dvd I'll be able to install some boot manager. Is that correct?

Thanks,
Agoston

P.S.: Also, can someone tell me how to post into more than one group at the same time in order to avoid cross-posting?

[valemon]

Usually the grub installs in the MBR, so after formating the ntfs partition to ext3 you are not going to have a problem booting. If your boot manager is screwed you can fix it with the ubuntu cd. Post if any questions/problems

[devils casper]

As valemon mentioned already, If you are planning to format NTFS to ext3 partition only then nothing will go wrong but if you will create new partition(s) then Ubuntu might not boot up. Post output of sudo fdisk -l command here before creating new partition(s).

[agostonbejo]

Well, it took some time until I found sime time (and courage) to do it. For your information: you were right. I booted from the live cd (the installation cd), and with gparted reformatted the partition to ext3. After that, I can boot my Ubuntu just the same as before.

The only thing was that I had to tweak my /etc/fstab a little bit (basically copy-pasted the line belonging to the other partition), because it was still the ntfs entry that was there and it obsiously wasn't mounted anymore. Now it works fine as well, so everything's OK.

Thanks for the help!

Agoston

[valemon]

Glad to know you figured this out. Feel free to ask a question about your next problem