Re-installing Windows Without Messing Up Linux

[Jazoon]

Hello,

I'm not very experienced in the Linux OS yet. I also have WinXP on my computer and i got grub for my boot selector. The thing is my WinXP partition has a few nasty viruses and I just wanna down grade to Win2k anyway but last time I tried to do this of course it messed up grub somehow (changing the MBR i guess) but my question is, is there any safe way to reinstall windows without screwing up my Linux partition or grub. If you could just like send me a link to a tutorial of some sort or explain it i would greatly appreciate it.

Thanks,
Jason

[aysiu]

Try this Google search

[drakebasher]

Windows will always over-write the mbr on installation. While you are still able to boot to Linux, I'd suggest you make a Grub boot floppy. Then, after you have installed Windows, you will be able to use the floppy disk to boot into Linux and to re-install Grub to the mbr. To create a Grub boot floppy, check this link.

[chopin1810]

2k is better. You will like the change. Just delete the windows/linux partitions, install windows, then install linux. After all this get a grub floppy and install it (although I prefer xOSL). This should be it. By the way, what distro are you planning on/already running?

[afroguy013]

2k is better. You will like the change. Just delete the windows/linux partitions, install windows, then install linux. After all this get a grub floppy and install it (although I prefer xOSL). This should be it. By the way, what distro are you planning on/already running?

yes, but he wants to keep his linux the way it is. That would require scrweing with his linux partition.


I've never actually had success installing windows alonside a linux partition before, but don't let that stop you. Good luck!

[drakebasher]

I've never actually had success installing windows alonside a linux partition before, but don't let that stop you.

Others here have reported success with no real problems, other than the MBR over-write issue.

yes, but he wants to keep his linux the way it is. That would require scrweing with his linux partition.

Good point. It's encouraged that solutions offered here actually meet the poster's preferences when possible. But from his message as well as his "Distro" listing, maybe chopin1810 has no problem with wiping out Linux. I've never seen "Windows XP Home Edition-SP2" listed as a "distro".

[chopin1810]

I have no problem with wiping out any OS. Of course I see that I am pretty much alone on this. I like to think of myself as a nomad of computers. I don't write much anything to the hard drive, for personal files I just write them to my memory stick. I don't like the idea of writing tons of stuff to the HDD because I've had many horrid experiances of losing everything by doing that. Also, if I want to upgrade or make any major changes to my disk, I can just do it and not have to spend a week backing my stuff up.
Plus I reload Windows every six months. The registry gets clogged very quickly for a heavy XP user.
Again though I realize I'm really the only person who does this, but it does make my computer very clean, stable, fast, and reliable.

[chopin1810]

2k is better. You will like the change. Just delete the windows/linux partitions, install windows, then install linux. After all this get a grub floppy and install it (although I prefer xOSL). This should be it. By the way, what distro are you planning on/already running?

yes, but he wants to keep his linux the way it is. That would require scrweing with his linux partition.

I don't know why people have such trouble getting Windows to run with Linux, even I did it when I was still a linux n00b and it worked fine.
Again, just wipe xp's partition, install 2k as said and put any boot manager you want on the disk, that's what I've always done. It isn't difficult and leaves your 2k as is.

[oldcpu]

my question is, is there any safe way to reinstall windows without screwing up my Linux partition or grub.

Yes, just reinstall windows. It will wipe out your grub boot manager. And then use your Linux installation CD / DVD to restore Grub.

I did this sometime back. I can't remember the details. But an Internet search, with some determination, should help you find more detailed instructions.

[brother_mick]

I`ve had several setups with dual boot WinXp/Linux and changed them , the information provided in the LFS project has always helped me , making a grub bootdisk before making any changes has always been helpful.