dual boot question

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  1. Posts : 60
    Windows 10 PRO 64 bit
       #1

    dual boot question


    Thank you for taking the time to read this.

    I currently have a dual boot setup with Windows 7 and Linux Mint. The upgrade to Win 10 is ready. Will the upgrade destroy my boot sector ? If it does, will I be able to re-install Linux after upgrading to Win 10 from Windows 7?

    Thank you.
      My Computer


  2. Posts : 1,249
    Windows 8.1, Win10Pro
       #2

    Presuming you have a machine using BIOS, not UEFI, then your drive probably uses MBR, not GPT, formatting. And in that case, when you upgrade Win 7 to Win10, the boot loader info currently used by Win7 will be updated by Win10.

    You should not have to reinstall Linux Mint -- but to be safe, I recommend you look into using CloneZilla to image its partitions off to an external drive -- that's what I use for my Linux distros.

    Also, since Win7 upgrades are really risky (I had the two machine I tried to upgrade BOTH fail, leaving one in an unusable state), I recommend considering doing an image backup of Win7 to an external drive using Macrium Reflect:

    Macrium Reflect (MR) provides a FREE version that can be used to image and restore partitions or entire drives.What I recommend is the following:
    1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR)
    2) Run MR and choose the option: "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows" to write a full backup to an external drive
    3) Use the option to create a boot USB stick or CD
    NOW, you have the means to restore a full working system from the external drive in only a few minutes.
      My Computer


  3. Posts : 60
    Windows 10 PRO 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #3

    Thank you for the quick reply, my laptop does use BIOS. I used REDO for my images, so I already have them backed up. I have upgraded 3 laptops so far from Win 7 without issue. I hope that doesn't mean my odds are not good on this one as it is my personal laptop. Do you like Windows 10 ?


    Mark Phelps said:
    Presuming you have a machine using BIOS, not UEFI, then your drive probably uses MBR, not GPT, formatting. And in that case, when you upgrade Win 7 to Win10, the boot loader info currently used by Win7 will be updated by Win10.

    You should not have to reinstall Linux Mint -- but to be safe, I recommend you look into using CloneZilla to image its partitions off to an external drive -- that's what I use for my Linux distros.

    Also, since Win7 upgrades are really risky (I had the two machine I tried to upgrade BOTH fail, leaving one in an unusable state), I recommend considering doing an image backup of Win7 to an external drive using Macrium Reflect:

    Macrium Reflect (MR) provides a FREE version that can be used to image and restore partitions or entire drives.What I recommend is the following:
    1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR)
    2) Run MR and choose the option: "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows" to write a full backup to an external drive
    3) Use the option to create a boot USB stick or CD
    NOW, you have the means to restore a full working system from the external drive in only a few minutes.
      My Computer


  4. Posts : 18,421
    Windows 11 Pro
       #4

    It also depends on what you are using as your boot loader. If you are using the Windows 7 boot loader, then Windows 10 should just update the Windows 7 entry to Window 10 and leave the Linux entry alone. If you are using a Linux boot loader, then the Windows 10 upgrade will likely install it's own boot loader and you will have to fix the boot loader either replacing it with Linux, or adding the entry for Linux back to it.
      My Computer


  5. Posts : 60
    Windows 10 PRO 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #5

    Thanks for your input, that is what I am thinking also. I use GRUB for booting. I guess a fresh install won't hurt. I had a separate partition on the hard drive that was used by both OS's. It held the files I use or need daily. It was a 10 gig partition, i can probably actually shrink it to as i only used about 3gigs.

    Thank you again.
      My Computer

  6.   My Computer


  7. Posts : 460
    Windows 10 Home x64
       #7

    Mark Phelps said:
    Also, since Win7 upgrades are really risky (I had the two machine I tried to upgrade BOTH fail, leaving one in an unusable state), I recommend considering doing an image backup of Win7 to an external drive using Macrium Reflect:

    Macrium Reflect (MR) provides a FREE version that can be used to image and restore partitions or entire drives.What I recommend is the following:
    1) Download and install Macrium Reflect (MR)
    2) Run MR and choose the option: "Create an image of the partition(s) required to backup and restore Windows" to write a full backup to an external drive
    3) Use the option to create a boot USB stick or CD
    NOW, you have the means to restore a full working system from the external drive in only a few minutes.
    IMO the 7 to 10 upgrades aren't risky, I had no problem at all when I upgraded my two Win7 machines (custom built desktop from 2010 retail 7 Home Prem, older 2008 Dell laptop OEM 7 Pro, both x64) both upgrades went fine. All files, folders, bookmarks, desktop settings, etc... followed from 7 to 10.

    Wholeheartedly agree with doing image/backups, and a good idea to take one right before performing the upgrade. I have Windows do the backup/image every Sunday night to a backup HDD.
      My Computers


  8. Posts : 112
    Win 7
       #8

    [QUOTE=Do you like Windows 10 ?[/QUOTE]

    It is not the prefect Windows but it is better than Windows 8 ( of course ) and better than living in the past with WIndows 7.
      My Computer


  9. Posts : 1,249
    Windows 8.1, Win10Pro
       #9

    IMO the 7 to 10 upgrades aren't risky,
    I based my comments on reading the OEM forums where the vast MAJORITY of the complaints about corrupted machines from Win10 upgrades are for former Win7 machines. The Win8.1 machines, as evidenced by few comments, appear to fare much better -- which isn't surprising.
      My Computer


  10. Posts : 60
    Windows 10 PRO 64 bit
    Thread Starter
       #10

    I found these 2 articles provide information that I will try when time permits.
    HOW2GEEK

    BYTELINUX


      My Computer


 

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