How do I re-install Ubuntu on a dual boot laptop?

maddyn73

New Member
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I have Ubuntu Linux and Windows 8 running on my laptop in Dual boot. Now I want to re-install Ubuntu without affecting Windows 8 partition. Please help me with it.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Hi there
You don't even need to "Dual Boot"

Have a read of my threads about creating a PORTABLE system -- Written for Open SUSE-- am now using using Linux Mint - the same works for UBUNTU / DEBIAN .

The main trick is to ensure that GRUB is written to the device you install Linux on and not the MBR of the ist hard disk (usually /dev/sda).

Note also if you have a UEFI system then it gets a bit more complex but the same should work.

http://www.eightforums.com/installa...make-portable-windows-system-any-version.html

It also explains if you hose up the boot windows mechanism on how to fix it.

Cheers
jimbo
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
did u install linux in a seperate hard drive partiotion or both on the same one?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1 Pro Update 1
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell
    CPU
    Inspiron 530S
    Motherboard
    64Bit X64 based Processor
    Memory
    4.5GB Ram
    Graphics Card(s)
    1GB - XFX ONE ATI Radeon HD 5450 - Plus Edition
    Sound Card
    Inbuilt
    Monitor(s) Displays
    Dell Monitor
    Screen Resolution
    1440*900
    Hard Drives
    1*Seagate 150gb + 1*Seagate 320gb
    Cooling
    3 x fans
    Keyboard
    Dell Analog
    Mouse
    Dell USB Mouse
    Internet Speed
    1Mbps, 100kbps Download Speed
    Browser
    Firefox
    Antivirus
    Kaspersky, Norton, Avast, Bitdefender, but Switched off
did u install linux in a seperate hard drive partiotion or both on the same one?


Yes. Both are on the same hard drive.This is how I installed it the first time.
1. Installed windows 8 first
2. Kept aside a 10 GB of unallocated space for Linux installation via disk management option
3. Installed Ubuntu Linux onto that 10 GB unallocated space.

From what I understand , when I turn on the laptop , the grub list comes up (replacing windows bootloader), with windows 8 in that list.
Now If I delete that 10 GB partition using GPART software, I know that next time when I turn on the laptop, I wont be seeing the grub list anymore and also that I wont be able to boot into windows 8 as well.

I would be glad if someone could help me restore back the bootloader so that I can have Windows 8 alone in my laptop.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
I have Ubuntu Linux and Windows 8 running on my laptop in Dual boot. Now I want to re-install Ubuntu without affecting Windows 8 partition. Please help me with it.

You Need to run a Virtual Machine to dual boot.
Windows 8.1 has it inbuilt....VmWare do a free one...see link below for info.
Any problems with Grub can be sorted using the free Easybcd software.

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=3&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CGoQFjAC&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwindows.microsoft.com%2Fen-ca%2Fwindows-8%2Fhyper-v-run-virtual-machines&ei=27ZGU4bcOsqshQfLj4CYCg&usg=AFQjCNGBicUWXczZSSKOcRu1uGzPIsvZUw&bvm=bv.64507335,d.ZG4

Thank you for the reply Dencal ,
However I dont want a virtual machine. I want to install it to be installed on the my Hard Drive on a separate partition.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Hi there
You don't even need to "Dual Boot"

Have a read of my threads about creating a PORTABLE system -- Written for Open SUSE-- am now using using Linux Mint - the same works for UBUNTU / DEBIAN .


The main trick is to ensure that GRUB is written to the device you install Linux on and not the MBR of the ist hard disk (usually /dev/sda).

Note also if you have a UEFI system then it gets a bit more complex but the same should work.

http://www.eightforums.com/installa...make-portable-windows-system-any-version.html

It also explains if you hose up the boot windows mechanism on how to fix it.

Cheers
jimbo


Thanks for the reply Jimbo.

However I dont want to create a portable system because that will not serve my purpose.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Your posts are conflicting....on the one hand you want to dual boot...in your post 5 you want "Windows alone".
A virtual machine is a separate partition....this would give you a choice of Windows or Ubuntu on startup....Each having their own MBR (master boot record).

If you only want Windows 8, Download EasyBCD....Its free...."View your Settings" This will show your HDD setup..."Edit boot setup" to change.....You can also do a backup and repair to cover yourself....also write MBR in BCD Deployment
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
You should be able to install it just like you did the first time. Did you use a USB stick to install it the first time?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell E6410
    CPU
    Core i7 M560
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia NVS3100
    Hard Drives
    120 GB SSD
Your posts are conflicting....on the one hand you want to dual boot...in your post 5 you want "Windows alone".
A virtual machine is a separate partition....this would give you a choice of Windows or Ubuntu on startup....Each having their own MBR (master boot record).

If you only want Windows 8, Download EasyBCD....Its free...."View your Settings" This will show your HDD setup..."Edit boot setup" to change.....You can also do a backup and repair to cover yourself....also write MBR in BCD Deployment

Sorry to confuse you. I already have both running on my system Now. I would explain it more simpler to you what i really want. I am planning to delete the ubuntu partition for now. After doing that i know that i wont be able to boot into windows as there is no grub anymore. So i want to restore back or fix the mbr/bootloader (sorry i dont know the exact name of that thing which causes Windows OS to boot). Once i am able to login back to windows i can again install ubuntu whenever i need to.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Yup i installed it using a Usb pen drive.Could you please tell me this. Now i have windows 8 in the grub list. After i again reinstall ubuntu, will windows 8 be detected automatically and appear in the grub list. Or will i have to explicitly add windows 8 by editing grub?
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Yup i installed it using a Usb pen drive.Could you please tell me this. Now i have windows 8 in the grub list. After i again reinstall ubuntu, will windows 8 be detected automatically and appear in the grub list. Or will i have to explicitly add windows 8 by editing grub?
Have you downloaded EasyBCD?....If so click on "Help" at top of page.....Then "Documentation"....Columns on the left should answer any problem....example "Easy Basics" or "Changing Boot Order".
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8 Pro
Yup i installed it using a Usb pen drive.Could you please tell me this. Now i have windows 8 in the grub list. After i again reinstall ubuntu, will windows 8 be detected automatically and appear in the grub list. Or will i have to explicitly add windows 8 by editing grub?

Hi there
I can't remember explicitly but when you installed GRUB did it ask if this was the only OS on your system or did it suggest look for other OS'es.

Debian (similar to UBUNTU), OPENSUSE and Linux Mint will usually include boot to windows in the GRUB list.

Why not simply install GRUB to an external USB device (you could intall the distro on that too) and then you don't have to worry about hosing up your windows boot.

If you need to get the windows boot back again

Boot windows install / recovery disk ==>repair windows==>tools>command line

enter following commands

fixmbr
fixboot

then your system will boot windows normally.

If you have a UEFI boot then Grub can do some strange things - that's why I always prefer to have it on an external device. You don't need to actually install the OS on the external device - but I prefer to - especially using an SSD.

BTW note now most Linux distros have partitions labelled with UUID's (32 char identifier) so you can't just copy willy nilly or move them without taking care.

Example shown --

Cheers
jimbo
 

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My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Linux Centos 7, W8.1, W7, W2K3 Server W10
    Computer type
    PC/Desktop
    Monitor(s) Displays
    1 X LG 40 inch TV
    Hard Drives
    SSD's * 3 (Samsung 840 series) 250 GB
    2 X 3 TB sata
    5 X 1 TB sata
    Internet Speed
    0.12 GB/s (120Mb/s)
Yup i installed it using a Usb pen drive.Could you please tell me this. Now i have windows 8 in the grub list. After i again reinstall ubuntu, will windows 8 be detected automatically and appear in the grub list. Or will i have to explicitly add windows 8 by editing grub?
I did what you did by deleting the Ubuntu partition but then I wasn't able to boot into Windows. So I just installed Ubuntu again and everything was working as before. Windows 8 is on the grub list.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell E6410
    CPU
    Core i7 M560
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia NVS3100
    Hard Drives
    120 GB SSD
After you re-install ubuntu from your usb pen drive, boot into windows and watch this youtube video which shows how to uninstall ubuntu.
Let us know how it goes.

[video=youtube;TcE3gkzwQSY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcE3gkzwQSY[/video]
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell E6410
    CPU
    Core i7 M560
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia NVS3100
    Hard Drives
    120 GB SSD
Yup i installed it using a Usb pen drive.Could you please tell me this. Now i have windows 8 in the grub list. After i again reinstall ubuntu, will windows 8 be detected automatically and appear in the grub list. Or will i have to explicitly add windows 8 by editing grub?
I did what you did by deleting the Ubuntu partition but then I wasn't able to boot into Windows. So I just installed Ubuntu again and everything was working as before. Windows 8 is on the grub list.


I think you have answered what I really wanted to know. So you are saying that windows will be listed automatically in grub list even after reinstalling ubuntu. Okay. thanks. I am also eager to know how exactly you deleted the Ubuntu partition.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
After you re-install ubuntu from your usb pen drive, boot into windows and watch this youtube video which shows how to uninstall ubuntu.
Let us know how it goes.

[video=youtube;TcE3gkzwQSY]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TcE3gkzwQSY[/video]

Wow. This looks nice. I will try it out and let you know. Thank you.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Yup i installed it using a Usb pen drive.Could you please tell me this. Now i have windows 8 in the grub list. After i again reinstall ubuntu, will windows 8 be detected automatically and appear in the grub list. Or will i have to explicitly add windows 8 by editing grub?

Hi there
I can't remember explicitly but when you installed GRUB did it ask if this was the only OS on your system or did it suggest look for other OS'es.

Debian (similar to UBUNTU), OPENSUSE and Linux Mint will usually include boot to windows in the GRUB list.

Why not simply install GRUB to an external USB device (you could intall the distro on that too) and then you don't have to worry about hosing up your windows boot.

If you need to get the windows boot back again

Boot windows install / recovery disk ==>repair windows==>tools>command line

enter following commands

fixmbr
fixboot

then your system will boot windows normally.

If you have a UEFI boot then Grub can do some strange things - that's why I always prefer to have it on an external device. You don't need to actually install the OS on the external device - but I prefer to - especially using an SSD.

BTW note now most Linux distros have partitions labelled with UUID's (32 char identifier) so you can't just copy willy nilly or move them without taking care.

Example shown --

Cheers
jimbo


Thank you Jimbo for the effort you have put in to explain this:geek:. I really appreciate what you have done for me. But this sounds very complicated for a person like me. And I don't have an external device with me to try out all these stuffs. All I have is a 4 GB USB stick. Poor me :cry:
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Yup i installed it using a Usb pen drive.Could you please tell me this. Now i have windows 8 in the grub list. After i again reinstall ubuntu, will windows 8 be detected automatically and appear in the grub list. Or will i have to explicitly add windows 8 by editing grub?
Have you downloaded EasyBCD?....If so click on "Help" at top of page.....Then "Documentation"....Columns on the left should answer any problem....example "Easy Basics" or "Changing Boot Order".


I haven't downloaded it yet. I will definitely try it out and let you know the results.Thanks
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8
Maddyn, there is another way to delete ubuntu without using EasyBCD.

1. From the GRUB list choose the Win 8 loader.
2. When on the Win 8 bootloader screen where it asks which operating system to boot, right below the Ubuntu option, there is something that says 'change defaults and choose other options'. Click on that.
3. CXlick on Choose Other Options
4. Click on Troubleshoot
5. Click Advanced Options
6. Click on Command Prompt. It will then ask you for your Win 8 user password so enter it and command prompt window should display.
7. Type bootrec /fixboot and press the enter button.
8. Type bootrec /fixmbr and press enter. There is a space between the letter "c" and /

That's it, close Command window and restart your PC. Now the window loader shows up.
Boot windows and then delete the Ubuntu partition like you did before and you are done. Problem fixed.
 

My Computer

System One

  • OS
    Windows 8.1
    Computer type
    Laptop
    System Manufacturer/Model
    Dell E6410
    CPU
    Core i7 M560
    Memory
    8 GB
    Graphics Card(s)
    nVidia NVS3100
    Hard Drives
    120 GB SSD
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