Dual Boot/Partition: Formatting One Partition

[Allen]

I have dual boot setup on my 80GB HDD with XP Home on the first partition and Debian Sarge on the 2nd. It took me forever to get Debian setup correctly so I'd like to be able to format the first partition (Windows) without causing a problem to Debian.

When I setup Debian it created a boot selector thing where I can select which OS I want to load up, which is great, but where is this stored? If it's on the boot partition (Windows) then I won't be able to format this without losing the boot selector, will I?

If it is on the boot partition, how can I completely remove Windows without losing the boot selector so I can do a fresh Windows install?

Cheers!

[Allen]

No-one know if this is possible?

[yamangman]

You should have no problem remaking the boot loader surely? After the format just boot up Debian from the CD or whatever you have at hand and rebuild it, or even better back it up then reload it.

[Allen]

Unfortunately, my knowledge of Linux still isn't great, so I wouldn't have a clue about backing up an installation... I don't even know if my DVD-RW is working in Linux yet!

[ikonia]

I assume your using grub as a boot loaders, just re-istall XP which will then overright the boot sector (grub I assume your using) boot from any sort of resue/live CD knoppix/gentoo/debian what ever and re-install grub onto the boot sector and you'll be fine.

or you can use dd to take a backup of the current boot sector then use a live cd to put that backup back.

[Allen]

I assume your using grub as a boot loaders, just re-istall XP which will then overright the boot sector (grub I assume your using) boot from any sort of resue/live CD knoppix/gentoo/debian what ever and re-install grub onto the boot sector and you'll be fine.

OK, I think I got that bit. So I can format the Windows partition, re-install Win XP/2000, boot from the Debian Sarge boot disc and it will re-install the boot loader? Or do I have to install it from the disc? If so, how?

or you can use dd to take a backup of the current boot sector then use a live cd to put that backup back.

You lost me there... What is "dd"? And how could I put a backup back with a live CD?

[Trippledence]

I dream of dual booting, but i cant find a way to partition a hardrive without reformatting it.

[rajagra]

I dream of dual booting, but i cant find a way to partition a hardrive without reformatting it.

Try Partition Magic.

[Trippledence]

I did. Resiseing the existing partion to make space for a new one, then putting a new one in. It restarted but didnt work.

[Ramedge]

Yeh its Pmagic didnt work for me either, the partition would never be there when you started up.

[directhex]

windows will remove all non-windows bootloaders it finds, early in the install procedure (even if you cancel before installing).

the correct procedure is to install windows, boot a livecd of some sort, and run "grub-install /dev/yourharddiskname"

e.g. /dev/sda for the first sata disk on a system, /dev/hda for the first ide disk in a system

[Allen]

Live CD? That wouldn't be the same as the first CD from the Debian package that I downloaded to install Sarge, would it?

[directhex]

you CAN use the debian install cd, if you like.

hit escape once the installer's loaded, scroll down to "install the grub boot loader" and hit enter. that ought to be it

[Allen]

Ta.