Question

12

Installing Windows after ubuntu on a separate HDD?

rated 0 times [ 12] [ 0] / answers: 1 / hits: 2346 / 1 Year ago, sat, january 7, 2023, 9:33:39

I have Ubuntu 11.04 installed on my machine and I would like to install windows 7 as well. I heard that Windows 7 creates an additional partition along with the normal one and I was afraid that this might overwrite some of my ext3 partitions.

To avoid this risk I'm thinking of installing Windows 7 on a separate drive. Will Windows affect the MBR if they are installed on a separate drive? Do I have to edit grub after installing Windows? Is there any safe/easy method to do so?

Answers

Only authorized users can answer the question. Please sign in first, or register a free account.

epypian

Add To Favorites

Follow

Total Points: 130

Total Questions: 111

Total Answers: 113

Location: Romania

Member since Mon, Jun 6, 2022

2 Years ago

answered 1 Year ago calronze · Accepted Answer

Installing Windows will overwrite the MBR anyway (had this problem some time ago). The way you can get it working, is to physically UNPLUG the drive with your Ubuntu, by completely removing it from your computer, then installing Windows on the other drive, and re-plugging the drive with Ubuntu.

This way you will be completely sure MBR will be okay, for Windows installer will have absolutely no access to the drive with Ubuntu, as it will be separated from your computer (but some people advice it is even safer too temporarily keep the unmounted drive in a separate room, just in case [not really, I'm just kidding]).

This way you will get both systems installed on separate drives. After re-plugging make sure to alter your BIOS setting - you want to start the boot from the Ubuntu drive, as that's where GRUB is. Note that on first boot you will (most probably) not have an option to boot Windows. To fix that, boot into your Ubuntu and run sudo update-grub, this should detect Windows and add it's entry to the boot menu.