Want to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 7 on a Dual Boot machine Ubuntu/Winvista.
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Want to upgrade Windows Vista to Windows 7 on a Dual Boot machine Ubuntu/Winvista.
How must I do this, without messing up the boot sector?
I want to backup the data files from Windows Vista on to Ubuntu.
That's easy, I mount the partition, tarfile it and save it on the Ubuntu drive.
Then, I want to "new-full-install" Windows 7 on the old Windows Vista partition, without messing up the grub boot loader or losing the Ubuntu installation.
As you probably already know. Windows 7 Bootloader will wipe out grub. You will have to reinstall grub using some kind of Live Media (CD or USB) of Ubuntu that you are using to reinstall grub.
unallocated
You can use Gparted in your Ubuntu install to wipe the Vista Partition. Leave it unallocated.
Point the Windows installer to that unallocated partition. And let Windows 7 format and then install to it. Windows will then install and kill Grub. You will then only be able to boot into Windows. Then you can move on to reinstalling grub. Another way of reinstalling grub below.
re you saying I should boot off a bootable Ubuntu dvd live session, then run grub-install?
Yup - that's exactly right. It's really shouldn't be a big deal.
Just:
1. Look at the links rokytnji sent (or Google for some of your own).
Whatever you feel comfortable with - just get "the big picture".
2. Run "df" or "mount" while you can still boot Linux, and write down
the partitions.
3. Install Windows 7.
Overwrite Vista (Windows7 doesn't support "upgrades" per se anyway!)
Make sure Windows 7 doesn't try to overwrite your Linux partition.
4. Verify Windows 7 is OK.
5. Insert your Ubuntu Live DVD, and run the grub-install on your original boot partition.
6. Voila! You should be back to multi-boot, with all your old Ubuntu files!
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