I have 2 systems with 2 Windows7 each:

A) Dell
Disk0: Windows partition (NTFS)
Disk1: System Reserved (NTFS 100MB) and Windows7 (NTFS)

B) HP
Disk0: Windows partition (NTFS 224GB, Flag 'boot') and HP_Recovery (9GB)
Disk1: Windows10 (NTFS 230GB) and unnamed partition (865MB, Flag 'diag')

I want to maintain the existing Windows installations on Disk0. Linux should work from disk1.
I understand that the Linux installation will reformat the complete disk, (disk1 in both cases).

Would the installation eliminate the small partitions 'System Reserved' and the unnamed one, and what would be the consequences?

Many thanks in advance for advice!

Did you already create the Linux partition?

No partition created yet, for fear to destroy something.

Yes, if you select the whole disk for linux, consequences hard to say. To test disconnect disk1 and see if windows on disk0 still boots.

1 members found this post helpful.

oschu,

Welcome to LQ forums.

Do not delete the System Reserved (MSR) and EFI System Partitions (ESP), otherwise the system will not boot.

The System Reserved partition (or Microsoft Reserved partition = MSR) is created when you are using a disk that is using Legacy BIOS and the MBR (Master Boot Record) partitioning scheme. The System Reserved partition is 100MB in size, but only has data worth 30 MB.

If you are using a computer with UEFI BIOS and GPT (GUID Partition Table) partitioning scheme, then it will create an EFI System Partition (ESP). The size is exactly the same, though.

https://helpdeskgeek.com/help-desk/w...efi-partition/

https://superuser.com/questions/1019...ery-partitions

UEFI, ESP, MSR & GPT:
http://woshub.com/how-to-repair-dele...-in-windows-7/

1 members found this post helpful.

If I wanted to save a drive and to have it remain as it was before linux then I'd remove data/power to that drive and install linux to the drive I wanted to use. Then return system after full install and updates. To select the boot drive then I'd use the F key at boot to select boot device.

1 members found this post helpful.

unplug disk1 first to make sure it isn't somehow involved in booting windows on disk0, if windows on disk0 boots okay, unplug disk0 connect disk1, run the installer and select to use whole disk.

1 members found this post helpful.

How big is this disk? If those 2 partitions take up the entire disk then you will not be able to install Linux, doesn't work on a windows filesystem. If you have unallocated space on the disk in addition to those 2 partitions, you can create and format a partition with a Linux filesystem during the install. If you do not have unallocated space on that drive, you will need to use windows Disk Management tool to shrink the largest partition to create unallocated space.

Most Linux installers will give you several options and will not erase partitions already existing unless instructed to do so by the user, for example by selecting an option to 'Erase Disk and install ??'.

The above quote is from your initial post. In that same post you indicate you have windows 10 on Disk1, which is it or do you have 3 windows installs?
If you have decided on which of the 500 pluse Linux distributionss you want to use, that would be helpful. Are you familiar with Linux drive/partition naming conventions? You won't see and Disk0 or Disk1 using Linux.

If you can, the safest method would be the suggestion above to disconnect the windows drive.

1 members found this post helpful.

Opps, I read that wrong.

Is it safe to resize a Windows partition from inside Windows? It's been a while since I used it, but I thought that was a bad idea.

I was under the impression that the op wanted to replace the windows on disk1 with linux, not install alongside windows on disk1

There is a Windows 7 program that will allow you to safely resize partitions. Kind of like Pqmagic.

Depending on your choice of Gnu/Linux OS to install, and how and whether you prepare in advance for it, "Linux" might not reformat anything. I do all my resizing and formatting in advance of beginning any OS installer. I don't allow installers to disturb my preparations. Distros that insist on interfering with my policy don't get installed a second time, if at all.

Windows has the best tool for resizing Windows partitions built right into it.

1 members found this post helpful.

Best seems to be: disconnect disk and try. Normally I would expect that an OS works and stays on one disk, and that the Multiboot part is on the disk which is considered the first one by the manfacturer. This seems to be the case in both machines (after digging a bit in the small non-Windows partitions).
I will format the future Linux partition before installation, hope that the Linux installer can find it.
For the moment I think the topic is solved, Thanks again for help!