What is the best way to preserve GRUB on the MBR when installing windows?
 

I am taking a networking class which uses a Microsoft textbook in which all the labs use Windows 2003 Server. I haven't had Windows on my computer for quite some time and am wary of installing it again due to it's tendency to rewrite the MBR with it's own info (hopefully this info won't be necessary and I can do it all in Lab but I want to be ready just in case).

I don't need info on how to use GRUB with Windows. I need either a way to keep Windows from touching the MBR (this is probably both wishful thinking and the wrong place for that one) or an easy way to put GRUB back where it is supposed to be once Windows removes it. I am currently using Fedora Core 5 and can boot from both floppy and CD. Any thoughts on how to accomplish this task?

After installing Windows, reboot with a Linux liveCD, chroot into the environment on your harddisk (chroot /dev/hdwhatever or /dev/sdwhatever) and reinstall grub (grub-install IIRC, I use lilo).

You can't stop Windows install overwriting the MBR.
FC should have a recovery option to do it all for you. Simple - else do you'll have to chroot as suggested.

You can make backups of your grub.conf or menu.lst before Windows destroys them.

Windows doesn't, these files reside on the Linux file system. Windows only overwrites the part of the MBR where the stage 1 boot loader is. `grub-install` or `lilo` does the same, for its own use.