steveadoo,

If you are happy with things as they are, then leave well alone.

Just to point out that a fresh installation of Linux Mint will take a very short time compared to the time it takes to reinstall W7.

Regarding backing up your linux settings, I create a folder under /root (where it is locked away and safe) which contains at least the following:

• All users other than root that I have setup on the system, including usernames, passwords and privileges they have on the system and why.
  
  
• Copies of all system files, as well as the full path for each file, that I have edited as well as the original files from when the system was first installed.
  
  
• A list of all programs that I have installed, and why, since the system was first installed, as well as the full install files and/or packages for those programs. My experience has been, more often than not, that programs I have found very useful tend in time to "somehow" not "be available" anymore.

I then backup that folder as part of my regular linux backup. The intent here is to be able to completely rebuild my linux system if a disaster like my hard drive failing were to happen. Not that this is a recommendation for dual boot at all, since even with this backup, restoring your linux system to where you originally had it is still very laborious. However, it beats the alternative of being completely unprepared for a disaster like a hard drive failure. Further, regarding dual boot with windows, there is no way that I would trust Microsoft with full access to my computer in that manner, especially considering what they have done with windows 10.

This is another reason I really like to keep windows in a virtual machine. It takes about 30 minutes, if that, to restore a virtual machine from backup. It can take at least a couple of days to reinstall windows from scratch and then you also have to deal with Microsoft's people politics.

Thee above quote from your initial post indicates that your installation of Mint is using GPT. With Mint/Linux you create an unformatted BIOS boot partition to enable using GPT with an MBR install. Windows with GPT needs to be installed UEFI. Windows 7 default install is using MBR not UEFI and you might be able to find a way to install windows 7 EFI but that will create other problems. One of the systems (Mint or windows) will probably boot and the other will not. You would have to go to the BIOS to make the selection each time you boot and that 'might' work.

If your install of Mint is fairly new, you could use 'Systemback' software to create a bootable iso of your currently installed Mint system which can include your user data and configuration files in the /home/user directory. Installing an using it is explained at the site below.

http://www.techrepublic.com/article/...ng-systemback/