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Currently, my computer is dual-booting Linux and Windows 7. A series of unfortunate events has led to me needing to restore Windows using a restore disc.

I want to know if this can be done without formatting my entire hard drive, as I don't want to get rid of my Linux partition. That is, I want to reset Windows - which already has a partition on my hard drive - without affecting any of my other partitions on my drive.

wjandrea
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Kae
  • 213

3 Answers3

4

Restoring Windows will almost definitely break grub, and likely overwrite your linux partitions. You need to backup everything before the restoration, as you'll most likely be reinstalling Ubuntu after it's finished.

3

  • There should be no problems on default Windows 10 installations (UEFI).

    I just had to reset one of my Windows 10 installations due to a Windows update error (which I could fix this way) and none of the Grub installations (one SSD with Ubuntu; one HDD with Windows 10, Ubuntu and Fedora) were touched.

  • Method used: Settings → Recovery → Reset this PC → Keep my files

enter image description here

Thomas Ward
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LiveWireBT
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2

No, you cannot. Windows restore DVDs will wipe your entire hard drive!

You should:

Option 1:

  • Copy your data from the Windows to the Ubuntu partition
  • Delete Windows
  • Assign the free hard disk space now to Ubuntu

(This is what I did nearly 2 years ago and haven't looked back)

Option 2:

  • Back up all your data (Windows and Ubuntu)
  • Restore the machine using the Restore DVDs
  • Reinstall Ubuntu
  • Restore all your data

Option 3:

  • Buy a retail version of Windows in a store/on-line
  • Re-install Windows (do not format any hard drives)
  • Download all drivers from the manufacturer's site(s)
  • Install them as well
  • Pray to the gods of Gates&Balmer that the retail version will not wipe any data
  • Run the boot-repair disk
Fabby
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