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    linux reformat

    Discussion in 'Linux Compatibility and Software' started by 1ceBlu3, Jul 15, 2009.

  1. 1ceBlu3

    1ceBlu3 Notebook Deity

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    I have an external hd with ubuntu on it and windows on my regular hd.
    when i installed ubuntu i put the boot loader on my external hd.
    now i would like to reformat ubuntu on my external hd and put it on my computer hd. the only problem is if i would do that windows would no longer boot w/o the grub bootloader being on my external hd.
    is there anyway to reformat my external hd (with ubuntu) and not have to worry about it messing up my windows installation?
     
  2. Pitabred

    Pitabred Linux geek con rat flail!

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    If your computer boots without the external drive being plugged in, then you can do whatever you want to the external drive without worrying about making Windows unbootable
     
  3. The Fire Snake

    The Fire Snake Notebook Virtuoso

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    Thats exactly what I was thinking. If you don't plug in your USB drive then when you go to boot the computer next time it should just boot of the internal harddrive.
     
  4. 1ceBlu3

    1ceBlu3 Notebook Deity

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    that's just the thing..w/o the external hard drive plugged in the windows mbr is messed up and won't boot. it just gives me the grub error 21 message.
    but i ended up figuring it out last night! thanks though!
     
  5. The Fire Snake

    The Fire Snake Notebook Virtuoso

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    I think you would have needed to change your boot order to boot off of your internal harddrive or CD drive first and not the external drive, that would have fixed the problem most probably. In any event you are up and running. Good luck!
     
  6. mr_raider

    mr_raider Notebook Consultant

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