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I am about to install Ubuntu on my second hard drive, so I can dual boot between Ubuntu and Windows.

Next month I may need to do a clean install of Windows or a reset, and I am unsure if it will affect the dual booting or Ubuntu on the second hard drive.

Does anyone have experience with this?

Fabby
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James Westbrook
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  • Yes, depending on your hardware it's possible (via changes made in bios) to have zero impact (ie. have grub on your ubuntu disk, have it boot drive with grub, change bios to have windows drive as boot when you re-install windows so it writes it's mbr on it's own drive; after install you change bios back to other drive booting). This involved a few BIOS changes (setting boot drive) which I decided was more work that just installing without regard to MBR, and then fixing the MBR (grub stage 1) later using a 'live' (install media) disk. It's a few commands, but all keyed in once (unlike bios..) – guiverc Sep 07 '18 at 22:44
  • That's the reason they always suggest to install Linux at the end and Windows first. The problem is that most Windows boot-loaders won't recognize other operating systems like Linux and won't put that option in the startup, hence you may have to do at least a "token install" of Linux again after installing Windows. That will make the necessary changes in grub configuration to allow both options after startup. – Prahlad Yeri Sep 08 '18 at 00:42
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    Possible duplicate of Installing Ubuntu on one of two hard drives and Installing Ubuntu On Second Hard Drive – karel Mar 18 '19 at 03:25

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