I'm currently dual-booting CachyOS and Windows, but my Windows installation is pretty messed up and I really need to do a clean reinstall. Both operating systems are on separate drives, and each has its own EFI partition. I've heard that reinstalling Windows can overwrite GRUB, which is a problem since I rely on CachyOS daily. I want to keep my Linux setup intact, so is it safe to reinstall Windows on its own drive without messing with the GRUB bootloader? I really don't want to go through the trouble of detaching the Linux drive, as it's a hassle with my Lenovo laptop. Any advice would be awesome!
3 Answers
Before you reinstall, it might be smart to back up GRUB just in case. There are tutorials out there that show you how (like the one at cyanogenmods.org). Also, instead of a full reinstall, consider using the 'refresh' install option in Windows, which keeps your files but resets everything else. If you're worried about space, Clonezilla can help you make a backup image of your CachyOS drive, but make sure to give yourself enough room for that. Also, after reinstalling, you might need to adjust your BIOS settings to point to the Linux EFI partition instead of the Windows Boot Manager.
Make sure to review some installation tips before diving in; they're super helpful! Just remember: always use an ethernet cable during installation, and don't forget to remove the boot media when you finish to avoid any issues. If it helps, you can find a lot of information on this topic across various forums and community wikis!
If you're not keen on removing the Linux drive, check if you can disable it from the BIOS or UEFI settings. When reinstalling Windows, it might default to an existing EFI partition, which isn’t ideal but not catastrophic either. Typically, Windows doesn't overwrite GRUB directly but messes with the boot manager, which can remove other boot options. If that happens, you just need a USB with CachyOS on it to chroot into your system and run `sudo update-grub` to get everything back. The ArchWiki or CachyOS wiki can provide more specific guidance, so refer to that if needed!

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