hello
i run opensuse 13.1
i want to installt windows server 2012 on dual boot
i’m afraid that the Windows installation overwrite grub or thr MBR.
How to do that?
Thanks
Well depends on how openSUSE was installed ie was grub installed to MBR or was generic boot in MBR? In any case no way to tell Windows not to mess things up so you have to install Windows then repair Grub. Might make it easier to install grub to the openSUSE boot partition ( note is is usually root ) You can do that from yast - boot
Just go there and set grub to be on the boot. Then after Windows messes up the MBR all you have to do is set the boot flag to the openSUSE boot to get back to grub. Note you may need to set a Windows boot option in grub. Again can be done from yast just tick box to scan for other OS
Make a copy of the MBR:
# dd if=/dev/sda of=MBR count=1
Maybe, put that on a USB.
After the Windows install, copy it back. Boot a live CD or similar, and
# dd if=MBR of=/dev/sda bs=440 count=1
That might solve your problem. Or, maybe not. Sometimes a Windows install changes the partition numbers of existing partitions, so you might also have to fix “/etc/fstab” and “grub.cfg”.
Also, this assumes that the Windows install does not touch the unassigned disk space following the MBR and preceding the first partitiion (grub uses that space).
If the worst comes to the worst, you can go to rescue mode and reinstall booting.
how set the boot flag to the openSUSE boot to get back to grub after windwos installed if i have no Grub menu and i can’t access opensuse ?
If grub was installed in “/boot” or in the root partition, then just set the active flag back to where it was.
Run “fdisk” before the install, and make notes of partitioning and the active partition.
If grub was set to boot from the external partition, then you should make a copy of the boot code in the external partition before installing Windows. If you provide the output from
# fdisk -l /dev/sda
we might be able to provide more details.
grub2 is set on /
here is the result of fdisk -l /dev/sda:
Disk /dev/sda: 640.1 GB, 640135028736 bytes, 1250263728 sectors
Units = sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 4096 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 4096 bytes / 4096 bytes
Disk label type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x0008cd34
Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 2048 4208639 2103296 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda2 * 4208640 46153727 20972544 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 46153728 465578747 209712510 83 Linux
/dev/sda4 465580030 905992191 220206081 5 Extended
Partition 4 does not start on physical sector boundary.
/dev/sda5 465580032 473423871 3921920 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6 473425920 515366911 20970496 83 Linux
/dev/sda7 515368960 905992191 195311616 83 Linux
on sda5, sda6 and sda7 is installed LinuxMint that i want to delete
i’m afraid not to be able to have access to the Grub menu after the installation of Windows
what will happen if i can only connect to Windows without any choice ?
There are Windows utilities that can change the boot flag. Used to be a fdisk shipped with windows not sure if it still exists
Also if that does not work you do have a Linux rescue DVD/CD don’t you??
If not get one now
Hmmm thinking about it It used to be Windows would not boot/install to an extended partition. Don’t know if that is corrected in 1012 or not 
Best check that out.
Note maybe your best move is to run Windows in a VM I use VIrtualBox and have XP running there. Best part both Linux and Windows can run at the same time. Note you do need a bit of memory to do that i recommend minimum of 2 gig.
You should be able to set the active partition with the Windows Disk Manager.