Anyone used GRUB with Windows 7

[Cliphead]

But have you tried a full backup and restore? I had that config but I ran into problems when I tried testing out my recovery stuff (silly me!).

I'm open to suggestions as to backup software and techniques, but I want something that avoids the wipe and reinstall scenario.

I hadn't actually tried a full backup and restore

Anyways, got a Clonezilla boot disc and added a second drive which I cloned then replaced with the primary, no problems so I have a full backup of both OS'es. Not elegant I know but bodes well for other backup strategies.

[Sysman]

I was wondering if GRUB worked reliably with Windows 7.

GRUB 1 (aka GRUB legacy) or GRUB 2?

From the Wiki on GRUB:

Since GRUB Legacy is still the most widely used version among end users, but official development is being done on a different version, several other projects maintain their own enhancements (forks) to the GRUB Legacy code.

That's total bollux seriously out of date for the current labours of Linux I have tried.

GRUB 2 (still beta) is a bit like some of the more esoteric networking software I have come across: powerful, but unless you are using it on a regular basis, a complete pain in the neck when you are faced with a non booting system. You really don't want to be wading through a GRUB 2 tutorial when this happens.

Microsoft has a knack of accidently on purpose stiching up linux/unix facilities to be incompatible with Windows, certainly any with an aspect of "unix controlling Windows". (Naturally, the other way round is fine.)

I started on this treck nearly a year ago, when much of the info out there related to dual booting XP and Linux. With Windows 7 (well, Vista actually) MS changed the boot system. I ended up choosing the "Let Windows have control" scenario, since I can then restore the bugger without going through the wipe and reinstall drudgery. Let me worry about the Linux side of things - that's what cheap external backup disks are for.

What I do is to have the Windows boot loader chain into GRUB2, and then I can do what I want from within that. It's basically a submenu off the main boot menu.

P.S. Microsoft have been doing this for as long as I can remember. "Harmless" disk signatures come to mind, as does the point blank refusal of Win98 to install unless it could do a reformat off all disks if it found Linux on one of them. Yes, Microsoft, I caught you with your pants down there.

[Sysman]

I have a machine with Win 7 Ultimate and Linux Mint 10 booting handled by GRUB. I haven't encountered any problems through updates to either OS.

But have you tried a full backup and restore? I had that config but I ran into problems when I tried testing out my recovery stuff (silly me!).

I'm open to suggestions as to backup software and techniques, but I want something that avoids the wipe and reinstall scenario.

[Cliphead]

I have a machine with Win 7 Ultimate and Linux Mint 10 booting handled by GRUB. I haven't encountered any problems through updates to either OS.

[Sysman]

I might have the remains of Grub. I could never get it to work.

Boot Info Script is a handy tool for seeing what boot stuff is where on your disks. You need to boot into Linux to use it.

[VectraMan]

I might have the remains of Grub. I could never get it to work.

[russell]

Why not just run one OS natively and then use virtual machines to host your other OS's

[Sysman]

This is simply the best resource I've come across on the subject.

Dual-Boot Windows 7 with other Operating Systems

I've only tried one of those "Dual-boot Windows 7 + Linux Fedora 14 (Win7 in control) (Win7 installed first) - 2(+) disks". It worked perfectly.

Some of the links in there are worthy of mention in their own right, such as

Shrink the Windows 7 or Windows Vista Partition or Drive

Windows partition editors often use a different disk geometry than that used in Linux. Many users would be tempted to use a third-party partitioning utility like the free and excellent GParted. Unfortunately Windows 7/Vista may become unbootable - the MFT may be destroyed and the hidden sectors value may not be updated. Also, shrinking the Win7 partition under Win7's Disk Management usually creates small Unallocated partitions (about 1 MB) both before and after the Win7 drive. If you resize with third-party partitioning utilities, these will not be created, or may even be removed, preventing Windows from booting.

Yes, I had wondered why creating an NTFS partition under Linux sent Windows into a mad CHKDSK frenzy. Now I know why.

[Spacecadet]

I was wondering if GRUB worked reliably with Windows 7.

Microsoft has a knack of accidently on purpose stiching up linux/unix facilities to be incompatible with Windows, certainly any with an aspect of "unix controlling Windows". (Naturally, the other way round is fine.)

The trick is to run Windows on both the desktop and the server

[OwlHoot]

I was wondering if GRUB worked reliably with Windows 7.

Microsoft has a knack of accidently on purpose stiching up linux/unix facilities to be incompatible with Windows, certainly any with an aspect of "unix controlling Windows". (Naturally, the other way round is fine.)