Windows – Can the grub2 bootloader replace Windows bootloader partition

boot-loadergrub2windows

I'm dual-booting Windows and Kali Linux on my laptop, using GRUB 2 as the bootloader.

Can I remove the partition Windows 7 creates for the bootloader? It is the 100 MB partition labeled "System Reserved." I ask because I'm not sure how GRUB 2 goes about booting Windows. I know HBCD has an option to boot a Windows Vista/7 OS, and I believe it bypasses the bootloader partition because I've used it to boot workstations that had corrupted bootloaders before.

Can it be done?

Best Answer

It is the same as for GRUB. If you made a separate /boot partition for your GRUB and then delete it, your GRUB will cease to work. There is a small program that resides in the beginning of your partition or disk drive (taking max 446 bytes) which loads the rest of the bootloader which has to reside somewhere.

Now if you want to boot your Windows - don't delete it. I believe that GRUB isn't able to boot Windows directly, as Windows isn't multiboot compliant. Your GRUB has to chainload Windows bootloader to boot this OS. You can guess that this bootloader has to physically be on your drive.

Theoretically your bootloader could be moved from this partition to your main NTFS, and then those 100MB merged with it, but it's probably not worth it.

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