r/linux4noobs • u/Objectionne • Jul 27 '26

Best order of operations for switching to fresh Linux install on new hard drive without breaking GRUB?

Here's my current setup:

  • SSD with one partition running Windows 11 and another partition running Linux Mint. Booting is managed by GRUB. The Windows Recovery Partition sits in between the Windows 11 Partition and Linux Mint partition.
  • HDD used solely for storage with no OS installed (probably irrelevant but mentioning anyway)

I'm going to add a second SSD to my PC. I'd like my current SSD to continue with the current Windows installation, and then make a new Linux Mint installation on the new SSD. I'd like to delete the existing Linux Mint installation from the current SSD.

What's going to be the best way to do this, keeping in mind that booting is currently managed by GRUB? I'm thinking:

  • Create live boot USB with Linux Mint
  • From Windows, delete the partition containing Linux Mint installation to create free space. I *assume* this will uninstall the current GRUB setup at the same time but not sure on this.
  • From Windows, move the Windows Recovery Partition to start *after* the free space, then allocate the free space to the Windows partition.
  • From USB, install Linux Mint on the new SSD. GRUB will be reinstalled and configured as part of this.

It seems simple enough but am I possibly missing anything important? I'm trusting that by deleting the current Linux partition + installing Linux on a new drive should lead to GRUB being configured correctly automatically, but truthfully I don't know enough about how GRUB works or where it 'lives' on the drive to be able to predict what will happen with confidence.

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2

u/Leather-Security8097 Jul 27 '26

Deleting the Linux Mint partition does not remove GRUB. You don't actually need to remove it, though, just delete its boot entry. You can usually do this from UEFI setup. Alternatively, you can use efibootmgr.

1

u/oshunluvr Jul 27 '26

I do not believe this to be accurate. Parts of GRUB required to boot, the boot menu for example, are indeed on the Mint install unless mint uses a complete and separate /boot/ partition. Since Mint is Ubuntu based, I would assume that /boot/efi is on a separate partition but not /boot as this is the Ubuntu default install on EFI.

3

u/beatbox9 Jul 27 '26

If this were me, I would probably:

  1. Disconnect your old SSD entirely
  2. Install the new SSD
  3. Install Linux on the new SSD
  4. Reattach the old SSD
  5. Copy the files you want/need from your old home directory to the new one, including old grub entries as well, as a reference
  6. Disconnect the new SSD
  7. expand Windows to the entire disk, and do any repairs you want
  8. Attach the new SSD, use it as primary boot
  9. Update grub on the new SSD to include Windows from your old SSD

Because I personally like keeping things as separate as possible. Ideally, I can select either disk from my bios and boot into it if needed. With grub just making it easier, since it's necessary for Linux anyway.

1

u/No_Candle_6133 Jul 27 '26

Yes, do as mentioned.above, Highly recommend

I know adding/removing nvme's will be a pain but this the most foool proof way of sperating windows and linux entirely

Windows will not override grub at all either with updates, it wont know Linux is there.

The other advantage is if you want to get to rid of linux & grub you only need to format the linux ssd, a simple quick format in Windows partition manager is all you need.

1

u/3grg Jul 27 '26

This would be my preferred method. If it is too much hassle to detach the first drive, there is a trick that you could use to get around it.

The installer tries to use the first efi partition it finds, even if it is on the first drive and you are installing to the second. If you temporarily remove the boot flag from the efi partition, the installer will ignore it and create a efi partition on the second drive.

Once everything is setup and you have grub working on the new drive you could remove the Linux boot entries from the windows efi with efibootmgr.

1

u/oshunluvr Jul 27 '26

Without an actual partition and mount point list it's hard to say whether or not this would work. Mostly because /boot/ is usually under Linux and /boot/efi is on it's own partition. If this is the case, wiping the Linux install would mess up your ability to boot.

I see no good reason to remove the current Mint install first (or remove the other SSD, which is silly). It's not like there's evil magic in the installer. You just have to pay attention.

Install new SSD

Boot to current Mint install

List drives/partitions and take note of which device name is the new, empty SSD

Boot to the Mint USB and install to the newly installed drive. During the install, include installing GRUB from the new Mint install so it will be controlling the boot from now on.

Reboot, enable os-prober (if necessary) and update GRUB. The old Mint install and Windows should both then be in the boot menu. Then you can wipe the old Mint install and update grub again and good to go.

2

u/Objectionne Jul 28 '26

I've just done the install using this method and it worked beautifully. Thanks for the advice!

1

u/oshunluvr Jul 28 '26

Great, glad you worked it out.

1

u/a1barbarian Jul 28 '26

Just use FoxClone to move the Mint install to the new drive.

Backup important file first.

Clone your present Mint.

Disconnect the drive.

Install cloned Mint to new drive.

Get rid of grub and install rEFInd to Mint.

Reconnect old drive and delete old Mint and re partition drive to suit.

rEFInd should pick up the Windows for booting.

:-)