# Win + Linux dual boot  - Deleting an adjacent NTFS partition results into Linux boot failure



## patkim (Aug 6, 2015)

I have Vaio laptop with dual boot config. Windows 7 primary and Linux Mint 17 is installed on 3 logical partitions. boot, swap & root partitions. They are at end of extended space and there are other NTFS partitions in the same extended space that were created by Windows before I installed Linux Mint.  The bootloader for Linux was installed at /boot (So that Windows bootloader was not modified) and I use EasyBCD configured Windows bootloader to boot to Linux if needed.

I deleted one NTFS partition that was adjacent to Linux boot partition in extended partition space. And Linux failed to boot. It  just gave some invalid file system error sort of message and came to grub prompt or so. I am not that good at Linux commands so did not know how to proceed.  I however recreated the NTFS partition again in the same free space and Linux booted as usual. 

Did Linux lose track of /dev/hda drives mapping or some such sort of thing due to this deletion? 
What could be the explanation for this behavior. Will I be stuck up with exiting partition config if I need to boot linux now?


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## sharique (Oct 9, 2015)

During installation where you installed boot loader, I think you installed it on root partition, you should install it on MBR.  You need to user third party boot loader. Linux bootload (grub.. etc), take cares of adding all other OS in boot menu. Also you don't need separate boot partition (it is ancient practice now).  I hope this will solve your issue.

How you did the partitioning? I recommend to using default windows disk management tool. Do it outside of default windows sometimes causes issues with vendor provided recovery software.

- - - Updated - - -

After deleting ntfs partition, the sequence of partition is changed, so that might be the reason for boot failure.  Run EasyBCD again and ask it to scan again for OS change or manually change partition no for Linux.


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