Windows Using Old Linux Partition?

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1

So in my attempts to move all my OSes to a single drive for streamlined backup, I finally decided to replace of my old, cluttered Win10 installation on a drive I want to reserve for data with a fresh install via bootable USB to an empty 500GB HDD. It’s gonna be a triple-boot machine with Windows getting the bulk of the drive.

I had previously used the 500GB for testing out Manjaro KDE, but had purged the disk by creating a new partition table; or so I thought. After I had installed Win10, I noticed that the sole accessory partition it created (it only created one for some reason; “Microsoft reserved partition” to be precise. I did install it before deleting the old Windows partitions. So maybe that’s the reason) was using an ext4 filesystem and had one of the labels I had used previously for the Manjaro KDE test run.

Now after having removed the old Windows partitions, I cannot boot into the new one. I figure a new install is all that is needed, but why is it using ext4 filesystems and is it going to cause me problems. (Note: the basic data partition is NTFS)?

Screencap of GParted: https://imgur.com/a/PWMTRa4

2

Hello!

sudo parted -l

Could say more.

Could you post the output here?

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[*user*@*device* ~]$ sudo parted -l
[sudo] password for *user*: 
Model: ATA WDC WD5000AAKX-7 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 500GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name                          Flags
 1      1049kB  17.8MB  16.8MB  ext4         Microsoft reserved partition  msftres
 2      17.8MB  315GB   315GB   ntfs         Basic data partition          msftdata


Model: ATA ST2000DM001-1CH1 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdb: 2000GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/4096B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End     Size    File system     Name  Flags
 1      1049kB  1052GB  1052GB  ntfs                  msftdata
 9      1235GB  1277GB  41.9GB  ext4
10      1277GB  1281GB  4194MB  linux-swap(v1)        swap
11      1281GB  1858GB  577GB   ext4
12      1858GB  1858GB  524MB   fat32                 msftdata


Model: ATA WDC WD800JD-75MS (scsi)
Disk /dev/sdc: 80.0GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: gpt
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End     Size    File system  Name        Flags
 1      1049kB  80.0GB  80.0GB  ext4         mintbackup


[*user*@*device* ~]$
4

Do you think the Windows installer might have decided the 524Mb FAT32 partition at sdb12 was the system ESP, so it didn’t create a new one on sda? That appears to be the only partition missing from SDA.

5

Possible, but I installed it before deleting the old Windows installation, which had it’s own FAT32 partition as well.

I’m more concerned about both why and how Windows was able to create an ext4 filesystem. I wiped the drive before installation. It was all unallocated space.

P.s. When I do the reinstall, how can I prevent the installer from sensing the FAT32 on the other drive?

6

Since Windows is not made for dualboots with other OS’s, only option is unplug the other drive :smiley: Otherwise no idea :man_shrugging:

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7

Microsoft being a pain in the ass again I see. Oh, well. Simple enough.

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I don’t see where Windows created an ext4 partition. I see a couple of sdb (along with a linux swap). Check the timestamps of the filesystem root and see if that gives you a clue.

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regarding the other fat32 partition…unless you need it for something I’d just delete it. Otherwise, disconnect sdb while you’re running the Windows installer.

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Oops! Forgot I left this question open. My bad.

So after I wiped the old Win10 partitions, the reinstallation went fine. It created it’s own fat32 partition as expected and didn’t resurrect old partition names and filesystems.

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