How can I avoid Windows 7 overwritting GRUB ?

[ASCHYIEL]

Hi,

My Question :
Why does Windows (7) [over-]write the MBR [pseudo-randomly]? And what settings can I change to prevent that?

Background :
I used to dual-boot Ubuntu and Windows-7 on my gaming-laptop, but periodically I run into GRUB-got-messed-up-please-fix-me-again welcome screens.
Using google, I can find lots of how-to guides on restoring GRUB, but no obvious ones on how to avoid messing up GRUB in the first place.
Whats interesting to note; I have another work-laptop that dual-boots Windows XP and Ubuntu just fine (for the past year) and have never run into any GRUB-got-messed-up-please-fix-me-again situations.

My Hypothesis :
I have a hunch that Windows 7 writes to the MBR for enabling Restore-Points.

Thanks in advance,
-Aschyiel

[ASCHYIEL]

Also, a 2nd (completely unsupported) guess;

Windows Updates.

[Sef]

Why does Windows (7) [over-]write the MBR [pseudo-randomly]? And what settings can I change to prevent that?

Other than not installing Windows, I do not know a way you can avoid that issue. Windows does not give you a choice about installing an MBR or not.

[meierfra.]

maybe it is not the Windows OS, which is causing the problem, but some random program you have installed, Check out this link:

http://sourceforge.net/apps/mediawiki/bootinfoscript/index.php?title=Boot_Problems:Windows_Writes_To_MB R

[ASCHYIEL]

...

https://bugs.launchpad.net/debian/+source/grub2/+bug/441941

http://www.supergrubdisk.org/wiki/WindowsErasesGrub

[wilee-nilee]

...

https://bugs.launchpad.net/debian/+source/grub2/+bug/441941

http://www.supergrubdisk.org/wiki/WindowsErasesGrub


Been running W7 and Ubuntu dual-booted and have never had this happen. A install of either will will rewrite the MBR. Are you referencing a problem with a wubi install?

[theozzlives]

Windows 7 may detect a startup problem and re-write the MBR. You got to figure out what's causing this startup problem. Maybe a boot sector virus?