reinstall Ubuntu 16.04 LTS

[jerrylaz]

I want have been running Ubuntu 16.04 LTS in 4 partitions.
Partition 1 Boot
Partition 2 System
Partition 3 Home
Partition 4 Swap

I have a boot-able DVD.

Question?
How can I reinstall the boot and system partition **without** disturbing my Home partition?

[monkeybrain20122]

What do you need a boot partition for?

When you reinstall, just choose "something else" and use the original root partition as new root (/) and old /home also as /home but without formatting. I don't know what is the use of the /boot partition except being the place where old kernels piled up. I would just delete it and expand the / partition with gparted.

[kerry_s]

+1 to selecting something else

a separate /boot is fine to me. if your running a standard hdd making /boot ext2 can give you a little speed up.

[jerrylaz]

What do you need a boot partition for?

When you reinstall, just choose "something else" and use the original root partition as new root (/) and old /home also as /home but without formatting. I don't know what is the use of the /boot partition except being the place where old kernels piled up. I would just delete it and expand the / partition with gparted.

That is exactly why I did it that way. /boot is ext2.

Thanks

So if I understand I just give part 3 /home and do not format it. When done my data is there. Am I right?

[kerry_s]

yes, that's right

if your not sure, make a copy/backup first

[ajgreeny]

Do remember, however, that if you choose to install the system using LVM or encryption you will have to have a separate /boot partition, which I believe will be made automatically whilst installing.

Otherwise I agree that using a separate /boot partition is nothing more than an extra and unneeded complication.