Reset Windows 7 MBR from GRUB2

[fohat.digs]

I believe an easier solution is to have separate hard drives for separate OS'es. 

When you want a different OS, switch drives to boot in BIOS, done.

OK, I reached the point where I was ready for this. I will keep it short and sweet and provide more details if needed.

Existing:

C:drive = Windows 7 programs in a single 128GB partition on SSD
D:drive = openSUSE 13.2/KDE4 in about 200GB (I think it created about 3 partitions) + 800GB NTFS partition on  a 1TB disk

New:

"E:drive" = openSUSE 13.2/KDE4 in about 200GB (already installed successfully) + 800GB as yet unallocated (but eventually to be NTFS) on a new 1TB disk

What I hope to accomplish is to delete the Linux partitions on "D:" and extend the single NTFS partition to use the whole thing, booting to "E" as "first boot disk" in BIOS (aka UEFI, I am old and stubborn) when I want Linux instead of Windows.

Where I am feeling trepidation is that even if I select C: in BIOS/UEFI as "first boot disk" it takes me to GRUB2.
I need for Windows 7 to be the default OS.

I am pretty sure that GRUB2 is on "D:" as part of the earlier openSUSE installation and I don't want to jeopardize my Windows installation.

My feeble understanding is that Windows looks for MBR so how do I find/rebuild/re-create that MBR on "C:" without re-installing Windows or damaging my current installation?

Worst case scenario - I will trash or re-build any part of the Linux install but I want to preserve the Windows install.

Thanks in advance.

[FreeCopy]

I can't for the life of me remember the steps but I went through this same thing. I haven't used linux in a few years now and I was novice at best when I did.

I recall editing grub and making windows selectable(also default boot) and it would dual boot fine from there.

I use Parted Magic for all of my disk editing: https://partedmagic.com/

Maybe this will help? http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/20864-mbr-restore-windows-7-master-boot-record.html

If you have the space you can also try cloning your windows installation with clonezilla: http://clonezilla.org/

[SL89]

I'm on mobile atm, but i run into this a lot at work and tbh i've used Hiren's Boot CD (but on a flashdrive) to fix the MBR.

[fohat.digs]

After about the 4th or 5th iteration using the techniques that you guys pointed to, I eventually borked my Windows installation and had to re-install it, just what I was hoping to avoid.

Although the 2-drive, BIOS-select method was cumbersome in the past, I suppose that it is the safest and most straightforward.

I will need to go through the extra step of plugging in another keyboard before changing OS/drives, because, apparently, my ASRock motherboard does not recognize my Soarer's/Teensy/USB/F-122 early enough in the boot process to allow me to press "Delete" to get into BIOS.

[IvanIvanovich]

You could get a third disk and put grub on that and set up chain loading... something nice and simple like an intel zu130 would be perfect if you have an internal usb header free on your motherboard.