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I installed Linux Mint about 2 years ago because my Windows side failed to boot. With Linux I was able to access the files I needed on the Windows side immediately, and go about my day (I did this in a hurry overnight to finish a paper).

I now have Ubuntu, Linux Mint and Windows installed on my Lenovo Ideapad U260

I tried to run a Lenovo One Key Recovery to save my Windows side last night, but all it did was wipe that side out and remove the option to boot into Linux, Ubuntu, Windows, and all their safety editions. Now I can only boot with a shitty live Mint CD or DriveDroid Ubuntu 14.04 (the only options I have). My Linux OS's are still there, but I can't boot into them. I don't care if they disappear, I backed everything up, but they do not have enough space to run well.

I opened GParted and want to remove my Windows partition since I haven't used it in 2 years - is this a bad idea? I cannot resize it, and that may be related to the following:

I did a check & repair with GParted on my Windows partition from the Ubuntu DriveDroid live that I have in now and it says:

Check and repair file system (ntfs) on /dev/sda2 00:00:43 ( ERROR ) calibrate /dev/sda2 00:00:00 ( SUCCESS ) path: /dev/sda2 start: 411648 end: 533389311 size: 532977664 (254.14 GiB) check file system on /dev/sda2 for errors and (if possible) fix them 00:00:43 ( ERROR ) ntfsresize -i -f -v /dev/sda2 ntfsresize v2013.1.13AR.1 (libntfs-3g) Device name : /dev/sda2 NTFS volume version: 3.1 Cluster size : 4096 bytes Current volume size: 272884560384 bytes (272885 MB) Current device size: 272884563968 bytes (272885 MB) Checking for bad sectors ... Checking filesystem consistency ... ntfs_attr_pread_i: ntfs_pread failed: Input/output error Failed to read of MFT, mft=41652 count=1 br=-1: Input/output error ntfs_attr_pread_i: ntfs_pread failed: Input/output error Failed to read of MFT, mft=41653 count=1 br=-1: Input/output error ntfs_attr_pread_i: ntfs_pread failed: Input/output error Failed to read of MFT, mft=41654 count=1 br=-1: Input/output error ntfs_attr_pread_i: ntfs_pread failed: Input/output error Failed to read of MFT, mft=41655 count=1 br=-1: Input/output error ntfs_attr_pread_i: ntfs_pread failed: Input/output error Failed to read of MFT, mft=56880 count=1 br=-1: Input/output error ntfs_attr_pread_i: ntfs_pread failed: Input/output error Failed to read of MFT, mft=56881 count=1 br=-1: Input/output error ntfs_attr_pread_i: ntfs_pread failed: Input/output error Failed to read of MFT, mft=56882 count=1 br=-1: Input/output error ntfs_attr_pread_i: ntfs_pread failed: Input/output error Failed to read of MFT, mft=56883 count=1 br=-1: Input/output error Cluster 2946578 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946579 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946580 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946581 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946582 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946583 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946584 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946585 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946586 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946587 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946588 is referenced multiple times! Cluster 2946589 is referenced multiple times! 100.00 percent completed ERROR: Filesystem check failed! ERROR: 12 clusters are referenced multiple times. NTFS is inconsistent. Run chkdsk /f on Windows then reboot it TWICE! The usage of the /f parameter is very IMPORTANT! No modification was and will be made to NTFS by this software until it gets repaired.

I don't know what the hell any of that means.

I have backed up everything.

If I delete my Windows partition, can I still boot ubuntu from a live usb (DriveDroid) and install it into the newly unallocated space?

1 Answer 1

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If I delete my Windows partition, can I still boot ubuntu from a live usb (DriveDroid) and install it into the newly unallocated space?

Yes. It looks like the Windows partition is corrupted. This will not prevent you from booting from a live usb. Formatting the partition should allow you to safely install a version of ubuntu assuming the hard drive itself is not damaged.

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  • should I format my windows side or delete the partition? What's the difference?
    – methnos
    Oct 11, 2014 at 17:07
  • Deleting the partition will leave it as unallocated space on the hard drive, which cannot be used. You should format it instead, I suggest selecting EXT4 as the file system. Oct 11, 2014 at 17:12
  • thanks man! okay, just to confirm before I do this: while I am in ubuntu right now, I can use GParted to format the 254.14 Gb ntfs file system. Then can I just install Ubuntu from this live disk? Or should I reboot? Will it automatically take up that 250G or will I manually need to assign it?
    – methnos
    Oct 11, 2014 at 17:14
  • and what do you mean select EXT4 as the file system? A lot of the language is foreign to me still
    – methnos
    Oct 11, 2014 at 17:15
  • 1
    If Ubuntu and Mint are still there and One key deleted grub, all you need to do is reinstall grub to get access to them. On the other hand, if you don't care if your OS's disappear, simply install Ubuntu on the entire disk, the installer will get rid of all the partitions and create a new one for Ubuntu + a Swap partition.
    – To Do
    Oct 11, 2014 at 17:22

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