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I have a basic dual setup with Linux Debian and Windows 7 (Grub is my bootloader). However, since this machine will be donated to a friend that does not know a lot about computers, I would like to install a more user friendly Linux distro.

I suspect that if I try to install on top of Debian, the bootloader will be overwritten and hell will break loose.

Any ideas on how to properly and safely install the new distribution? Maybe resize a partition, format it, install the new distro and then delete the Debian partition?

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If you do not care at all for the data stored on that machine you can perfectly insert a bootable install CD and install into that debian partition, which will probably get formated before the new Linux is installed. The new Linux will see the partition with the Windows installation and have Windows as boot option.

That's not more problematic than any other approach.

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