If you have Linux on HDB, and you do reformat your HDA (C:\ in MS parlance) drive, I would suggest that you keep a (Linux) boot floppy around just for booting back into Linux right after you have reinstalled Windows or what-ever on the HDA drive.
 
Having an emergency backup booting method is a good idea, regardless.
 
(Just my 2 cents)

I see - so I will always be able to get back into hdb using a linux boot disk? This is good news (and makes sense i guess)
 
Would anyone recommend not using a boot loader and always using a boot disk? i.e. so when the PC boots normally it does not see Linux?
 
Thanks
 
PhilF

Greetings,
 
Keep in mind that if you want to work with windows as well to always have the 1st partition ( if there are 2 partitions and you have windows/linux separated in these 2 ) free in order to can easily reinstall windows w/o creating any problems
 
In other words , linux 2nd windows 1st (partition) in the same disk
 
Now in case you have 2 hdd's , each to an OS and no worries at all,just some configurations and you're set ( bootloader to load windows and viceversa )
 
Farewell

Hello,
I would make a boot disk as the other people have suggested (dont think you have to re-install linux again just to get a boot disk, there are howto's that show you how from with in the linux system). I would go a step further and simply re-install the boot loader from with in linux. If you are using lilo, then you will want to run "lilo" from the command line or if you are using grub, then run "grub-install" from the command line. You will want to reference the documentation for these commands, depending on which you are choosing to use to make it work with your setup.

Having and alternate booting method is always a good idea, but not imperative as long as you are able to repair or reinstall your boot loader, be it grub or lilo.