when installing opensuse, I had allready installed windows vista. during the installation process, I accepted the linux suggestions for the partitions. Now I have two issues:
I have a partition (see DEV/SDA6 on image) of 20 GB that I cannot seem to use.Can I add this to my home partition? How?
My extended partition (see DEV/SDA2 on image) is 140 GB. What is this partition for? Can I use this (or also ad it, or a part to my home partition)? I thought this extended partition is for the linux installation + programms. Right?
The image is not giving the full details. Can you post the output of the following?
(You have to do it from a console. To run console, press Alt+F2, type Konsole and press Enter).
Sda2 is not a usable partition. It’s a conceptual container for the partitions sda5, sda6 and sda7. Its an artifice/utility that allows more than four partitions on a hard drive.
Sda6 is your root partiiton, which you appear to have formatted erroneously to windows FAT32 LBA. If this is true then you need to reinstall openSUSE, formatting to a Linux filesystem.
indeed, I noticed after rebooting that I could no longer boot into either linux or windows. So apperently I will need to reinstall linux.
If I reinstall opensuse, will my other data on the hard drive still be available? If not, can I still save them? Because I don’t seem to find a livecd-option on the linux dvd I have.
Your original windows is on the first partition. I’d restore the windows bootloader with the windows install media (DVD for vista / CD for xp). Then boot into windows and use the windows partitioner to delete all the partitions that Linux had made – i.e. every partition apart from the first partition. Then reinstall openSUSE from the DVD, taking care that the installer does not suggest to delete or resize the windows partition (it probably won’t suggest that – I’m just being cautious).
Here’s how to reinstall windows bootloader:
* • Windows 2000/XP on the computer: Boot from the XP/2000 installation disk and proceed to the final screen where you have the option to Repair Your Computer. Press "R" for Repair and log onto the Windows installation. When the command prompt appears, enter the command fixmbr. Confirm "yes" and you will receive confirmation of the reinstallation of Windows bootstrap code into the MBR. Enter exit and the computer will reboot.
* • Windows Vista on the computer: Boot from the Vista installation disk and proceed to the final screen where you have the option to Repair Your Computer. Select Repair but do not opt for the automatic repair plus restart. Instead select Next and then select the Command Prompt. Enter bootrec.exe /FixMbr in the console and follow that with the command exit. Then select to reboot.