Opensuse 11.1 installer comes up during boot with a windows option for my vista but doesnt load. It goes to another installer screen for opensuse to continue installation but I am afraid to do so.
I have found this issue before online but no consistent solution.
Anyone have any idea how to get around the boot issue so I can get back into windows?
I’m guessing you ran the installer from within Windows right?
If so, then simply boot Windows in safe mode, run msconfig, and remove the suse installer from the boot list, then reboot.
There’s a problem with it in that it keeps going around in circles, hence it keeps trying to re-install.
I cant get to safe mode.
The windows boot manager comes up and gives me 2 options, MS WIndows Vista and Opensuse11.1 Installer (local)
By default and even if trying to choose windows it goes into the Opensuse installer and shows the error.
It seems stuck in this loop but gives me no option to get into windows other than the listing and that doesnt work either. It always defaults to the installer.
Yes it was a test run through windows installation which was a mistake.
lol, yes I got caught with the same thing last year!
Reboot your computer, and as it starts up keep pressing the up and down arrows, that should stop the grub bootloader from automatically continuing.
When the boot (it’s called grub) screen comes up, use the arrow keys to select your Windows partition and press enter, then immediately press F8.
That should give you the Windows safe mode menu.
Ah, ok didn’t read that properly!
But it’s the same thing at the Windows boot menu, press F8 immediately after selecting to boot into Vista.
You have to be quick, so just keep pressing F8, that should do it.
A no go on that one too. Windows just cant beat this installer. I can get a grub> command prompt but other than that it seems just to continue with the installer and see what options I have.
Is there any other F command or way to beat this installer at the windows boot menu?
It’s very odd that it keeps going back to the suse installer.
I’m no Windows expert either, I last used it nearly a year ago so my memory of how everything works is quite dim now.
My next move would be to boot a Linux LiveCD, mount the primary Windows partition, and edit the Windows startup menu file. I think it’s named boot.ini, but I’m really not too sure there!
If you downloaded the openSUSE CD version, that should boot to a “normal” desktop, and you can use that. If you have the DVD version it won’t work as a LiveCD, and you would have to download the CD version :.
You could also try the recovery option from your Windows install CD, if you have one of course! Again I’m not sure about the process for that, you might be better off seeking help on a Windows specific forum there.
But the best advice I can give is to try and relax and go slowly, rushing always causes me problems and I end up doing something stupid. And when there is data at stake it pays to take things slow and consider all options before actually doing anything.
That Windows installer problem was a gremlin over a year ago, it’s sad that it hasn’t been fixed. It doesn’t give new users a good impression of openSUSE sadly, but don’t judge it too harshly by that one mistake, although it may seem like quite a big one!
I would (once you’ve got everything back to normal obviously) recommend trying a live version of Linux and get the feel of it before taking the plunge and installing.
Good luck.
I was trying opensuse as part of my review process for converting to linux. I am already familiar with Ubuntu and Mandriva and used the Ubuntu livecd to access the windows partition and remove all of my files EXCEPT i forgot my bookmarks and my quickbooks file, ughhh so I have to go back in.
I tried my Vista original cd and recovery didnt work, it didnt show a windows partition, but its in the boot menu and ubuntu live saw it and accessed it.
I will try your boot.ini idea, I forgot about that, its very possible that could work.
Thanks for the help thus far, it has been great advice.
YOu wouldnt happen to know anything about Virtualbox as well? I have a question on a few other forums that cant seem to get answered in regards to a bridged network connection to the Vbox guest OS.
Let me know and thanks.
Start again if you haven’t resolved it by fixing Vista’s MBR
How to use the Bootrec.exe tool in the Windows Recovery Environment to troubleshoot and repair startup issues in Windows Vista
Then reload Suse again