11.1 has a really slick installer, but when you get to the ‘bootloader’ installation part, the option ‘install to MBR’ (something like that) is tucked away under the 'advanced configuration button).
I suspect a large majority of dual-booters are going to want to put their boot loader on the MBR, not to a partition as Yast suggested me. So I’m kind of confused as to why they hid this option in the installer this time around.
I encountered this also, and was “bit” by this during an 11.1 RC1 DVD install on my new laptop. In part due to my own stupidity, I was lead down the garden path with grub NOT being placed on the MBR, but being placed somewhere else, such that the laptop would not boot after a fresh install. … The next day in the morning, after a good nights sleep, I tackled it again with a clear mind, and I sorted the point that I had previously missed the “advanced configuration button” ( which is a few menu’s back from the information saying where Grub will be installed … which means one MUST then navigate back a few pages in the installer, to deselect the default “auto-configuration button” AND that definitely was NOT intuitive to me).
Anyway, I share your view, and I tried to warn new openSUSE users about this in point #7 in this installation guide:
NEWBIES - Suse-11.1 Pre-installation – PLEASE READ - openSUSE Forums
I recently installed Fedora 10 as a test and this is one area where Fedora’s installer is more intuitive (although for the record, I still prefer openSUSE-11.1 by a wide margin over Fedora-10).
A further note to this, and my recollection is a bit fuzzy, so it is possible I have my facts wrong, what I recall is
Hence I am pondering if we need to specifically warn users who are installing via DVD, that they should seriously consider deselecting “auto configuration” and then when presented (by the installer) with the setup summary information (i.e. with boot, software, login, etc … ) , to select boot, and select the tab for control the boot manager location (changing it to DVD).
I am curious to read of any users who installed 11.1 RC on a PC that had only windows, and installed using the DVD? Did the default (with “autoconfig” selected) work ok ? (ie did the dual boot work ok ? ).
I ran an install from RC1 CD 11.1 kde4 a few days ago and it set grub to /boot ! So I’m not sure if you are correct here Lee. No offense. But I made careful note of what it decided by default.
Changed it of course. I always check where grub is going. And as Darkelve said: even when you click thru to the bootloader it is still hidden behind the advanced tab.
Prediction = some dumbfounded newbies
It really does need to be upfront and clearer in my opinion.
I suspect a large majority of dual-booters are going to want to put their boot loader on the MBR
I’m afraid you can’t just assume that. I, for one, prefer to configure my MBR once and for all and then install any new distro on a self-sufficient, self-booting partition, simply chainloading to it. That way, if I have to erase a partition for whatever reason, all my remaining partitions still work (well, unless I erase my production partition). The concept is, whenever I install a new distro, it starts out as a try-out, as something I explore before eventually embracing it. If I’m not satisfied with it, I want to be able to wipe it off without breaking all my previous distros, especially my production distro.
As may be readily seen, it’s obviously very hard, next to impossible, to make an installation script that will fit all purposes “by default”. The path taken by openSuSE has all my support: do not interfere with pre-existing operating systems unless absolutely necessary. Allow that as an option, but do not assume anything – which, in the real world, actually translates to “assume as little as possible”.
Then it appears to vary by some unknown algorithm.
I also made a careful note (I took pix with my digital camera of every step) on the two occasions I installed KDE4 RC1 live CD, and on both cases MBR was automatically selected. I have the pix to prove it.
On the 3 occasions I installed 11.1 RC1 from DVD, I also took pix with my digital camera of every step, and in all 3 cases by default GRUB was NOT going to the MBR. I have the pix to prove it.
But 3+2=5 cases, where 5 is a pretty small sample. It appears you have encountered other cases.
As an aside, I always take pix (with my digital camera) of every step when installing openSUSE, as while that adds a few minutes to the install, it is also the best way of remembering what one selected at the time.
I don’t doubt you for a minute ‘oldcpu’. Just throwing in my observations. I can only add, that I was using VBox, so it was just the Virtual HD 20GB. I used the custom partitioning as I wanted to format both / and /home.
At the install summary I clicked through to the bootloader to check and the result was as described earlier.
hi OldCPU,
Any advice on this question:
installing 11.1 on a lenovo ideapad S10e netbook - openSUSE Forums
Many thanks
You could consider this option:Download EasyBCD 1.7.2 - NeoSmart Technologies
Grub would just go to /boot of the suse root partition
Booting is controlled from Vista Bootmanager
This should leave everything ok.
Allow that as an option, but do not assume anything – which, in the real world, actually translates to “assume as little as possible”.
Well, it ‘assumed’ that I wanted to put the bootloader in a seperate partition, which I did not want…
The only advice I can give is pay heed to it.
I’m not a Vista user, nor a Lenovo user, so I recommend you follow the advice of others. caf4926 had some suggestions.
Here is screen Lee
http://img511.imageshack.us/img511/8149/snapshot1pw6.png
My suspicion is that is a Virtual session specific result, and with the actual hardware (which I was using) the liveCD goes to the MBR by default. Here is one of my pix documenting this, installing from the KDE Live CD:
ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs](ImageShack - Best place for all of your image hosting and image sharing needs)
i’ve installed the KDE live cd for 11.1 and MBR was the default for me as well
unfortunately the article doesn’t tell me what to do with the boot loader, whether YAST will offer me any non-dangerous alternatives, and what effects this change will have on the end result.
i have always purchased linux friendly desktop components, and always installed XP leaving space free for a suse install.
now i have finally ordered a laptop/netbook which comes with all kinds of unfriendly items like wireless, webcams, and in this instance no optical drive to reinstall windows if it all goes wrong. to compound matters my laptop comes with one big C drive and a windows recovery program that may knacker a default install with the bootloader written to the MBR.
in short, if i am to risk a suse install this time around then i need a bit more information…
kind regards
D
So what does it teach You guys??
Don’t just click OK to go faster through installation rotfl!
I believe the article (together with the link provided by caf4926) provides you the information you need. The articles can NOT be more specific, as no one knows what your planned setup might be. And depending on your setup, might require a slightly modified approach. Only you know your planned setup.
I try to follow the same approach.
IMHO purchasing a laptop with no optical is a questionable approach, …
Reference your wireless and webcam, if you researched this well before hand, to ensure your selected webcam and wireless are Linux compatible, then it should not be a major problem.
One thing I do recommend is install with a wired connection to your laptop, and only later setup the wireless.
Why is that? … I do recommend (since you do not have an optical drive) that you leave the recovery partitions intact.
I think the information is there. You will have to specifically list what you do not understand.
Did you look at the stickie ? NEWBIES - Suse-11.1 Pre-installation – PLEASE READ - openSUSE Forums
and also the stickie on our wireless forum sub area?
Wireless - openSUSE Forums
Cheers for the assistance, i will try and be more specific. 
My install will be as default as possible, with the exception of this Moot Loader problem.
It is a netbook. I have borrowed a usb optical drive until the 19th to install suse with.
I certainly will.
from your link (i only intend to resize C to allow install of suse):
*"Lenovo ThinkPad laptops have special code in the MBR (master boot record) because of the “Blue ThinkVantage button” functionality. If detecting and preparing it properly fails, it might be necessary to restore the boot sector.
If you have a ThinkPad, ensure that the bootloader is not installed into the MBR (verify it in the installation proposal!) and the MBR is not rewritten by generic code (in installation proposel select Bootloader -> Boot Loader Installation -> Boot Loader Options -> Write Generic Boot Code to MBR – should be unchecked).
If your MBR gets rewritten, the ThinkVantage button will not work anymore. The back-up of the MBR is stored in /var/lib/YaST2/backup_boot_sectors/."*
Here we go:
a) What options will YAST present me with if i deselect Write Generic Boot Code to MBR and ensure the Boot Loader isn’t written to the MBR?
b) aren’t the two things above in fact the same thing?
c) If i do select the options above will YAST make some other clever choice for me, or will i have to know somewhere sensible to put the Boot Loader?
d) will i need to be a cmd wizard to effect the move of the Boot Loader?
e) if the Boot Loader is moved from the MBR, will this have any material effect on the operation of the system?
Yup, that is where i found the reference to the quote above:
SUSE – Open-Source-Lösungen für Enterprise Server und Cloud | SUSE
Many thanks for your help.
D
I installed grub to my mbr. But then I don’t use the BLUE button.
I actually formatted the whole drive to remove Vista, installed XP and Suse, then formatted it again and put Vista back and then Suse again.
I’m beginning to wish I had not bothered with Vista. Never use it. If I install 11.1 it will go.
I gave you the link earlier to use a Vista bootloader option. Use that if you are so worried about the BLUE button.
I agree, I always tend to go that way and sometimes not even install a boot loader and let my stable distro on another partition handle the booting. When I am comfortable with the new installed one that’s where I installed its boot loader.
Just my 2-cents
