So, you might want to run Ubuntu and open up a terminal and run the following command if possible:
su -
password:
fdisk -l
And then post the results. Ubuntu uses Grub 2 and openSUSE uses grub. I would want to know which partition is booting now. I would create a LiveCD with GNOME that had GPARTED on it, for use to change the booting partition after you install openSUSE. I might install openSUSE to a new partition, and set it as the boot one, not messing with Ubuntu and loading Grub into the openSUSE partition (instead of the MBR, but must be partitions 1, 2, 3, or 4 only). Once you got openSUSE working, boot from LiveCD and change the active partition for booting back to Ubuntu. Then in Ubuntu, run the command update-grub which is said to add in the openSUSE load command. Here are some threads about using Ubuntu and openSUSE together:
Hi James,
This is not possible since Ubuntu doesn’t have a root user by default. You’ll have to use sudo or create a root user (Many Ubuntu users wonder how but I promised the moderators on Ubuntu IRC channels not to explain it anymore… well this is openSUSE forum … maybe I’ll explain then … lol! )
Ubuntu LiveCD has gparted on it.
No problem at all. You can install any Linux in all logical partitions. In both setups, while installing openSUSE and Ubuntu, you should select the method which says “Create partition setup” under openSUSE or “Custom partitioning” or something like that under Unbuntu. This is the “expert” method. It let you select the partitions you want to use rather than making decisions for you. This is the ONLY safe and efficient method to install several distros in parallel.