I am not sure of where to post this (maybe on SDB:Live USB stick - openSUSE), but after my experience I think that there might be useful information for someone who is trying the same.
After fighting for 1 day with the installation, I managed to install openSUSE 11.3 KDE4 from Windows 7 using a USB key install. The steps are super-easy…. once you find out what they were.
What worked:
1.- Downloaded the SUSE Studio ImageWriter for Microsoft Windows (ftp://ftp.berlios.de/pub/kiwi/ImageWriter.exe)
2.- Downloaded the openSUSE-11.3-KDE4-LiveCD-x86_64.iso image (software.opensuse.org: Download openSUSE 11.3) onto my Windows 7 hard disk.
3.- I had to reformat with the Windows 7 my 4GB USB key to be able to perform the next step. I chose FAT32 format just because. It would not work when formatting out of the DOS command terminal.
4.- Started the ImageWriter, pressed “Select” on the menu that appeared. Selected the downloaded image by putting a *.iso (return) in the box for file types. Pressed on the “Copy” button.
5.- Restarted my Lenovo X201 tablet out of the W7 menu options.
6.- Pressed F12 before the Windows fireballs show up in the booting procedure.
7.- Selected “Boot from USB”
8.- The openSUSE installer menu appeared and I typed into options: boot=/dev/sdb/boot/x86_64/vmlinuz-xen
Then the YAST installation window appeared and I was able to install openSUSE. Cooool !!! It provides options to repartition your hard disk, I am not sure yet which is best, so I leave the choice up to you. SUSE recommends a set of partitions and sized based on criteria that I don’t know.
For those interested in what did not work for me: (why it took me one day)
1.- Following the steps in: SDB:Installation help - openSUSE
2.- Trying the NET installation. My USB would not boot:
a) After having downloaded dd.exe as explained in [SDB:Live USB stick - openSUSE](http://en.opensuse.org/Live_USB_stick), my X201 would only boot into W7.
b) After having downloaded syslinux.exe to make the USB bootable, and booting out of the USB (by pressing F12) I would get a boot prompt but could not figure out how to boot into the openSUSE installer.
3.- Following steps 1-7 of those that worked above, without the Boot options, I tried noapci, acpi=off, …. I got an error saying that MBR (Master Boot Records) were not found. No matter how many combinations I used of the openSUSE installer window (install, boot from HD, safe install, no ACPI,…)
My major complaint: I could not find information anywhere of what are the boot options for the openSUSE installer window, nor anyone who had gone through the same. I used Linux on PCs and Mac PPCs before OS/X was even a rumor. After that I moved to Macs for its easy integration between computer and SW until they started getting monopolistic and selling worse machines than similar PCs of the same price. The problems with installing Linux on a Windows are a major disadvantage of Linux and the SDB:Live USB stick - openSUSE page seems geared towards those who already have Linux. Pretty much like 10 years ago.
I hope this helps. Enjoy!
PS: my config is Intel Core i7-620LM Processor (2.00GHz,
4MB L3, 1066MHz FSB); Genuine Windows 7 Professional 64 US
English; 12.1" Multitouch WXGA LED Panel with
Wide viewing Angle; 4 GB PC3-8500 DDR3 SDRAM 1067MHz
SODIMM Memory (2 DIMM); Intel Centrino Advanced-N 6200.