Hey there,
I’d like to install openSUSE on my laptop. My laptop currently has windows 7 and Fedora 18 that dual boot. I want to replace fedora with openSUSE and continue to dual boot. I currently have a separate /home partition and will want to continue to use that. I loaded up the install disc and it wasn’t clear how to get this done. Should I just remove the fedora partition so that there is empty space on my drive and then have the openSUSE installer use that?
Thanks,
Skip
When you get to the partitioning section of install, the installer will present a recommended partitioning. Then there should be several options. One of those is to edit partitioning. That allows you to modify the recommendation. Another option (I think the last) is for you to completely define your own partitioning. If you choose that, you will be given a list of current partitions that you can modify.
The remaining option – I think it is the middle one – is to import partitioning. That should take the partitioning that you were using with Fedora, then give you an option to make changes. I suspect that’s the one that you want.
Here is one big difference between opensuse install and Fedora install. When you are doing an opensuse install, it does not actually change anything on disk until you have gone through all of the selection steps, including any software selection (if installing with DVD or NET installer). Only when you finally accept and hit the INSTALL button, will it change anything. Up until that point, you can abort the installation and nothing will have changed.
My suggestion is to try things out, and if you don’t like what you are seeing, abort before you get to that final install step. And then you can go back and try a different way.
Normally, the installer will want to reformat the root partition, and also “/boot” if that is a separate partition. It should not reformat “/home” unless you ask it to do that.
Having installed both opensuse and Fedora, I find the opensuse installer the most flexible and easiest to use.
Hey there,
That’s great info.
Thanks,
Skip
Just a thought. Which ever OS you use more install virtual box on it and the other into vbox. Then you can run simultaniously both OS. Dont need to reboot if want to use the other one 
I thought about that but decided to go the dual boot route.
Thanks,
Skip
Another tip.
Should anyone decide to install Fedora and openSUSE side by side
If you find grub doesn’t list Fedora or vice versa -
Mount the respective root partition and then run:
grub2-mkconfig -o /boot/grub2/grub.cfg
Hey there,
Installed this today and dual booting works just fine. Now on to solve (or try to) some zend server issues.
Thanks,
Skip
never tried that but cant advice to use…just read their homepages and cant see any benefit on it…again…just my opinion. What u need it for?
Hey there,
Well it happens form time to time that I need windows for one thing or another - even after not running it for over a decade.
Thanks,
Skip
I need wintendo for autocad, revit and vertex. But they run ok under vbox. Too bad that dont have linux versions of those. Mac yes. ’ cept vertex. Paid 14 000 euros for it
autocad+revit kinda cheap as only cost 6 000 euro.