Hi All,
I’m trying to install Leap 15.2 (or TW) onto an old laptop with legacy BIOS. My HDD has MBR partitioning. Both Leap 15.2 and TW on install are set to:
Delete MS-DOS partition table on /dev/sda
Create GPT on /dev/sda
which will have the effect of my HDD becoming unbootable on the legacy BIOS of the old laptop
Can anyone give me advice on how to partition my MBR HDD to get past this point please? My HDD is 500Gb. Do I simply note down all the suggestions for the GPT partitionaing and set them all up manually for the MBR partitioning scheme. I don’t think so because the first partiton is a /sda/sda1 8Mb as BIOS Boot Partition. If my understanding is right, this is specific to GPT partitioning not MBR partitioning.
I’m using the network install if that is any help…
Thanks in advance
GPT is the underlying disk layout not a boot method and MBR boot will work on GPT or DOS layouts. GPT is not really needed if the drive is less then 2 TB but AFAIK it does not hurt.
If BIOS is not UEFI then you can not even think about using the EFI boot method since the BIOS does not support it.
(1) Your system almost certainly will work with GPT, even on old hardware.
The BIOS does not know anything about GPT. But the GPT partitioning includes an MBR (the protective MBR), and the install will put boot code in that protective MBR. Your BIOS calls that boot code. And then it is up to that boot code to understand the GPT partition table. This does work.
(2) You can stick with MBR partitioning. But you will need to use the expert partitioner. When you see that partitioning proposal, look for the expert partitioner option near the bottom of the screen. Select “start with existing partitioning”. Then you will get to work with your MBR partition table that is already there.
Yes, you can make notes on the proposed partitioning, and then attempt to approximate that yourself but with manual selections. And no, you do not need that 8mb BIOS boot partition if you stay with DOS partitioning.