Need help with partitioning

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Hey again :slight_smile:
I just tried to install openSUSE 11.0 and it all went fine until I got to the partition screen. Thing is, I have 2 hard drives. One 74 gb raptor disc that I want to format and use with ext3 (I guess?) for linux. And one 500gb storage disc that I want to keep NTFS since it is only used for storing files.

Now, the problem is that when I get to the partition screen it makes up what it thinks is best for me which means screw my 500gb disc up. I want to leave my 500gb alone, and partition the 74gb to run as a system disc. I would appreciate some help in this matter. I don’t really know how big swap partition I should have and all that. And how to make it leave my 500gb alone. Should i just delete all the changes to the 500gb so it ignores that disc totally? And manually make the swap files and all that for the raptor? Primary or extended?

I’m so confused… :stuck_out_tongue:

Edit: To simplify, I need help with what options I should make for the 74gb and the 500gb. If someone could explain how I can make the 74gb a system disc with a swap file and root and all that on it (if needed). That extended/primary and where to start the partition screen… It just makes me confused :confused:

#2

MilkDrop… don’t you have a post running already for this question?
Please add your comments to that one and don’t double post.

We will loose track of who is doing what making us confused too! :wink:

#3

Yes I do, just thought that I would post a new one in the right category :stuck_out_tongue: Anyone in the mood to answer could do so in Advice about what Linux to choose - openSUSE Forums :smiley:

#4

Sorry, MilkDrop, my error!! I mixed two posts I was replying to

You did it correctly, my wrong! :stuck_out_tongue:

#5

Now I’m really confused, haha :slight_smile:

Anyone have an answer to my question? Or should i unplug my 500gb disc and see where that takes me? Then just plug it back in after installation is complete? =)

#6

When the installer gives you the option to partition, select to go for custom partition setup (expert settings) and select the disk you want to install on (the 74GB one).

Now you should see your 74GB disk with partitions it might have.

All the things you do here (add, delete, format, set mount points), and exactly those, will be applied to your disk (not directly but after OK and apply).

You should be able to add the partitions you want, but keep in mind that one disk can only hold 4 primary partitions, so probably best to create and extended partition in your case.

I would appreciate some help in this matter. I don’t really know how big swap partition I should have and all that. And how to make it leave my 500gb alone.

I never make my swap bigger than 1800mb. It’s never used fully anyway and has a different mechanism than say Windows.

If you go for custom partitioning the 500gb won’t be touched, but also make sure thats what the summary says before pushing on.

Hope that’s clear enough to get you going! :slight_smile:

Cheers,
Wj

#7

Thanks alot. It gives me an idea of what to do atleast :slight_smile: I’m gonna experiment a bit, and either make my system crash, or run perfectly, haha :smiley: Thanks for the answers Wj, you’ve been a life-saver :slight_smile:

#8

If you have Vista running use it to shrink the partition you want to use and leave it as unallocated space. To do that, in Windows just right click on the drive and select "shrink partition (I think that’s it) and then it will open a Vista utility for that purpose.

The Suse installer will (should that is) pick it up and then you don’t have to use the advanced partitioning. Just click use unallocated space and it will do the rest. At least that was my experience.