Newbie Wants to Wipe Out Windows and Install openSUSE 11.3

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Brand-new with Linux, so please bear with me…

I have a desktop with a 500-GB HD on which there is Windows XP installed. I now would like to install openSUSE 11.3 (64-bit) in such a way that it will wipe out every trace of Windows, thus making openSUSE my only OS installed! :slight_smile:

I have downloaded the install DVD and boot up from it. At the Installation Settings screen, I get the following info regarding automatic partitioning:
**** Shrink Windows partition /dev/sda1 to 155.32 GB

  • Create extended partition /dev/sda2 (310.44 GB)
  • Create swap volume /dev/sda5 (2.01 GB)
  • Create root volume /dev/sda6 (20.00 GB) with ext4
  • Create volume /dev/sda7 (288.43 GB) for /home with ext4***

The Installation Settings screen also shows the following warning under the Booting section:
The bootloader is installed on a partition that does not lie entirely below 128 GB. The system might not boot.

So, what do I need to make openSUSE the only OS installed? (I want to allocate the full 500 GB to openSUSE and most certainly I want my PC to boot up!!)

Is there anybody that can give step-by-step instructions to a newbie?

Thanks.

#2

It should be possible to switch to expert partitioning and get a proposal that uses the whole disk. When you do that the problem of putting boot under 128GB disappears because the installer will able to put the boot sectors in the first partition.

If that proposal doesn’t appear, then delete the partitions, save, and you will effectively get a blank disk to start with.

#3

You get here:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10573557/11.2%20slideshow/pic8-default%20partition%20proposal.png
click next, then
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10573557/11.2%20slideshow/pic9-custom%20partitioons.png
If you select the top one (yours will say something different. It should say Eg Western Digital 500GB HD…blah…)
That will let SUSE do what you want.

However, I’m inclined to suggest you accept the proposal it made to shrink windows.

Picasa Web Albums - carl fletcher - openSUSE 11.2…
Picasa Web Albums - carl fletcher - 11.3 Slideshow

#4

Thanks for your suggestion! It worked fine.
Now I have another problem, but I will open a separate thread…