I am trying to install openSUSE 13.2 KDE on a computer that already has Windows 7 and Elementary OS Freya on it. When I go to perform install, the default option it give me tries to steal the Elementary OS partition to use it as the /home. I reject this because I want to keep all three operating systems. Once I select the disk space I want openSUSE to use (12.16 GB unallocated and 13.53 GB unallocated), I get a message telling me that there is not enough space for the separate /home. How do I fix it so that it uses the unallocated spaces for installation? I have GParted in Elementary and EaseUS in Windows for partition editors but today is my first day using either of them. If you could please give simple, step-by-step instructions for this aspiring openSUSE noob, I would greatly appreciate it!
I see it as a possibility that you aleady use all primary partitions of an MBR partitioned disk. But we can only check that if you show us the present partition table. So please post one, best using some Linux (live/rescue) system. with e.g.
fdisk -l
You can display the disks and partitions in Windows using “diskpart”
eg
diskpart
DISKPART> list disk
I agree, you can create only up to 4 primary partitions.
Why not just click the “Advanced” button when installing and install all on one partition (no separate /home partition)?
But, I’m surprised that you think the install “wants to steal” a populated partition…
Are you sure you’re trying to install openSUSE into completely free, unpartitioned and unformatted disk space?
TSU
I deleted one of the primary partitions when I freed the 12.16 GB that had previously been used for Windows Recovery so I should have one available. I will boot Windows and see what it says.
tsu2- When I first boot to install from the live CD, the suggested partitions show it using the 114.5 GB space that is currently where my Elementary is located. When I click to manually select partition space and choose only the unallocated spaces, I get the error message about the separate /home. I have not tried the “Advanced” option because quite frankly the name intimidated me. But I suppose I could give it a look.
Windows Disk Management lists four primary partitions:
System 199 MB (Win7)
C: 104 GB (Win7)
Other 114.5 GB (Elementary OS)
Other 1.93 GB (Linux Swap)
I don’t know why it is showing this when EaseUS shows only System and C: as primary and all others as logical. And I swear that D: (Win7 Recovery) was a primary partition before I deleted it. I confirmed this in Windows Disk Management before I deleted it just so the whole 4 primary partitions issue wouldn’t be a problem.
Yes.
Windows Disk Manager does that, unfortunately …
Which is why you should stick with EaseUs or – better – GParted.
The Windows tool is not reliable.
Solved. I needed to Edit Proposal and deselect the option to create a separate /home partition. Now it works. Now I just have to figure out how to merge the unallocated space into my openSUSE partition. Thanks for all the help. I will mark this as solved if I can figure out how.
The fact that you say you are satisfied (as you did above) is enough.
Note that 12 gig is not much do not think you can save your stuff or install very much on such a small partition