I plan to install OpenSUSE as my main operating system.
However, before proceeding with the installation I want to clarify one problem I think I might face. My disc is partitioned into 2 parts- a) C: being my primary partition and b) D: containing all my important files. Both the partitions are NTFS.
I am planning to format C: and install OpenSUSE on it. Will I be able to use the D: partition in OpenSUSE just as I use it in Windows or would I have to format D: too? I do not want to format D: drive. Would I have to make any special configurations before or after installing OpenSUSE to use D: drive?
Yes you can read/write NTFS. But it is a good idea to backup any important data before playing with partitioning. Also Linux requires at min 2 partitions, swap and root. Suse by default (you must override if you want less) uses 3 swap root and home. /home is where your personal data and settings will be stored. So
backup important stuff
delete the partition which Windows calls C:
install Linux with 2 or 3 partitions it will create the the partitions in the free space you provided
But I really recommend
backup important stuff
delete both partitions which Windows calls C: and D:
install Linux with 3 partitions it will create the the partitions in the free space you provided.
restore the data to your new /home/username directory
The openSUSE installer program will try to “guess” where you wish to install, and it may propose to install on your c: or your d: . Hence you need to look at the proposal carefully, make notes as to what is being proposed (pay attention to how openSUSE proposes to do the / and /home and swap partitions) and then you likely will need to edit the configuration and make your own custom setup, choosing the size and mount settings for / and /home and swap.
There is a chance it will propose to carve up your C: the way you want, BUT you need to watch it carefully as it may choose to carve up your D: instead. Needless to say a backup is imperative.
Ensure you defrag your windows IMMEDIATELY before installing openSUSE.
Reference compatibility with NTFS, yes, openSUSE can read and write to NTFS. As initially installed, it will only read NTFS, and then you will need to do an easy edit to the /etc/fstab configuration file so it can both read and write to NTFS.
Note if the NTFS partition is dirty, openSUSE Linux will NOT write to it, and it may not even be able to read to it, so it is important to keep that “clean” . Running a chkdsk from MS Windows on it is a good way to keep it clean. Note you can not do this from Linux and hence if you plan to keep an NTFS partition then IMHO you should also keep MS-Windows in a boot partition.
Note also if MS-Windows is hibernated, openSUSE will NOT write to the NTFS and it may not even be able to read it.
There is some guidance here you should read before download , burning and installing openSUSE:
Thanks!
I had already read all the links posted. I just wanted a more direct answer pertaining to my problem. I now plan to format my hard disk completely and install OpenSUSE.
Hope my association with Linux lasts a long time
Well, now the other question is- “What should be the ideal size for partitions?” Should I give some priority to some partition compared to other partitions?
I have 2 hard disks- 320GB SATA and 80GB IDE. I use the 80 GB drive only for virtual machines ( and plan to do the same with OpenSUSE).
I use:
2 x RAM to swap
20GB to /
and the rest to /home
VampirD
Microsoft Windows is like air conditioning
Stops working when you open a window.
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Comment: Using GnuPG with SUSE - http://enigmail.mozdev.org/
Well that depends on what you want to put on that hard disk.
Assuming you wish to not touch the 80GB IDE, and plan to use the 320GB SATA, I assume you will be keeping MS-Windows in a partition on that SATA. … I assume that because if you do not have MS-Windows then it makes no sence to keep NTFS.
Thus you need to decide how much hard drive space do you want for MS-Windows ?
… another idea, which is likely not relevant to you, but it is something those of us who are keen on Linux keep in mind, is the possibility of a sandbox partition(s). ie in addition to a nominal parition, you may wish to have a sandbox partition.
Let me show you two possibilities:
Idea-1 : Windows and one-Linux only on 360GB:
/sda1 = MS-Windows - 50GB
/sda2 = Linux / - 25 GB
/sda3 = Linux swap - 2GB
/sda4 = extended - remainder (it will be a bit less than 283 GB)
/sda5 = /home - all of extended (it will be a bit less than 283 GB)
Idea-2 : Windows and one-regular Linux and one sandbox linux only on 360GB:
/sda1 = MS-Windows - 50GB
/sda2 = openSUSE Linux / - 25 GB
/sda3 = all Linux swap - 2GB
/sda4 = extended - remainder (it will be a bit less than 283 GB)
/sda5 = openSUSE /home - all of extended (it will be a bit less than 243 GB)
/sda6 = Sandbox Linux / - 15 GB (sandbox / partition for cutting edge tests)
/sda7 = Sandbox Linux /home -25 GB (sandbox /home partition for cutting edge tests)
Of course one can get exotic with separate /boot and other partitions but I don’t recommend that for a new user.
Note MS-Windows will NOT be able to access the Linux partitions.
If you plan to put openSUSE as a virtual session on the 80GB, I assume you know it will run slower in that virtual session. I myself would not put openSUSE on a virtual session so I have no recommendations to pass there.
In that case I would not keep an NTFS formatted drive, as you will have no way to clean it when it becomes dirty (and it WILL become dirty).
Still, if it were me and I had a licenced copy of winXP, I would keep it in a small partition (say 10GB or so) as one never knows when it might be useful to boot to a completely different operating system to see if a problem might be hardware related, as opposed to operating system related.
Also, I recommend one keep the operating system they are familiar with as long as needed until they become familiar with a new operating system. I have lost count of the times a keen new user to Linux deleted MS-Windows, only to find the Linux learning curve too steep, and the Linux way of doing things to different from what they were used to, and they stormed back to Windows in a huff and emotional frustration with Linux. … They had set up an ALL Linux or NO Linux approach, and it ended up being NO Linux as the learning curve was far too steep.
There is a lot to be said for moderation in life, and that applies IMHO just as much to a changing of operating systems.
After reading all these comments, now I’m getting an idea of what I’m diving into. I’ve used Redhat and Ubuntu as virtual machines but have never done a Linux installation as a host. Now that I plan to do this I want to go ahead and confront any problem that occurs. The real reason I want to install Linux is that I want to learn Linux inside out. Installing it as the sole OS on my computer will help me achieve my goal faster as in absence of Windows I’ll just have to work my way through Linux(Note that I would still have Windows on my laptop). Dual booting it with Windows will defeat the very purpose I’m installing Linux for- “learning”.
Now for my problem- “How should I format my disk drives?” Since I can’t format them as NTFS, should I use some tool like Partedmagic and format them as ext (ext2? ext3? or some other?).
Note that I don’t want Windows at all. It’s like getting a new HDD and installing Linux on it, only in my case my HDD isn’t new but has Windows installed. So I want my HDD to be able to install Linux either it’s by formatting or some other method.
I still think if you have winXP (not Vista) you should keep it. Reduce it to next to no hard drive space. There will come times during your learning of Linux that you will struggle. You will question if the problem is hardware? Is it Linux? Is it your misunderstanding? Please believe me, having an OS you know ready to boot the exact same hardware is invaluable. It will save you time learning Linux. Just use some discipline. Trim winXP down so much in size you have no room to install any apps. That will stop you from using winXP too much.
OpenSUSE-11.2 now uses ext4 as the default. Use that.
If you are following my Idea-1, and if winXP has the entire hard drive, then no need for parted magic. The SuSE installer will propose how to carve things up. Just edit the SuSE installer proposal and reduce winXP to as small as is practical. Be certain you defrag winXP first, and unlock any windows swap/virtual files (what ever it is called) before defragging, so that you can resize without hurting winXP.
If you are following my Idea-2, then using Parted Magic is not such a bad idea. Be certain you defrag winXP first, and unlock any windows swap/virtual files (what ever it is called) before defragging, so that you can resize without hurting winXP.
Then use PartedMagic to create the structure. Then when installing openSUSE ensure that you put the / and /home in EXACTLY where you want them located.
I understand … I just (still) think you should reconsider. The idea here is to learn, and you can still learn things about Linux by having Windoze as a sanity crutch. During one’s early days, that is very valuable.
I have winXP on most of my PCs. I paid for it, and I hate throwing out things I paid for. I typically boot to winXP twice a year (sometimes more, sometimes less).
For you 80 gig drive just put one big partition and mount it to the root with some name like /vm at the install then direct all your VM’s to use that directory.
You can pre format/partiton with gparted or some other formating program but the installer will do just fine. Just select expert at the partition scheme screen and set things how you want them.
I’ve used Redhat and Ubuntu as virtual machines but have never done a Linux installation as a host. Now that I plan to do this I want to go ahead and confront any problem that occurs. The real reason I want to install Linux is that I want to learn Linux inside out. Installing it as the sole OS on my computer will help me achieve my goal faster as in absence of Windows I’ll just have to work my way through Linux(Note that I would still have Windows on my laptop). Dual booting it with Windows will defeat the very purpose I’m installing Linux for- “learning”.
Be certain you defrag winXP first, and unlock any windows swap/virtual files (what ever it is called) before defragging, so that you can resize without hurting winXP.