openSUSE installation under Windows

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

Hello all,

I saw on one of my colleagues an Ubuntu Linux distribution installed under Windows I mean it was installed on an Windows NTFS partition under a certain directory.

My question is: Is it possible to install openSUSE 11.2 in the same way?

Thanks,
Nuca

#2

I’m a bit confused:

  • Do you mean that it involved a virtual machine in windows?

  • Or do you mean that it had no relation to a running instance or windows, but was simply installed on an NTFS filesystem?

  • Or do you mean that it was a standard openSUSE installation that had a windows partition mounted in it for purposes of accessing the windows files in openSUSE?

#3

It wasn’t a virtual machine.
It was like a normal installation but instaled on the NTFS partition (let’s say on D:). At boot time you can select if you want to boot in Win or Linux and if you boot unde Windows you will see a directory where is palced the Ubuntu installation.

#4

In theory you can install openSUSE but it will be broken by the lack of proper permissions. This is because NTFS doesn’t support Linux permissions directly.

#5

This is what ubuntu refers to as a wubi install, It installs linux to a file on the windows system,and alters the bootloader.

There is nothing new about this method.I installed Mandrake 9.0 in a similar way on a fat32 partition in win98 and booted from floppy back when I started playing with linux.

Note however if your windows file system has problems your linux system may pay!

#6

like swerdna, i’m a bit confused by the way you ask the question…

if your questions is:

Q1: Can i install openSUSE on my Windows machine and then, when
booting can i choose either Windows or Linux to run?

A1: yes (it is called “dual booting”)

Q2: Then, when booted to Linux can i access (read, write, use, see,
listen to, change) files on the Windows NTFS?

A2: yes

Q3: If i boot to Linux and find thing on the net, can save them to
Windows NTFS and use/see it in either Windows or Linux?

A3: yes

Q4: If i find/create stuff in Linux and save them to my Linux /home
file system can i then read, write, see, use, listen to, etc those
things while i am booted into Windows?

A4: No, Window can not ‘see’ or access Linux file systems. (Why?
because Redmond doesn’t want you to use Linux, ever!)

Q5: But i saw on my friends machine a directory on his D: drive that
was like D:/Ubuntu, what was that?

A5: I have no idea but i can assure you that it was not a dual
bootable Ubuntu system! Well, maybe it was where s/he puts things
(like music) to be used on either machine…i do not know…

Q6: Can i run both Windows and Linux at the same time?

A6: Yes, launch Linux and start a VM, and then run Windows inside that
VM (or the other way, run Linux in a VM hosted by Windows–but, that
is kinda dumb, i think)…

have a read here: http://en.opensuse.org/How_to_migrate_from_Windows

thank you for your interest…

–
palladium

#7

Ubuntu has the option to install this way, but it is not a good choice.

openSUSE does not give you the opportunity to make this particular mistake .(although there are options for other mistakes if you like).

#8

I was talking about this kind of installation (wubi install). So…it is not possible under openSUSE.

Can you recommend me a free VM to install under Windows and then run openSUSE?

Thanks to all for the replies!

#9

Virtualbox,be sure to install the tools as well.

Sun VirtualBox - Downloads

Dual booting with partitioned drives is not that risky if done correctly however, and does allow the OS to run as intended.