openSUSE Newbie - Questions about grub and fstab

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Just installed openSUSE 11.1 , dual boot with debian.

Understand that openSUSE uses YAST to assist users to maintain most of the system setting and config.

  1. openSUSE had automatically mounted me d: drive (/dev/sda2) as /windows/d. I had wanted to mounted it as /mnt/delta as was in debian.

a. where can I find the setting in YAST to do this.
b. if I were to edit /etc/fstab manually, will I mess YAST’s other settings?

  1. openSUSE had automatically detected Debian and add it in it’s grub. However, I had Debian’s grub install in /dev/sda7.

c. how can I use YAST to chainload to Debian’s grub at /dev/sda7.
d. if I were to edit /boot/grun/menu.lst manually, will I mess YAST’s other settings?

Thanks in advance for the help.

2

Yast is only a tool which lets you run most of the admin tasks via a gui.
You can either edit the fstab directly or use yast>system>partitioner.
Likewise, if you are comfortable editing the menu directly, fine, otherwise you can use yast>system>bootloader.

3

Keeping backup of the files you going to modify is always good option.

a. YAST -> System -> bootloader
b. Just modify the relevant entry in fstab it won’t mess up anything else. before hand understand the format of fstab file. This link
will be helpful.

c. YAST -> bootloader -> bottom right hand corner above finish there is an option “Other” -> Edit Configuration Files.

chainloader(hdX,Y)+1
X: hard disk number
Y partition no. not /dev/sda7 see below:

OR

select the paticular entry from the list edit it.

d. it is a bit tricky, depends on the partitions you have made in your hard disk you need to makesure the /dev/sda7 is used when you select Debian’s grub entry. That should display the bootloader(or whatever it is called) for debian.

I believe these things are kind of similar in most versions of Linux. it only needs a better view and understanding of scenario at hand.

for editting grub manually remember
hd0 -> first hard disk
hd1 -> second hard disk

(hd0,0) -> first primary partition of first hard disk

you need to workout for /dev/sda7

OK thats what i can think of at the moment from the text in your post. if need more help let me know the partition table.

I dont know if the above thing can help or not but thats what i know about this thing. still amature. :wink: