Problem installating openSUSE 11.0 from local disk

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Hi. I hope someone can help me with my problem.

I am a new user and I am trying to install openSUSE 11.0

Setup: Windows XP SP3, single hard disk, CDROM drive, no DVDROM drive

I downloaded openSUSE 11.0 for x86, Network installation, verified MD5, and burnt onto CD:
openSUSE-11.0-NET-i386.iso (71 MB)

Next, I downloaded openSUSE 11.0 installation DVD, and verified MD5:
openSUSE-11.0-DVD-i386.iso (4.3 GB)

When I reboot the machine with the CD containing openSUSE-11.0-NET-i386.iso, the main menu comes up.

At the bottom of the screen are some configuration options.

I pressed F4 and changed “Source HTTP” to “Source Hard Disk” on the assumption that the installer would now read the source from my local hard disk.

I configured the installation source location like this:
Disk Device: /dev/sda11
Directory: /home/daiquiri/openSUSE-11.0-DVD-i386.iso
NOTE: /dev/sda11 is an ext2 partition

I clicked on Installation.

After a couple of minutes, I got the message: Could not find the openSUSE Repository. Activating manual setup program.

Whatever I try, the installer never reads from the local source. I always get the error, Repository not found. I used WinRAR and unpacked the contents of openSUSE-11.0-DVD-i386.iso into /home/daiquiri/suse2 and specified directory as “/home/daiquiri/suse2”. But I get the same error, Repository not found. I’ve tried keeping the source in an NTFS partition, and as well, an ext2 partition, but I end up with the same error, Repository not found.

What I am doing wrong here?

2

Have look at the howto’s
HOWTOs - openSUSE

3

Thanks for the response. I spent a couple of hours reading up those How-Tos before trying out the installation.

This is one page that specifically talks about installing from the local disk:
Installation without CD - openSUSE

Towards the end of that page, he says this:

Hard Disk. You will be asked to choose the partition. Next choose the directory.
For ISO files you will need to type the directory and complete filename of the first ISO file.
Example – Partition: /sda1 (USB hard drive) Directory: /SUSECDs/SUSE-Linux-10.1-GM-i386-CD1.iso

Well that doesn’t seem to work for me. I always get stuck with the Repository not found error.

4

But you said you extracted the contents of te .iso in to a folder, rather than pointing directly to the .iso image
Put the complete .iso in the directory
or have you tried that too?

5

I tried several things.

  1. Put the .iso in an NTFS partition
  2. Extract the .iso into an NTFS partition
  3. Put the .iso in ext2 partition
  4. Extract the .iso into ext2 partition

Everytime I get the same error, Repository not found.

According to this page, Network Installation Source: - openSUSE

Using Windows as a Server
With the help of a little tool and only a boot-installation CD you can install over a LAN.
Download and install Daemon Tools. This program allows you use the ISO like it is a ready burned CD or DVD on windows.
First mount the Installation CD/DVD ISO. Then copy all the files to e.g. d:\install\suse10.0
Repeat with all the other CDs. Say “yes to all” for overwriting files.
Share the d:\install directory as e.g. INSTALL.

He seems to be suggesting that even an NTFS partition should work. May be I made some mistake.

6

Well, I have never done it myself.

I found this page, a little different to what you are trying:SuSE HTTP Net Install with screenshots - openSUSE

7

That’s talking about something different, where you have a second machine running Windows and you mount the DVD loopback (effectively) on Windows, and then share the files to your target machine with CIFS over the network. Sorry, no idea about installing from a local ISO image, haven’t done that myself.

8

That should work for me, I think. The only problem is I will have to download everything again. I won’t be able to use the DVD .iso image that I already downloaded.

Might try that if there’s no other solution.

9

Ah ok, thanks for the explanation. I will read that page again.

But it must be possible to install from local disk. Otherwise why would that option be given when I pressed F4 on the network boot CD.

10

But it must be possible to install from local disk. Otherwise why would that option be given when I pressed F4 on the network boot CD.

I’m sure you are right.
Maybe it’s something to do with the partition, is it a primary partition?

11

Extended partition.

12

I don’t know enough about this, but I think this might be the issue

13

OK thanks. I’ll wait for a day or two, and if I can’t solve this, I will do what you suggested earlier about downloading directly from the http sources.

14

I will just install SUSE 11.0 using the internet, instead of using the local .iso image.

That’s a work-around to this problem.

Thanks to everyone who helped.