Suse 10.2 to 11.1

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

I have read NEWBIES - Suse-11.1 Pre-installation – PLEASE READ

I do run Suse 10.2 on a stand alone machine [no other operating system]. It’s basically worked for nearly 4 years with no trouble. I know 10.2 is now not supported. I have purchased and installed with dual boot 11.1 on a lap top, with this forum’s help.

With the desktop setup I know there was some issue originally with the Nvidia driver? I do back up the home directory regularly and use on both machines.

I will run KDE3.2 in 11.1

I am unsure of backing up the files from root. At the moment i back up the home and copy to lap top and vice versa, changing the permissions. I do backup .kde using compress and uncompress, this works 10.2 to 11.1 and the other way.Keeping my emails and contacts in Kontact.

Now my dilemma is whether to leave 10.2 running - there seems to be no issues but no updates. Or go for a complete new installation. Can I back-up my settings etc I use Kontact, ie the Kmail settings?

Any help would be appreciated - especially with the nvidia driver ?

Sorry i am a newbie but learning.

Thanks

#2

You can certainly back up settings for mail etc… But to move from 10.2 to 11.1 - You really need to do a complete new install

kde3 in 11.1 is in the other option at install but you still get some kde4 stuff thrown in for good measure, mostly games I think. I think the ver. is kde 3.5.10

NVIDIA - openSUSE

#3

Hi

Thanks for the reply. How are the mail settings backed up?

Thanks for the link to Nvidia.

#4

What i’ve done in the past is this:
Keep the previous install
Keep the /home partition for the new install
Install 11.1 on a new partition
When you realize that you don’t use 10.2 anymore, you can always reuse the space for something else, for example openSUSE 11.2

#5

Hi

It may be obvious but how do I keep the previous install of 10.2? That would seem a great idea!

I have about 240GB spare, the home partition is 275GB - so no worries on space?

Is it an option on install?

I have the purchased DVD of Suse 11.1

Thanks

#6

Open a terminal and go su, then do

fdisk -l

post result here

#7

It will give you the option during install - just pay attention to which partitions are which. If you aren’t sure, there are easy ways to find out in your present installation - ‘fdisk -l’ should help.

The only thing you’ll have to watch is the bootloader - if you install on the MBR, it should happily integrate the old boot menu. If you want to leave the old installation genuinely untouched, you’ll have to either install the new bootloader onto the root partition of the new installation, and add a chainloader stanza to the old one, or mark the new installation active, and chainload the old one from it (I think!).

Probably easiest to just use the MBR - on the offchance it does go wrong, it can be fixed from a live / install disc.

#8

linux-p4d:/home/brian # fdisk -l

Disk /dev/sda: 320.0 GB, 320072933376 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 38913 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

Device Boot Start End Blocks Id System
/dev/sda1 1 262 2104483+ 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda2 * 263 2873 20972857+ 83 Linux
/dev/sda3 2874 38913 289491300 83 Linux
linux-p4d:/home/brian #

#9

I would like to leave the existing installation untouched and be able to boot into it if possible.

I will await the posting results for the disk - just done.

Thanks

#10

Backup important data on sda3 /home because you need to shrink it with the partitioner in at install.
You will have to use Custom Partitioning. This may help:
Install Demo - With Pics and Video - openSUSE Forums

With the free space you create
Make all that space into one Extended Partition and then within that Extended Partition create 2 new logical partitions: a new root and home: no swap needed you can use your current swap.
/
/home

The installer should add an entry for booting 10.2
Make sure you write grub to MBR
see this pic
http://files.myopera.com/carl4926/albums/671478/19.png

If you have problems booting 10.2 after install, don’t panic. Report back, it is easily sorted.

#11

Hi

Does this help?

What would be the best way to install now?

Thanks

#12

Sorry missed this posting - will read through and get back.

Thanks

#13

Hi

Thanks, with this information I should be able to load Suse 11.1 as a dual boot. I will do it when I have some free time and report back - just dashing off to the VET.

Thanks to everyone

#14

Hi

How do I copy my home directory?

I have a 8GB dingle and an external drive, I assume it is done from root but what is the syntax? Drag and drop does not work due to permissions and I wanted to copy the hidden files as well.

Thanks

#15

Info
cp MAN Page

#16

Hi

Thanks for the link.

I assume this is done at root
su in the konsole?

I can use the dingle what key to cp is recommended, as I would like to copy it back and use with 10.2, which then should work normally. I can copy the hard information pictures and documents by drag and drop for 11.1.

cp ?/home /mount/media/BRIAN

should the second be the device node /dev/sdb1
or the mountpoint /media/BRIAN_B

Thanks