Peter’s guide for installing suse
This method is special for old computers without dvd drivers and old pre 2000 motherboards.
when I wanted to instal linux suse from a live-cd or an ftp-server the computer booted to a login screen for linux-terminal.
here’s a guide when you meet the same problems (or other problems)
First of all verify your’e dealing with the bug. this can be done by loging in as “root”
If this is a succes, just unplug your computer from it’s power. you will have to do some things bevore you start that thing up again.
Search for an installed computer (windows prefered), and look on the internet for the startup applet “acronis”. TAKE ONE FROM BITTORENT OR BUY ONE, THE DEMO DOESN’T WORK
this is a boot-up applet what has the ability to backup your entire partition table.
Download this iso to your pc and burn it to a cd.
download suse dvd and ftp setup (both must be same version like 11.1) from the suse site
Download a stable version of “virtual box” (a computer simuliser from sun)
Downloads - VirtualBox
and install it to your system.
start the program and make a new virual machine and give it any name you like. make sure you configure it for your system (suse).
in the section where you can choose a virual disk, make a disk thats 50 mb smaller than the space on your old computer (this covers the bug you accidently overide the diskspace in the recovery later on. make the speed 50% of the speed of the virtual host (the computer with virtual box installed)(this keeps your computer in a meassured state but close all unnecesairy programs!!)
now install suse dvd when the computer askes for an install disk. and prefer to low disk usage (only istall what is needed if you have a small disk) and choose for the gnome desktop.
after the install, startup your system to test it. install extra apps like vlc and other stuff (since this goes faster than your old computer).
YOU DON’T NEED THE VIRTUALBOX ADDONS!! JUST STICK TO CRAPPY SMALL SCREEN
now shutdown the computer (the virtual one) by shutting it down like a regular computer (you don’t want to ruin what you made).
when the computer is shutted down return to the startup-list (virtualbox), press your virtual suse once and click on settings (above the system logo)
go to te tab cd/dvd-rom and mount acronis (from cddrive letter (like E:))
got to the tab usb and click on the add filter from device.
select your usb flash drive (must be the same size as your installed system).
now start the computer like you did before. you will see cronis starting up. choose the second option in the first screen (the regual backup)
and make a full disk backup.
Acronis will add your flash drive to the list of backed-up partitions (since it has a windows partition) make shure you only select the partitions from linux.
now do a full backup.
when the backup is finished close the virtual machine and put your flash drive in the old computer together with the cronis disk.
restore your linux by clicking the second option again and choosing for restore.
shut down the computer and take out the usb-drive + cd-rom restart your computer with the suse ftp disk.
make sure you have a wired internet connection. start the computer up and choose for repair installed system.
follow the instructions on the screen (after loading) you should get an error from your partitions witch you will have to fix and an error from the grub loader.
repair that in the following way:
in the repair mode go to the second tab and choose for an other loader (NOT GRUB AND ALSO NOT NOTHING!!) your computer will try to install that but discover that the packages for the other loader are not on the ftp-disk. now wait until the computer discovers the grub loader problem again and choose for grub. when the computer askes what to do with the partition table choose new table (the computer will automaticly generate one). click ok and wait for the program to finish.
now restart your computer without any cd or usb and tadaa it works 
succes,
Peter van der Meuelen, The Netherlands
if you have troble with this guide feel free to coment
rotfl!