Hi.
Rather new to SuSE, I decided to do away with VISTA on a laptop. That laptop is now handed to my daughter and I bourght a new one for my self. I am VERY happy with SuSE and went to 64bit on previous laptop, only to increase my level of satisfaction.
Now with a new HP laptop that came with Win7/64, it seems nearly impossible to set up dualboot.
Is it, or is it not possible to do?
In spite of my positive experience with SuSE and anger about things being forced down my throat by Microsoft/HP, it seems as utter waste to erase Win7.
Please advise.
A friend who got a new HP laptop found that there were four primary partitions already on it meaning that openSUSE would need to take one over; also I understand that the openSUSE installer can be confused by the way MS formats the Windows 7 data partition. You may need to download PartedMagic, inspect what there is and clear some space using PartedMagic - after you have defragged Windows.
On 01/28/2011 06:36 PM, lak 726 wrote:
> Please advise.
see this first:
http://forums.opensuse.org/english/information-new-users/unreviewed-how-faq/450291-install-opensuse-alongside-win7-vista-guide.html#post2257084
then read all the horror stories (if you wish):
http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aopensuse.org+"win7"+alongside
Redmond didn’t make freedom easy, but it is possible…
the FIRST word to remember is: backup
–
DenverD
CAVEAT: http://is.gd/bpoMD [posted via NNTP w/openSUSE 11.3, KDE4.5.5
“release 1”, Thunderbird3.0.11,]
“It is far easier to read, understand and follow the instructions than
to undo the problems caused by not.” DD 23 Jan 11
-----BEGIN PGP SIGNED MESSAGE-----
Hash: SHA1
Personal preference, since you have the install media presumably, run win7
as a VM.
Good luck.
On 01/28/2011 10:53 AM, DenverD wrote:
> On 01/28/2011 06:36 PM, lak 726 wrote:
>> Please advise.
>
> see this first:
> http://forums.opensuse.org/english/information-new-users/unreviewed-how-faq/450291-install-opensuse-alongside-win7-vista-guide.html#post2257084
>
> then read all the horror stories (if you wish):
> http://www.google.com/search?q=site%3Aopensuse.org+“win7”+alongside
>
> Redmond didn’t make freedom easy, but it is possible…
> the FIRST word to remember is: backup
>
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First thank you to all that replied.
I will have a closer look at Install openSUSE alongside Win7/Vista - A Guide.
HP has for years now NOT provided an OS-disk. The Win7 (and in case of VISTA) is on a seperate partition and only available for repairs, even if you make a copy to DVD/ext. HD, so not easy to install Win7 in virtual machines unless I do the unspeakable . . .
Guess it is just the fear of f***ing up the whole thing, even after makeing a copy of mentioned OS-partition for recovery!
If you live in the USA you can contact HP support and request an original install media set. This is US law that they must provide one (1) set if requested. There is also in windows 7 a program to create a rescue/repair/install disk (look in the run menu system, maintenance I think).
Tom
The way i did it was first have Microsoft send me a install dvd, so i could reinstall win7
HP will tell you to contact MS
the OEM’s no longer supply a install dvd
then reformatted and partitioned the drive
install second disk
installed win7 on the first part of the first disk
installed Cent5.5 on the second ( grub on the FIRST LINUX partition )
set the boot flag to the first linux partition
installed suse 11.3 to the second disk
using the cent grub to boot
this leaves the MS bootloader alone
and chainloads to it
I think I have enough to work with for now.
Thank you all !!!
Just a suggestion, why not install SUSE on an external USB drive as I did, then configure your bios to boot usb before the internal hard drive. I did it this way and I’m very happy with the performance. I removed the hard drive from the laptop, plugged in my usb hard drive, booted from the SUSE inatall CD and it worked like a charm. Removing the laptop hard drive stops SUSE from loading the bootloader on it and keeps it safe just in case anything goes wrong.
I bought an HP laptop a couple years ago with vista preinstalled. The reinstall disk utility didn’t work - it would stall at recording the second DVD (oS come in one and there’s still people complaining it’s too big :)).
I just called HP and they sent me the DVDs.
Thank you trnjjohn.
Your suggestion prompted me to try.
My new laptop HP DV6 3140se will actually allow you to change the boot media, simply by hitting ESC followed by f9 when you turn on the laptop.
As suggested, I took out the internal HD, plugged in a USB external HD and set up SuSE 11-3 64bit on that.
After the setup, I reinstalled the internal HD and viola, I can now dual boot WIN7 and SuSE simply by choosing the boot media.