I was a user of Suse10.0 to 10.3 when my laptop HD got to full and I was forced to remove it and give the whole thing to windows (to cheep to buy a larger HD). I have recently built myself a new computer and decided to give Kubuntu a try. After using it a few times and having multiple problems I am giving up and going back to Suse (I liked the looks and layout much better).
Right now I have a dual boot system with Windows7 and Kubuntu9.10. I would like to not have to reinstall windows and just take over the space that ubuntu was occupying.
Will I run into any problems with grub? Will it install just like a fresh volume and reinstall grub? Do I need to reformat the space ubuntu is using?
Just start the installer normally. When it comes to installing, select custom partition layout.
Mount your partitions as follows:
select your Ubuntu root partition, choose to have it formatted as ext4 and to mount it as /
if you have a separate /home partition, choose to have it formatted as ext4 and to mount it as /home
select your swap partition, choose to have it formatted as swap and mounted as swap
select your Windows 7 partition, choose to not have it formatted, select ntfs for file system and to mount it as /media/win7
If you want to have full read-write access, replace the values for fmask and dmask by 000 (fmask is for files, dmask is for directories).
if you have more windows partititions, treat them likewise and have them mounted under /media/data, /media/videos or similar
If you do not have a separate /home, you might want to create a backup of any files, documents, etc., you want to keep, as the creation and formatting of a new /home will erase all that data.
Before removing Kubuntu, I recommend you make a backup copy of its /etc directory on a USB stick or USB external hard drive. Check to ensure the backup is good. This backup is NOT to restore, but to have as a reference, in case there is a hiccup with openSUSE and you want to consult with how they do things on Kubuntu. The configuration files are often inside the /etc directory.
Further to that, to ensure sound works as good or better on openSUSE as it does on Kubuntu, on kubuntu run:
/usr/sbin/alsa-info.sh --no-upload
[note the script alsa-info.sh may be in a different directory on kubuntu]
That will create the file /tmp/alsa-info.txt.
Also back up that file on a USB stick or external USB drive. In case you have a sound quirk on openSUSE that was not on kubuntu, that file will be invaluable.
Thanks for all of the suggestions, lots of stuff I would have never thought of. I hope to get it converted over after the new year, when things start slowing down again.