I am trying to install 12.1 from an .iso. Currently I have Windows 7 installed. I just want to create a dual boot setup. I have an unallocated partition that I can use for Linux. However, when I get to the Linux Installation it says the partioning on disk /dev/sda is not readable by the partitioning tool parted. It says I cannot add, edit, resize, or remove partitions from that disk with this tool. Then it prompts me for expert setup. This is where I am not sure what to do. I am able to partition using Windows. I do NOT want to delete my existing Windows partition.
And I think this has happened because I created a Dynamic Disk in Windows 7. Parted does not read Dynamic Disks?
On Tue, 03 Apr 2012 04:56:03 +0000, imterpsfan2 wrote:
> And I think this has happened because I created a Dynamic Disk in
> Windows 7. Parted does not read Dynamic Disks?
Could be. It may be that your system is installed using GPT as well,
which the installer may not understand by default (I don’t know, I don’t
have a system with a GPT partition table on it) but the expert mode might.
IIRC, dynamic disks in Windows are supposed to be allowed to grow
dynamically. If that’s the case, then installing at the existing
partition boundary would either break the dynamic disk or it would
prevent the disk from growing beyond where it’s currently allocated.
Jim
–
Jim Henderson
openSUSE Forums Administrator
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The Windows dynamic is a proprietary way of doing LVM partitions. And no Linux can not read it.
Also Linux requires at least 2 and OpenSUSE recommends 3 partitions. 1) swap 2)root (where OS and system wide programs live) 3) home (where your personal data configurations and programs live)
It is best not to partition the space to be used with Windows just leave it unpartitioned and let the installer create the partitions.
IN any case a dynamic Windows partition can not be used from Linux. Though you still should be able to install and use Linux just not see the Windows partition from Linux
If the disk is GPT it an entirely different kettle of fish and it take some skill to get things set to install OpenSUSE.
If you can boot a Linux based CD from a console post the output of fdisk -l (that a lower case L not a one) to show us the partitioning you have now
It looks like I made the entire hard disk dynamic, which may cause problems. To revert to a simple disk I would have to basically delete all existing partitions and start over.
But I’ll do the fdisk when I get home and post the results.
Thanks, that’s what I am going to have to do I think because I cannot even boot from the Linux Installation CD.
Wait STOP.
If you can not boot the CD there may be other issues.
Tell use what happens when you try. It may just be a video driver problem
Also I’m not certain but I believe the Windows partition manager maybe able to reverse the dynamic partitioning. Consult a Windows expert.
Ok, I was able to do an fdisk with the Rescue System.
/dev/sda1 42 SFS (Windows 7 System Partition)
/dev/sda2 42 SFS (Windows 7 Partition Boot)
/dev/sda3 42 SFS (HP Recovery Partition)
/dev/sda4 42 SFS (Unallocated space - want to install Linux here)
Id 42 = SFS
Also I noticed with the Fdisk utility I can change the Id to a different file system, but I haven’t done anything.
I’m confused are you running some kind of Linux?
In any case you can have a max of 4 primary partitions which you already have and Linux need at least 2 and should be 3 (not ok to purists you can have a swap file but you explain that to the OP) Also SFS I believe still is a dynamic file system.
So you need to delete the sda4 partition and then run install. The installer should propose an extended partition and in that extended 3 logical partitions. swap, root, and home.
Note this should work but you will not be able to access Windows from Linux or Linux from Windows because of the SFS partitions.
.
Luckily enough I was able to get it right – all by accident really.
I went into the Rescue System and deleted two of the partitions – for some reason the unallocated space was still showing as a partition in the linux fdisk utility. I wrote to the File Allocation Table. Then I rebooted. Windows then didn’t want to start. I then plugged in the Windows 7 CD and did a recovery. The Windows 7 Recovery is incredibly good. Then I discovered much to my surprise that it changed the dynamic disks to basic disks. Then I knew I was good to go.
I then installed Suse 12.1 in the unallocated space with 3 partitions within the extended partition.
Now I have my dual boot system running 
Except for one small thing…it says I cannot run Gnome 3 due to a graphics driver problem.
In Windows Device Manager it says I have an Intel (R)/3400 Series Chipset.