WinOS + openSuse dual boot system...plan to reinstallWinOS. How to get openSuse back w/out reinstall

English Install/Boot/Login
#1

I’ve recently done a fresh install of openSuse 42.3 on a laptop that has Win8 on a NTFS partition. I’m having problems with the Win8 and would like to reinstall Win8 on the original partition. However, I know that this will overwrite the linux bootloader. What is the best way to reconfigure the Linux bootloader after doing this?

#2

Make sure the bootloader is installed in the root partition instead of the MBR. If not, move it.

If you need more help with that, first post the results of

fdisk -l

and

parted -l

and tell us where your bootloader is currently installed, as well as which of the partitions in the above output is your root (/) partition.

Make sure you post your output between CODE tags: You get those in this message editing window by clicking on the “#” icon above this message window, middle row, 3rd from the right.

After installing W8, come back for instructions how to restore the bootloader.

#3 
# fdisk -l
Disk /dev/sda: 232.9 GiB, 250059350016 bytes, 488397168 sectors
Units: sectors of 1 * 512 = 512 bytes
Sector size (logical/physical): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
I/O size (minimum/optimal): 512 bytes / 512 bytes
Disklabel type: dos
Disk identifier: 0x19b1acd9

Device     Boot     Start       End   Sectors   Size Id Type
/dev/sda1            2048    718847    716800   350M  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda2          718848 181901807 181182960  86.4G  7 HPFS/NTFS/exFAT
/dev/sda3  *    181903360 488396799 306493440 146.2G  f W95 Ext'd (LBA)
/dev/sda5       181905408 186097663   4192256     2G 82 Linux swap / Solaris
/dev/sda6       186099712 238548991  52449280    25G 83 Linux
/dev/sda7       238551040 406319103 167768064    80G 83 Linux


# parted -l
Model: ATA Samsung SSD 850 (scsi)
Disk /dev/sda: 250GB
Sector size (logical/physical): 512B/512B
Partition Table: msdos
Disk Flags: 

Number  Start   End     Size    Type      File system     Flags
 1      1049kB  368MB   367MB   primary   ntfs            type=07
 2      368MB   93.1GB  92.8GB  primary   ntfs            type=07
 3      93.1GB  250GB   157GB   extended                  boot, lba, type=0f
 5      93.1GB  95.3GB  2146MB  logical   linux-swap(v1)  type=82
 6      95.3GB  122GB   26.9GB  logical   ext4            type=83
 7      122GB   208GB   85.9GB  logical   ext4            type=83

…thanks.

#4

Okay, is this before you have done the W8 install?

Also, you did not tell me which is the openSUSE root (/) partition. I am guessing – only guessing, mind you – that it is sda6, a Logical partition in an Extended partition.

I see the boot flag is set on the Extended partition, so I presume you have not done the W8 install yet, because that would have moved the boot flag to the W8 partition.

First thing you should do is go into Yast=>Boot Loader and make sure under Boot Loader Location to put a checkmark in Boot from Root Partition and in Boot from Extended Partition.

Click on Okay and close out.

After that, install W8, making sure it installs to the proper locations (but it probably will automatically).

After that, most likely the only thing you will have to do is move the boot flag back to the Extended partition again. So, when you get to that stage, if you are uncertain how to do that, come back and I (or someone else watching here) will tell you how to do that.