Yet another install along Win7 thread

English Install/Boot/Login
1

Intermediate (?) Linux user, but new to Win 7.

I have a HP DM4-1165DX laptop and I believe that what I want to do is delete the partition that has “recovery” on it (sda3), and resize sda2, to install openSuse on it. Assuming that is correct, does anyone know what is usually found in “recovery”? I have already burned Win7 recovery discs (7 DVD’s?!?), so I think I’ve got that covered.

Screenshots of fdisk -l and a “GParted” of HDD

http://lh4.ggpht.com/_f6kjXG1HzO4/TS0nZFUGjTI/AAAAAAAAABc/iz2fipJdyZQ/s400/Screenshot.jpg

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_f6kjXG1HzO4/TS0oUIXdflI/AAAAAAAAABg/UnElNXAEChA/s400/Screenshot2.jpg

I’d really rather not hose the Windows installation if I can help it, so does this seem right?

If I’ve left something out, please let me know…

Thanks in advance

2

You have a backup so that’s good.
You need to defrag windows

You should be able to safely delete sda3 and 4
Shrink sda2 to acquire enough space for you. Shrinking is best if it does not exceed more than half the free space of the partition.

Create an extended partition in the space you free up and put your Linux partitions inside it.
Move the boot flag from sda1 to the new extended.

Reboot with the SUSE DVD or CD and install.

  • Recovery contains just as the name suggests a recovery means for your windows OS
    Your Recovery DVD’s will do the same

See this:
Install openSUSE alongside Win7/Vista - A Guide

Picasa Web Albums - carl fletcher - 11.3 Slideshow

3

Thanks for the response, defrag has been done, and will be done again :slight_smile:

I was thinking that sda3 would be changed, wasn’t sure about sda4 though, I’ll have to see what is in “HP Tools”, as there are features of this laptop that may be in that part. Could it be kept?

I gather that PartedMagic would be able to handle the partitioning duties, and moving the boot flag to the new extended would allow me to (need to) use grub as a bootloader, correct?

Thanks again.

4

You could keep sda4 but that’s up to you.
I deleted all my partitions and re-installed windows with a proper windows DVD. You have to do some leg work to get the drivers, but it’s much cleaner and no bloat from trial software and the like.

Parted Magic can do all I suggested in my first reply
Incl: http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10573557/set-bootflag.mpeg

I use custom partitioning in SUSE and point the installer to the partitions / and /home (swap will look after itself)
This 11.2 install guide show custom: Picasa Web Albums - carl fletcher - openSUSE 11.2…

Grub will/should be set to boot from extended when you get to the final summary:
http://dl.dropbox.com/u/10573557/11.3%20Install/14.jpg
(It’s not in this image, because this install had no extended) But in the section Booting: Check and see it says location as Extended

  • You may have to add or edit an entry for windows to boot post install
    It may or may not get added, and if it is added it may well be wrong.

See this:
Edit the Grub Menu to add Windows entries.