Computers Simplex3's SuSE Linux Converts Thread - Page 3

Simplex3 · 08:40 AM

Looking for some help moving to Linux? Drop the question here and we'll see what I can do. Some topics I expect we'll cover:

1. Installation
2. What apps do what?
3. My (hardware) isn't working (right)
4. Multi-media issues

Remember, if you need help sooner rather than later:

Kubuntu users:
1. Launch Konversation from the "Internet" menu.
2. Connect to #kubuntu by double clicking on it.
3. Ask away.

Suse users:
1. Install X-Chat
2. Connect to the Freenode network
3. Join the #suse channel
4. Ask away. There are usually about 280 helpful souls in there.

I'll also try to keep this up as a sort of FAQ. Non-question-specific posts will have a large, bold heading (see post #2).

*Note: Don't forget you can try out Linux without installing anything on your PC at all. Download one of the LiveCD versions, burn it to a disc, then reboot the PC with the LiveCD in the drive and your computer will load Linux and your hard disk will not be changed. You can get them at either of these links:
http://www.kubuntu.com/
http://www.novell.com/products/susel...rors_isos.html
http://www.mepis.org/
http://www.knoppix.org/

*Note: If I start asking you to run a bunch of things from a command prompt it isn't because that's the only way to do it, it's because that's the only way I can "control" what is happening on your end.

Simplex3 · 03-26-2006, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

So ya...first impression is that this is impressive in and of itself.

Second impression is that I am totally freaking out because I am pretty sure everything I had on my computer before is gone.

How bad is it if i reboot and the linux thing boots automatically. How do i switch back to windows...

Ummm, that might not be a good thing. Let's not panic just yet, though.

Launch a Terminal window (shell prompt), then run:

sudo gedit /boot/grub/menu.lst

That will ask you for the root password you created when you installed and then it should open an editor with some text in it. Paste that in here for me.

|Zach| · 03-26-2006, 12:46 AM

Ya, feeling pretty certain about my doom.

Code:

# menu.lst - See: grub(8), info grub, update-grub(8)
#            grub-install(8), grub-floppy(8),
#            grub-md5-crypt, /usr/share/doc/grub
#            and /usr/share/doc/grub-doc/.

## default num
# Set the default entry to the entry number NUM. Numbering starts from 0, and
# the entry number 0 is the default if the command is not used.
#
# You can specify 'saved' instead of a number. In this case, the default entry
# is the entry saved with the command 'savedefault'.           
default		0

## timeout sec
# Set a timeout, in SEC seconds, before automatically booting the default entry
# (normally the first entry defined).
timeout		3

## hiddenmenu
# Hides the menu by default (press ESC to see the menu)
hiddenmenu

# Pretty colours
#color cyan/blue white/blue

## password ['--md5'] passwd
# If used in the first section of a menu file, disable all interactive editing
# control (menu entry editor and command-line)  and entries protected by the
# command 'lock'
# e.g. password topsecret
#      password --md5 $1$gLhU0/$aW78kHK1QfV3P2b2znUoe/
# password topsecret

#
# examples
#
# title		Windows 95/98/NT/2000
# root		(hd0,0)
# makeactive
# chainloader	+1
#
# title		Linux
# root		(hd0,1)
# kernel	/vmlinuz root=/dev/hda2 ro
#

#
# Put static boot stanzas before and/or after AUTOMAGIC KERNEL LIST

### BEGIN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST
## lines between the AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST markers will be modified
## by the debian update-grub script except for the default options below

## DO NOT UNCOMMENT THEM, Just edit them to your needs

## ## Start Default Options ##
## default kernel options
## default kernel options for automagic boot options
## If you want special options for specifiv kernels use kopt_x_y_z
## where x.y.z is kernel version. Minor versions can be omitted.
## e.g. kopt=root=/dev/hda1 ro
# kopt=root=/dev/sda1 ro

## default grub root device
## e.g. groot=(hd0,0)
# groot=(hd0,0)

## should update-grub create alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. alternative=true
##      alternative=false
# alternative=true

## should update-grub lock alternative automagic boot options
## e.g. lockalternative=true
##      lockalternative=false
# lockalternative=false

## altoption boot targets option
## multiple altoptions lines are allowed
## e.g. altoptions=(extra menu suffix) extra boot options
##      altoptions=(recovery mode) single
# altoptions=(recovery mode) single

## nonaltoption boot targets option
## This option controls options to pass to only the
## primary kernel menu item.
## You can have ONLY one nonaltoptions line
# nonaltoptions=quiet splash

## controls how many kernels should be put into the menu.lst
## only counts the first occurence of a kernel, not the
## alternative kernel options
## e.g. howmany=all
##      howmany=7
# howmany=all

## should update-grub create memtest86 boot option
## e.g. memtest86=true
##      memtest86=false
# memtest86=true

## ## End Default Options ##

title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-9-386 
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro quiet splash
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-9-386
savedefault
boot

title		Ubuntu, kernel 2.6.12-9-386 (recovery mode)
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/boot/vmlinuz-2.6.12-9-386 root=/dev/sda1 ro single
initrd		/boot/initrd.img-2.6.12-9-386
boot

title		Ubuntu, memtest86+
root		(hd0,0)
kernel		/boot/memtest86+.bin  
boot

### END DEBIAN AUTOMAGIC KERNELS LIST

|Zach| · 03-26-2006, 12:49 AM

Oh ya, the amount of space I have on this drive? Alot.

Simplex3 · 03-26-2006, 12:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

Ya, feeling pretty certain about my doom.

Give me:

Code:

sudo fdisk -l

|Zach| · 03-26-2006, 12:52 AM

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1       19272   154802308+  83  Linux
/dev/sda2           19273       19457     1486012+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5           19273       19457     1485981   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 507 MB, 507379712 bytes
16 heads, 63 sectors/track, 983 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 1008 * 512 = 516096 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1         983      495313+   6  FAT16

Simplex3 · 03-26-2006, 12:54 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

Code:

Disk /dev/sda: 160.0 GB, 160041885696 bytes
255 heads, 63 sectors/track, 19457 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 16065 * 512 = 8225280 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sda1   *           1       19272   154802308+  83  Linux
/dev/sda2           19273       19457     1486012+   5  Extended
/dev/sda5           19273       19457     1485981   82  Linux swap / Solaris

Disk /dev/sdb: 507 MB, 507379712 bytes
16 heads, 63 sectors/track, 983 cylinders
Units = cylinders of 1008 * 512 = 516096 bytes

   Device Boot      Start         End      Blocks   Id  System
/dev/sdb1               1         983      495313+   6  FAT16

I'm assuming you had Windows on the first drive (sda)? Let's hope your data is on the second drive (sdb), because there are no Windows partitions left on the 160GB drive.

|Zach| · 03-26-2006, 12:55 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplex3

I'm assuming you had Windows on the first drive (sda)? Let's hope your data is on the second drive (sdb), because there are no Windows partitions left on the 160GB drive.

Heh, I am pretty sure the second one is a card I have in for my camera...oh well...no critical data lost...

But the 20 gigs of music? Ya that hurts.

Simplex3 · 03-26-2006, 01:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

Heh, I am pretty sure the second one is a card I have in for my camera...oh well...no critical data lost...

But the 20 gigs of music? Ya that hurts.

Ouch.

Ok, since you're starting from scratch do this:

Install Windows. Give it all but, say, 40G of your disk. When that's done (before you spend a bunch of time updating, installing software, etc.) install Linux and be sure to have it dual boot. I'm not sure what the Ubuntu install is like but SuSE will see the Windows partition and keep it by default. According to the Ubuntu guys I was just chatting with it is supposed to do that, so I'm not sure what happened. The SuSE installer has a nice graphical front end with mouse support, etc. It'll probably be more comfortable for you.

After we have them both installed and we've verified the dual boot THEN we'll start spending time configuring the two OSes.

|Zach| · 03-26-2006, 01:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplex3

Ouch.

Ok, since you're starting from scratch do this:

Install Windows. Give it all but, say, 40G of your disk. When that's done (before you spend a bunch of time updating, installing software, etc.) install Linux and be sure to have it dual boot. I'm not sure what the Ubuntu install is like but SuSE will see the Windows partition and keep it by default. According to the Ubuntu guys I was just chatting with it is supposed to do that, so I'm not sure what happened. The SuSE installer has a nice graphical front end with mouse support, etc. It'll probably be more comfortable for you.

After we have them both installed and we've verified the dual boot THEN we'll start spending time configuring the two OSes.

Well I am pretty much digging this right now...so you are talking about how to get it cracking so I can do them both again...not raising my old stuff from the dead right?

Simplex3 · 03-26-2006, 01:03 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

Well I am pretty much digging this right now...so you are talking about how to get it cracking so I can do them both again...not raising my old stuff from the dead right?

Correct. The old stuff is gone. I'm talking about puttting you into a fresh dual boot environment.

Just to clarify, did you install Ubuntu or Kubuntu?

|Zach| · 03-26-2006, 01:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplex3

Correct. The old stuff is gone. I'm talking about puttting you into a fresh dual boot environment.

Just to clarify, did you install Ubuntu or Kubuntu?

Ub.

I will have to dig up my WIndows XP disks. I am not sure where they are offhand.

Simplex3 · 03-26-2006, 01:06 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

Ub.

Ok, that just lets me know that you're enjoying Gnome, not KDE. If you decide to install SuSE next time you'll encounter a screen that asks you what desktop you want to use, KDE, Gnome, or Other. KDE is the default, you might want to go with Gnome. With SuSE you can install both and just switch back and forth.

|Zach| · 03-26-2006, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplex3

Ok, that just lets me know that you're enjoying Gnome, not KDE. If you decide to install SuSE next time you'll encounter a screen that asks you what desktop you want to use, KDE, Gnome, or Other. KDE is the default, you might want to go with Gnome. With SuSE you can install both and just switch back and forth.

Ya what happened was...when it was asking me for parition info I clicked what seemed to be safe and then it stalled on me...so it ran again and I was on the phone and hastily clicked the nuclear bomb option it seems like...I had a suspicion I messed up as soon as I clicked it...I am a little worried the semi baked install and the real one won't play nice.

Simplex3 · 03-26-2006, 01:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ZachKC

I am a little worried the semi baked install and the real one won't play nice.

Are you asking if a dual boot environment will play nice? If so, they play very nicely. In fact, Windows is totally unaware of it's "friend". Linux can see Windows, but knows what to do with it. There's no "basic" way to say this, so here goes.

The major linux distros install a boot loader to the boot sector of your disk. Most of them install one called grub, some still install one called lilo. The PC executes whatever code is in the boot sector when it turns on, which in the case of a Windows only machine there is a piece of code saying simply "Go and boot Windows". When Grub overwrites the boot sector, now the computer shows us a grub screen which says "What would you like to boot?" If we pick Windows it launches the Windows partition and Windows is all happy. If we choose Linux it boots the linux partition and it is all happy.

It's all good. I'm doing it on both my desktop and my laptop, no issues.

|Zach| · 03-26-2006, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Simplex3

Are you asking if a dual boot environment will play nice? If so, they play very nicely. In fact, Windows is totally unaware of it's "friend". Linux can see Windows, but knows what to do with it. There's no "basic" way to say this, so here goes.

The major linux distros install a boot loader to the boot sector of your disk. Most of them install one called grub, some still install one called lilo. The PC executes whatever code is in the boot sector when it turns on, which in the case of a Windows only machine there is a piece of code saying simply "Go and boot Windows". When Grub overwrites the boot sector, now the computer shows us a grub screen which says "What would you like to boot?" If we pick Windows it launches the Windows partition and Windows is all happy. If we choose Linux it boots the linux partition and it is all happy.

It's all good. I'm doing it on both my desktop and my laptop, no issues.

Nah I am more so worried that a botched install of ubuntu and the working one will make things dicey.

03-25-2006, 01:26 AM
Simplex3 MVP Join Date: Sep 2003 Casino cash: $10004900	Simplex3's SuSE Linux Converts Thread Looking for some help moving to Linux? Drop the question here and we'll see what I can do. Some topics I expect we'll cover: 1. Installation 2. What apps do what? 3. My (hardware) isn't working (right) 4. Multi-media issues Remember, if you need help sooner rather than later: Kubuntu users: 1. Launch Konversation from the "Internet" menu. 2. Connect to #kubuntu by double clicking on it. 3. Ask away. Suse users: 1. Install X-Chat 2. Connect to the Freenode network 3. Join the #suse channel 4. Ask away. There are usually about 280 helpful souls in there. I'll also try to keep this up as a sort of FAQ. Non-question-specific posts will have a large, bold heading (see post #2). Note: Don't forget you can try out Linux without installing anything on your PC at all. Download one of the LiveCD versions, burn it to a disc, then reboot the PC with the LiveCD in the drive and your computer will load Linux and your hard disk will not be changed. You can get them at either of these links: http://www.kubuntu.com/ http://www.novell.com/products/susel...rors_isos.html http://www.mepis.org/ http://www.knoppix.org/ Note: If I start asking you to run a bunch of things from a command prompt it isn't because that's the only way to do it, it's because that's the only way I can "control" what is happening on your end. Last edited by Simplex3; 01-24-2007 at 08:40 AM..
Posts: 28,527

03-26-2006, 12:49 AM	#33
\|Zach\| For The Glory Of The City Join Date: Sep 2002 Location: Kansas City Casino cash: $3076768	Oh ya, the amount of space I have on this drive? Alot.
Posts: 54,726