Partitioning problems, OpenSuSE 10.2 + WinXP (T60p)

[Troels]

Hi,

I'm in the process of creating a dual boot setup consisting of Windows XP and OpenSuSE 10.2 on a T60p (2623-DDU) upgraded to 3GB mem. The Windows XP is the OEM that came with the T60p.

I used PartitionMagic 8 to partition my drive like this:
http://users.cybercity.dk/~dsl35822/T60ppartitions.jpg (105k)

When i boot from the OpenSuSE DVD, i get to the point where i need to setup the installation settings.
There's a problem with partitioning it seems, since under "Partitioning" it says:

- Shrink Windows partition /dev/sda1 to 43.1 GB
- Delete partition /dev/sda4 (18.2 GB)
- Create root partition /dev/sda4 (33.6 GB) with ext3
- Use /dev/sda5 as swap
- Set mount point of /dev/sda6 to /windows/D

As you can see it want to take all excess space from my windows partition (~58.6 GB - 43.1 GB), delete the ext 3 partition of 18.2 GB i already created, and create a new ext3 which is approx (18.2 GB + (58.6-43.1 GB)) ~ 33.6 GB

As it is now, this is how it interpretes the disk (sda)

Code: Select all

Device		Size	   Type         Mount  Used By	Label
/dev/sda	 93.1 GB   ST910021AS			
/dev/sda1	58.6 GB	HPFS/NTFS			
/dev/sda2	 4.5 GB	Vendor diag			          SERVICEV001
/dev/sda3	11.7 GB	Extended			
/dev/sda4	18.2 GB	Linux native			
/dev/sda5	 1.9 GB	Linux swap	swap		
/dev/sda6	 9.7 GB	Win95 FAT32			          MUSIC

So I:
- Clicked on the "Partitioning" in order to change the proposal
- Clicked "Create Custom Partition Setup"
- Selected Hard disk "1: 1. IDE, 93.1 GB, dev/sda, ST910021AS"

But, it seems as if there is nothing that can be done. In the next step it says:

This disk appears to be used by Windows.
There is not enough space to install Linux,
And i can choose between:

"Delete windows completely" and "Shrink Windows Partition".

So my question is: What am i doing wrong? I don't want to either resize or delete the windows partition.

Also, the GRUB boot loader must not interfere with ThinkVantage. Should i set it to boot from Boot partition, or from root partition?

[Troels]

Ok, figured it out.

ext3 partition should be set as logical and not primary.
Secondly, OpenSuSE really prefers two ext3 partitions, one for /home and another for the rest of the install.

Now i have to install it all over because i decided to write grub to the boot partition, which it though was sda6. Now when restarting, winxp starts immediatly. No GRUB, LILO, nothing at all

Any idead on how i should correct it?
Reformat and reinstall you think?

[marvel]

Glad you figured it out. I installed 10.2 on my T40p with fatal result. The WinXP partition was damaged and didn´t start at all. Luckily I could move and save files from within linux and do a reinstall.

Since then I´ve been using Ubuntu and Fedora without any problems at all. Even beryl runs on my old T40!

/M