Linux / Server 08 Bootloader Question

I have openSUSE running on a 120gb drive. There is a 30gb / partition and a 2gb swap partition.

I will be installing server 2008 on the extra space ... is there anything I need to know ahead of time to get the bootloader working properly?

 

You should probably install Server 2008 first to avoid boot manager problems. There are two general methods of dual booting with Server 2008, the first is obviously to install GRUB to the MBR and it will provide an entry for Windows. The other is to install GRUB to your /boot partition's boot sector, and point the Windows-native BCD boot manager to that partition with an entry for Linux. This may require editing GRUB's device.map to get Linux booting. Which you choose is based mostly on preference, but the easiest way is to install GRUB to the MBR and let that be your boot manager. Depending on your setup, you may want to put Server 2008 on the first partition instead of the last since there are sometimes problems booting Windows when it isn't on the first partition. There are ways to remap it but it's easier to set it up that way from the start.

 

Woops, I just reread your post, looks like you'll have to restore GRUB if you go that route, installing Windows when you've already got Linux installed first. Windows will overwrite your MBR, which contains the Linux bootloader. You can use the SuSE installer disc, see this article.