Major Problems - Need Help

Hey Everyone,
I have a Windows XP computer that I installed Open SUSE 10.3 on. I put the CD into the computer while running Windows and it did some install thing called instulux adding "Open SUSE 10.3 Installation" to the Windows bootloader. Well, I installed and everything and it did the reboot at the endof the installation, saying it configured boot settings, etc. Well instead of rebooting with the Open SUSE OS Option, it just went to the BIOS with XP and "Open SUSE Installer" as an option. I somehow got back to the installation by taking the CD out (but letting it load like it was expecting it) and then showing an error message. From there, I went Start Installation CD or Disk, then Boot and selected the Linux partition and it resumed installation. Well I somehow got it all to work and I booted into Open SUSE and it was great, worked fine (except for network adapter). It said it configured boot settings, so I let it configure them. Then, when it was done I did a restart Well, the boot loader pulls XP up as options, and only the installer...but not the OS itself like I agreed to in Open SUSE. I don't get this and what's wrong. Linux so far has been very un-new user freindly and very hard to set up. Any help would be appreciate, I really like using the OS and was looking forward to trying it. Thanks!

 

To be quite honest, your post is a little difficult for me to follow. I'm not sure what happened during your installation which took you into the BIOS as an option. I've used several distros, and during installation, just installed the Linux partitions to the existing disc space unused by Windows. After installing and rebooting the machines, options are the Linux distro of choice or Windows. I've never seen the installer (or non-installer ??) shown as options.

If you like SUSE (that's a distro I haven't yet tried), it might be worth your while to reinstall. If you really meant that you like Linux (not necessarily Open SUSE), maybe another distro would be easier for you to install? FWIW, PCLinOS 2007 and Ubuntu are both user-friendly and very easy to install. Not sure if they'd suit your needs because I'm unfamiliar with what Open SUSE offers, but they're both nice, easy-to-use distros.

 

I really like Open SUSE when I'm booted into it, I would be open to try something else but I like this the best from what I've seen. The main problem is in the BIOS bootloader it doesn't show up as an option. Let's forget about the weird installation, I got it installed and I could boot into it, it just wasn't an option on the bootloader. I need to know how to get it in there.

 

Just need someone who can tell me how to get Linux on to the bootloader. That's the main thing.

 

Ok, so when you boot your computer WITHOUT SUSE CD, tell me all the options listed in your bootloader

 

1. Windows XP
2. Windows XP "Safe Mode"

That's it, it doesn't include the Linux OS.

 

Have you used YAST bootloader module?

 

Yes, I have tried that and everything looks OK as it should in it, with Open SUSE and Windows, etc. It's just that the Windows one overrides it I guess? I need to edit the Windows bootloader to include Linux, I just don't know where to point it to.

 

Which bootloader do you really have?

Windows or Linux (GRUB)?

 

The Windows bootloader, not GRUB.

 

Windows doesn't see by default Linux partitions
GRUB is a Linux bootloader that can see both Linux and Windows so if it doesn't matter for you, overwrite Windows MBR with GRUB

(even if you modify things in YAST bootloader module, it needs to be applied/installed over Windows MBR...these changes aren't applied to Windows default bootloader)

 

Yeah, Windows doesn't see Linux by itself. I was wondering if either I could modify it to see it or install GRUB on Windows. How do I download GRUB from Windows and get it to overwrite the standard bootloader?

 

You don't do that in Windows. You can do that with YAST. You'll find there an option to select the place you want to install GRUB bootloader

 

Ok, so I'll need to be connected to the internet for that. Now, I just need to figure out how to get my wireless USB adapter working. I have the driver I need in Windows and Lysander showed me a link to it for Linux, I just need to figure out how to install it. You can tell I'm an newcomer to Linux...

 

Internet connection?

 

I edited my post; I meant connected to the internet. I have DSL.

 

Yes I know...but you don't need internet to edit that

 

Ok, I'll try it again and see what happens.

 

Alright, it's fixed. GRUB wasn't on the Master Boot Record I guess, so that's the problem. When Open SUSE starts up though, it starts up text based and you have to enter in the command "startx" to get it to go graphical. Is there a way I can change this? Thanks so much for the help.

 

I would take a look at the /etc/inittab file (open it as root user)...you may have this line id:3:initdefault:

if it's the case, replace 3 with 5

 

Hmm, I checked and it's 5. I wonder what it would be that makes it go text based....

 

maybe you don't have a graphical login manager?
For KDE you should have kdm installed

 

Ok, I fixed this as well! It's because 3-D desktop effects were turned on. I turned them off and now it works great! Thanks so much for all the help. All I need to figure out now to have everything working great is how to get my internet working, which probably will be really hard...

 

Good news.

What are the drivers you're talking about? Which brand your USB adapter?

 

Linksys Compact G Wireless USB Adapter WUSB54GC, shown here: http://jefim.wordpress.com/2007/07/24/how-to-linksys-wusb54gc-wireless-and-ubuntu-linux-704-feisty/ . Problem is getting it onto my linux partition and getting it installed. I tried to put it into my USB drive, but Linux shows nothing in it when I plug it in.

 

In Suse, you're supposed to see your Windows partitions...from there you can access your files

 

Ok, I've got the drivers on my linux partition. I'm going to try and install them tommorow. Thanks!