Just in case I'm not the only one who had trouble with the ftp installation of the recently released SuSE 9.0 (Download Version)... Here are a few installation tips.

1. Not all of the Mirror sites are complete. I started out using the Chapel Hill, NC site but it was missing many packages and some that were there were corrupt.

2. Download everything FIRST. Use a second PC/Server/Diskdrive and download the entire tree so you'll have a local copy. There are NO ISO's.

3. Run your own FTP server. There are several available free download if you're using a Windows PC as the server.

4. Burn a Boot CD from the boot.iso (In the boot folder)

5. Boot the target machine with the CD.

6. When you see the install/boot menu... Press the Esc Key to go to text mode.

7. At the boot prompt enter: linux install=ftp://[your ftp server ip address]/[full path to the i386/9.0 directory (as seen from a ftp connection)]

example: linux install=ftp://10.10.10.10/suse/i386/9.0


From there it's pretty straight forward via the graphical "yast" interface.

Have Fun!!!

I downloaded the tree from an FTP site onto my hard drive. The boot CD appears to find the directory on the HD ok. but when I get to the Installation Setup page, the Software section says "Cannot read package data from installation media. Media error."

If I click on Software/detailed selection/File/Import/Browse/mounts/extras, I can see the files I downloaded - but I can't find the file "user.sel" which it is looking for.

Can someone tell me what I need to do to install packages such as KDE etc?

Johng: I have EXACTLY the same problem. Have you resolved yours yet. If you have, please post what you did. Many thanks.

Hi Sermat

I did not find the answer to the hard drive install problem. After downloading a vast amount of data from the FTP site, I had to bite the bullet, and do an FTP install. If you decide to do the same, start early in the day, because you need to be around for some time. Another tip is to not be too greedy at install time with respect to choosing applications to install - better to go back after initial install and install more RPMs.

Cheers, John

Hi Johng: Caeda just solved my problem. Here is what it was: I did not have ***ALL*** individual files from the first directory. I had some, but obviously not the "right" one(s). Any way, I downloaded all of them, and SUSE is installing OK. Thank you very much for your post. Best of luck, sernat.

Would someone be kind enough to show me where I can get a detailed list of the full install tree, so I even know where to begin?
It is not obvious where to start getting which files - at least not to me.
after getting to www.suse.com/pub I'm really not sure how much further
to go and under what subdirectories to choose from.
Also, do I need the subdirectory for i686 if I'm running an Athlon?

Thanks for any help

Doug