In the middle of abandoning Windoze due to chronic virus problems. Already running SUSE on one box, put it on the other, but now while trying to extract info from external hard drive (like wedding pics!) both boxes crash when hooked up to Maxtor. Not sure whether there is a virus on Maxtor, don't know why SUSE would be susceptible, or if there is a basic incompatibility because everything on Maxtor is from Windoze. Would appreciate input. Plus, apparently like a lot of other folks, we can't get Cedega to install. Do they have any customer service?

Hello,
When you say everything is from windows, do you also mean the filesystem type? Do you have NTFS read/write support built into your kernel?

Everything on external drive is in Fat 32, but we have seen NTFS referenced on the Maxtor, can't remember where. The only thing I can find in the SUSE manual regarding NTFS pertains to resizing the NTFS partition during installation of dual OSes. Most of the computer experience in the household is based on trial-and-error, and there are large, dangerous gaps in knowlege (something we are resolved to change!). Maxtor used to work OK on the Linux box. Now the /dev/hda3 gets damaged when Maxtor is hooked up. Sometimes the box crahes right away when Maxtor is hooked up, sometimes you can open 1 file, sometimes 3. We're still trying to get Linux running again on one box that crashed. Having to reformat due to damaged partitions, after repairs made same problem (corrupted journals) recurrs. We're kinda afraid to plug Maxtor into the box that's actually working now. This is after a 4-day saga of viruses, damaged hard drives & general disaster.