hello after installing opensuse 12.1 x64 i get a no active partition error when i reboot. anyone know how i could resolve this? using a ssd drive and this has happened on 2 of my machines

thanks

anthony

Possibly you forgot to set the disk boot flag when partitioning.

The active flag was not set to one of the partitions during the installation. For older mainboards this flag is also necessary.

Here is the solution:

Set this flag manually by the use of fdisk. Then start the rescue system and log in as user root.

With the command fdisk -l you are able to figure out the device name of your hard drive.

Here an example: An IDE hard drive is connected at the primary IDE controller as Master:

Please type in successively:

a to activate the partition
1 to choose the first partition
w to write the changes

It is irrelevant for which partition the active flag is set.

ok thanks so much ill give that a try

Use exact same install method to a normal mechanical drive. See if it fails. There are still some odd issues with ssd's and motherboards.

I can't be sure your data is OK or your install method or system or what.

Gday mate. I think opensuse despite being perhaps my favorite distro, has a bad installer. At the last part, did you specify where grub was to be installed, because i think root and mbr are disabled by default.

I think you'll find that message has nothing to do with Linux or its bootloader - it (the message) is likely from the (lame) BIOS. M$oft mandated an active partition was required by its bootloader. Some BIOS writers took this as gospel.
As @Satyaveer Arya said, just turn the bit on one (primary) partition. Yes it does matter somewhat, but most BIOS I have tested will accept the "extended" partition as bootable. Like I said, just bloody lame ...