LinuxQuestions.org
Share your knowledge at the LQ Wiki.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Newbie
User Name
Password
Linux - Newbie This Linux forum is for members that are new to Linux.
Just starting out and have a question? If it is not in the man pages or the how-to's this is the place!

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 06-22-2006, 09:25 PM   #1
royeo
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2006
Posts: 150

Rep: Reputation: 15
SUSE and Windows together, dual boot


I want to install SUSE 10.1 but I don't want to lose the capability of booting into Windows. I once before had a dual booting system with FC 5, then I installed SUSE thinking I would just wipe out FC 5 but then I could only get into SUSE. I could no longer get into Windows. Is there anything I should be aware of or do first.

Thanks,

royeo
 
Old 06-22-2006, 09:56 PM   #2
bigrigdriver
LQ Addict
 
Registered: Jul 2002
Location: East Centra Illinois, USA
Distribution: Debian stable
Posts: 5,908

Rep: Reputation: 356Reputation: 356Reputation: 356Reputation: 356
SuSE is well behaved, and should correctly write a /boot/grub/menu.lst to display both windows and SuSE in the grub menu on startup (assuming windows is already installed when you install SuSE).

If not, it quite easy to write the necessary entry for windows into menu.lst. The Grub manual includes examples of the kind of entries to make.

In any event, search these forums for dual boot issues. There are probably hundreds of posts to read through, many with the same examples from the Grub manual.
 
Old 06-23-2006, 06:05 AM   #3
pixellany
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: Nov 2005
Location: Annapolis, MD
Distribution: Mint
Posts: 17,809

Rep: Reputation: 743Reputation: 743Reputation: 743Reputation: 743Reputation: 743Reputation: 743Reputation: 743
When you install most Linux distros, the installer will give you options for where to put the boot loader. The default is typically to put it on the mbr of the first drive. If window is on the first drive, then the windows boot code will be overwritten. Not a problem, as long as the new Linux install works correctly---including the configuration file for the boot loader.

One variant is to tell the installer to put the bootloader on a floppy. This way the Windows installation is untouched. You can always install the bootloader to the hard drive later.

To put back the Windows loader, boot from the Windows install disk--resuce mode--and run "fixmbr".

CAUTION: For systems sold without an install disk, recovery could be much more difficult. I would always put the linux boot loader on a floppy.

Better Caution: Don't buy a system that has no means of re-installing the OS. I am appalled at the stories posted here where users had a Windows issue and could not re-install.
 
  


Reply


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Windows XP Suse 9.2 dual boot problem:Yast doesn't find windows Salawat SUSE / openSUSE 1 03-31-2006 04:33 AM
Suse 10/Windows XP dual boot LHall88 Linux - Newbie 1 12-10-2005 01:42 PM
Dual boot Windows XP and SuSE 9.2 mikedeatworld SUSE / openSUSE 8 01-28-2005 05:38 PM
Getting SuSE to dual boot with Windows Ree Linux - Newbie 1 10-03-2004 07:18 PM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Newbie

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 07:32 PM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration