Hi,

I would like to install Suse 12.1 on my external hard drive which already contains Ubuntu and Mint on /dev/sda1 and /dev/sda5 respectively.

I had prepared a partition for it (/dev/sda7) but when I run the Suse installer I have a problem in that it says it wants to delete /dev/sda1, and /dev/sda2. /dev/sda2 is configured as Linux swap so I don't know why the Suse installer wants to delete it and, presumably, create another elsewhere on the HD. The two messages are in red but I don't know whether this means that the partitions will really be deleted. I have told the installer that I want Suse on /dev/sda7 but how do I tell that it will use that and leave the other two partitions in red alone?

You might be getting Create partition setup screen, right? If you get that screen then click on 'Create partition setup' button and then on next screen choose 'custom partitioning' scheme.

You seem to be referring to the Suggested Partitioning window. It is just that and you do not have to accept it. You can either select Create Partittion setup or Edit Partition Setup and you will get more control over where to install. You should eventually get a Confirm Installation Settings. Until you click Install in that window, nothing should be changed on your computer. Yes, anything in red will be done so it is saying it will delete those partition, they will be deleted if you continue without changing so you need to select either Create or Edit partitions and select different options.

Thank you both for your help. I guess I got cold feet when I saw the warning in red and stopped, the first time round. I eventually got it installing where I wanted but near the end of the installation there was an error message saying that it could not copy from the CD so it is back to square one. I thought it was only Windows that got to near the end of an install and then blew up leaving one in an unbootable mess!