Been building a linux machine for my lady to get her off Windows.
Tried Ubuntu, Mepis, Yoper ...
Got a magazine with Suse 9.2 DVD on the front - what the hell, I've heard some reasonable things, why not try it.
Don't like the installer trying to insist on formatting the partitions.
Neither grub not lilo would install to the MBR successfully. Rescue mode was no help.
Three Suse installs, no usable machine.

Mepis is back on it - no liklihood of me investigating Suse again in the foreseeable future.

ok

Maybe it's you who doesn't understand Suse, the installer, doesn't insist on formatting stuff, if you select the option not to.

After one select language, on the next screen there is an option for disk partitioning. Letters are big and underlined (sort of hyperlink). Click on the link select expert mode and partition disk.
Unfortunately (?) words "Partitioning disk" are not blinking red and SuSe programmers did not add fog horn sound for people missing this option
Maybe file a bug?

C'mon folks, read what I actually wrote.
I didn't say it insisted - I said trying to insist.
Go to expert mode and attempt to keep /home without formatting it. Have a look at the next screen.
Hardly user friendly is it ??. My assertion stands.

Why don't you respond to the real issue ???.
What use is a distribution that can't install a boot-loader.

I don't like that feature either, but that is with me now in the position of a much more knowledgeable user. Basically SuSE will take a look at your HD during the install phase, and then make a recommendation as to what the partition scheme would be if set-up as a default. The user then has to then agree to this recommendation in order for the install to continue. If changes are desired they can easily be done with a simple click. To be honest, when I was a total noob this was exactly what I needed since I was absolutely clueless as to what partitioning was all about, and what I should be attempting to do with such matters.
I am very surprised that you ran upon such an issue as this. I've done well over 50 SuSE installs and have never encountered such a problem. Seriously, that is very odd and unusual. That would be interesting to try and troubleshoot.

I've never had this problem with SuSE and have done multiple installs as well. Perhaps you could state more on this? I'd love a stab at troubleshooting it.

Alright you may have talked me into it. Haven't given the box over yet, so I maybe I can retry the install.
What (data) should I be looking to keep ???.
Anything special - useful commands ???.

well I suggest BSD there is no default disk geometry so you have to do it all by hand (and this is easy).
Linux is more and more user friendly, and more users without background want to try it, so obviously there are presets. On the other hand, if you are experienced , then this should not bother you. I came back to linux after ~5 years (used BSD and solaris) and I had no problem with partition manager. I think that it is easy.


what data you want to keep? your data or system settings? I thought that you could not finish SuSe installation, so?


If you know linux (whatever distro) then this is strange question. If you don't know linux then you will be better off with default settings.

Keep your /home directory for sure. Though if it didn't complete the install, I'm guessing there's really nothing you'd need to keep there?

Sorry you misunderstood - what diagnostic data should I keep when the install of the bootloader fails again.
Are there any Suse specific logs I should keep ???.
Because if it fails again, it'll have Mepis loaded over the top of it again. This may the only opportunity to diagnose this.

Can you tell what is your hardware setup? Also did you try to install SuSe with default disk settings?

Perhaps the installation would have been successful if "1337 5p34k" were a language option, then he might have seen where formatting was optional?

Pretty standard - ASUS P4P800-E motherboard, half a Gig memory, Celeron chip, 160Gig IDE.
8X DVD single layer burner.
Last install I took all the defaults using the partitions I already had (/, swap, /boot)

Helly syg00,

on what partition would you like to install the boot-loader ?

Besides that: Did you check the System-ID of the partitions that you want to use for Linux ?
Once I 've tryed to install on partitions that were prepared with a partitioning tool.
The tool made the partitions but their System-ID was 6 (FAT 16 Partition) and not changed to 82 (Linux-Swap) and 83 (Linux).
Although it was possible for the installer to copy the files , it could not install
a boot-loader (neither LILO nor GRUB). Check the System-ID of the partitions where you intend to install Linux.
When I changed the System-ID with fdisk from 6 to 83 for my root partition (there I have also my boot loader)
and 82 for my swap partition, everything went OK and the boot-loader was installed.
You can check and cahnge the System-ID of a partition with fdisk.