How to Download and Install SUSE 9.3?

messenger_7 · 07-04-2005, 04:09 PM

I currently have installed Windows XP Professional, but want to download and install SuSE 9.3 Professional into a dual-boot set-up (or perhaps a triple-boot with yet another Linux distribution, as well).

I've loaded SuSE numerous times before from disk, but never before via download. I have not the slightest idea of what to do. (I've noted that a lot of the supposed download sites seem to deny access anyway. The few I've actually gotten into I can't make any sense of.)

Would someone please point me to a detailled and comprehensible (to a nontechie) "how-to" on downloading and installing this distribution?

Thank you.

comprookie2000 · 07-04-2005, 06:20 PM

Go here and download all 5 cd's. Then come back when you are done.
http://ftp.mirror.ac.uk/mirror/ftp.s.../i386/9.3/iso/

messenger_7 · 08-17-2005, 03:53 PM

Thanks very much for your reply and suggestion. I'm sorry it took so long to get back to this, but that couldn't really be helped.

What I did instead of downloading was to find a vendor selling the operating system CDs cheap, so I now have the 5 CDs. And my questions have, accordingly, changed.

They are:

(a) The labels on the disk, while bearing the SUSE chameleon, say "not an official SuSE product". What does that mean? I assume these were downloaded from a SuSE improved mirror site. Just curious.
(b) I want to triple-boot SuSE pro, XP pro (already installed), and MEPIS 3.3.1-1. Which to load first? I don't care which Linux distribution runs the bootloader. The easier for a nontechie, the better.
(c) What, if anything, do I need to do to prepare the machine for installation, besides defragging the hard discs and backing up data?
(d) The home network here is set up under Macs (using OS X, I presume). What will I need to have the administrator do to have the system recognize my computer as a Linux computer, rather than as a Windows XP computer?
(e) We are serviced by Verizon on DSL. Anything special I need to know and/or inform Verizon about?

For various reasons, it is imperative that I keep XP and its applications on the computer for the time being, much as I'd like to get rid of it.

If there is a good how-to on line that a nontechie can make use of to accomplish all this, please point me to it. I'll read it, try to digest it, and come back with any questions before proceeding.

Oh, yes, and this is what I have as a computer set-up, if that helps:
[list=1][*] hard drives: IBM-DTLA-307045 (43972mb) and a WDC WD100AA (9539mb) [partitioned on MBR; no unallocated space] hard drives[*] CD devices: COMPAQ CD-ROM LTN403 & a HL-DT-ST CD-RW GCE-82408[*] modem: PCTEL Platinum V.90 Modem[*] ethernet card: 3Com 3C905TX-based Ethernet Adapter (generic)[*] CPU: AMD-K6 3D processor[*] display: Trident Video Accelerator Blade 3D/MVP4[*] keyboard: Standard 101/102-key or Microsoft Natural PS/2 keyboard[*] mouse: PS/2-compatible mouse[*] monitor: ViewSonic A70f (max. horizontal resolution: 1280x1024)[/list=1]

KimVette · 08-17-2005, 05:38 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by messenger_7
[FONT=times roman]
They are:

(a) The labels on the disk, while bearing the SUSE chameleon, say "not an official SuSE product". What does that mean? I assume these were downloaded from a SuSE improved mirror site. Just curious.

It means they violated the terms of the license by charging you for Suse Pro. Read license.txt at the root of the DVD.
The terms will be changing with OpenSuSE 1.0 but SuSE 9.3 may be distributed for free, but if money is charged, it must be the retail boxed SuSE Pro.

Quote:

(b) I want to triple-boot SuSE pro, XP pro (already installed), and MEPIS 3.3.1-1. Which to load first? I don't care which Linux distribution runs the bootloader. The easier for a nontechie, the better.

I'd install XP, then MEPIS, then SuSE and use GRUB for the bootloader.

Quote:

(c) What, if anything, do I need to do to prepare the machine for installation, besides defragging the hard discs and backing up data?[/SuSE]

Make sure you have your Windows/etc. install media and keys handy "just in case"

Quote:

(d) The home network here is set up under Macs (using OS X, I presume). What will I need to have the administrator do to have the system recognize my computer as a Linux computer, rather than as a Windows XP computer?

Why? I'd just use SAMBA and mimic the Windows configuration in smb.conf just so you don't need to change the way you need to do things when all you want to do is move files around.

(e) We are serviced by Verizon on DSL. Anything special I need to know and/or inform Verizon about?[/b]

The less Verizon knows, the better -- but no, you don't need to tell them anything.

Quote:

For various reasons, it is imperative that I keep XP and its applications on the computer for the time being, much as I'd like to get rid of it.

If there is a good how-to on line that a nontechie can make use of to accomplish all this, please point me to it. I'll read it, try to digest it, and come back with any questions before proceeding.

Pretty much any decent Linux distribution produced today will guide you through installing under a dual-boot configuration, but make sure you back up all of your data - make at least two backups. I've only ever needed a backup once, but that was the ONE and only time I made only one backup, not two, and that backup went bad.

J.W. · 08-17-2005, 10:36 PM

This USALUG article does a great job explaining how to do an FTP installation of SuSE. It's written for 9.1, but should work just fine with 9.3.

As for setting up your system as a dual boot, you basically need to resize your Windows partition, to make room for Linux. There are numerous threads on this topic, Searching will find them. Good luck with it -- J.W.

helmut_hed · 08-26-2005, 10:12 AM

I'd like to add that your modem may be tricky to support. I'm not sure what a "Platinum V.90" is, but it may be supported by drivers available here:

http://linmodems.technion.ac.il/pcte...x/welcome.html

Good luck!

Jeff
(Suse 9.3 user and junior sub-assistant PCTel driver maintainer)