I have suse linux 9.3 and want to switch from KDE to Gnome desktop. I searched the menu utilities and was unable to find out how. If the Gnome desktop needs to be installed, what is the procedure?

Do you have /usr/X11R6/bin/xwmconfig installed? If so you can use it to set which is your default windowing environment. It updates the symbolic link /etc/X11/xinit/xinitrc to point to the correct xinitrc file.

This assumes that you've managed to get gnome installed.

Alternatively: YaST > System > /etc/sysconfig Editor > Desktop > Window Manager > DEFAULT_WM

It's a lot of clicking but will let you switch from one WM to another via a GUI

I tried switching via gui through yast, rebooted and it loaded kde. I checked default_wm and it had gnome in the pull down box. I then went to /usr/x11r6/bin/xwmconfig and did not find xwmconfig installed. I must have not installed the gnome desktop on the initial installation. Do I need to use the source cd set?

Gnome (and xwmconfig) should be on the first or second CD. You can install them with rpm. Unfortunately I don't have my Fedora CDs with me to check it for you.

sirius57,

Go to Yast -> Software and in there you will find the package management panel (Install and Remove Software).

In there go to System -> GUI -> Gnome and make sure the packages you want are installed.

With Suse 10 I tried to switch desktops and got treated like a spy. It had me pulling my hair out. I went to the repair menu and just removed everything, except my small Windows XP partition, I then reinstalled Suse 10 with the Gnome desktop.

I had some problems. I selected everything for gnome (the desktop, software, development packages, ect.). It installed all the packages from disk 2, but disk 3 would not work. (I saw the clock icon working, but nothing else). I checked to see what packages were installed. The desktop was listed as an installed package, but I could not switch to gnome using the yast gui utility (selected gnome, exited, rebooted). If the disk is bad, is there a repository where I can get an iso image to burn?

I got a free Suse 9.3 disk within a Linux for Dummy's book but had a bunch of problems with it. I phoned Novell and the operator told me to go to my nearest Best Buy store and buy the set of Suse 10 disks which I did. I am new to Suse Linux but the impression I got/still have is that once it has been installed, with a root password, changing any installed setting will be fought.
I am an extreme amateur with Suse but I can confess that I installed the OS wrongly. I do not know just how I did it and I did not find out that it was installed wrong until the modem icon disappeared, ( using the repair mode ) I tried to repair it and failed. Still using the repair mode I erased the OS and then reinstalled it.

I recently received an email from Novell that the evaluation period for suse 9.3 is almost over. I have not responded yet, but I am full of suggestions to write to them for improving the os. Can a newer version be installed over the existing one, while keeping data intact?

It depends on how you partitioned your drive. Assuming that by "keeping data intact" you mean that you don't want to lose any of your personal data (which would be stored in your /home/<username> directory) and that you have created a separate partition for /home, then Yes, you can install a newer version without losing any data - the key step is simply to *not* reformat the /home partition when you reinstall.

OTOH, if your entire SuSE installation exists in a single partition (ie the / directory), then No, the reinstall will overwrite what's in there.

Either way, the safest thing to do is simply to backup any important data prior to experimenting. Good luck with it

Don't worry about it; it is not going to suddenly quit running or anything like that. It's all just marketing drivel. With that said; SuSE is well worth buying however before you plunk down the change for retail SuSE wait for 10.1 to be released.

I decided to upgrade to ver 10.0, however, I burned the cd set before I read the post on 10.1. What kind of reviews is suse 10.1 recieving?