Here's the problem I have. I go through the steps to install suse linux 7.3 and a few steps in it will automatically recommend the new partitions you should create if this is your first installation. The problem is that it only gives me 500 mb for a root directory so I don't have anymore room to install any software packages. It shows that I have a windows partition of about 74 gb then shows a NTFS partition of 70 gb. So that's 4gb left of space, then after all of the boot partitions and everything else linux wants to create I'm left with basically nothing for my root directory. My question is, what in the hell do I do?

i'm confused - how big is this hard drive and how much space is windows taking up? are you saying there are 2 windows partitions, 70gb and 74gb that add up to 144gb used by windows?

if the suse install isn't correctly partitioning your hard drive, manually partition it and setup your own custom partition scheme that'll work with your setup.

btw, using suse 9.1 probably wouldn't hurt, if you can get it easily.

I think I have located the problem. The problem lies in the NTFS file system. For some reason it's not possible to partition this type of file system using suse. I'm currently downloading partition magic so I'll have to do it that way. Overall, it should work I hope.

I wouldn't recommend that....You will be getting a fake, partition magic isn't free. Download the latest Knoppix and use QTParted that is on it to edit the partitions.

Thanks for all of your input guys. Although my windows system got screwed up I am now typing from Mozilla FIreFox on SuSe 9.1. I'm getting a laptop in a few days anyway so it's kind of nice to have a PC dedicated to linux.

How did your Windows get messed up. Are the partitions still there, as you may be able to recover them?