LinucS

openSUSE 11.1 :

An OS created by the Novell coporation . SUSE Linux (pronounced /ˈsuːsə/) is a computer operating system. It is built on top of the Linux kernel and is distributed with system and application software from various projects. Suse Linux is of German origin and mainly developed in Europe. The first version of this distribution appeared in early 1994, making SUSE the oldest existing commercial distribution. It is known for its YaST configuration tool. The developer rights are owned by Novell, Inc. since 2003, when the company bought SUSE. Novell, one of the founding members of the Open Invention Network, opened widely the distribution development to outside contributors in 2005, creating the openSUSE project.

This post is for New openSUSE users (ie newbies to openSUSE) to provide basic guidance in burning your installation CD/DVD and installing openSUSE. This is for simple, and not complex setups.

1. Where to find the openSUSE installation ISO file

Note, typically you go to openSUSE web site, and download an ".iso" file. Software.openSUSE.org

You then burn that to a CD or DVD (dependent on whether you downloaded CD or DVD version) the installation CD/DVD. This first post has some important hints on that.

Please note, if you decide to download openSUSE-11.1, pay very close attention to the MD5 checksum.

2. Checking MD5 SUM on ISO FILE from Linux

The theory here is one downloads the appropriate .iso file(s). For those who already have Linux, one then runs "md5sum file.iso" (or something like that) in a konsole, against the downloaded file (which in my example I called "file.iso"). This will give an md5 checksum value. One then compares that to the checksum that is on the download web site. If they don't match, you have a problem, and you MUST download again.

Typically, bittorrent downloads are more reliable than FTP or HTTP downloads. Another new download method is metalink - ref openSUSE Lizards » Best Way to Download openSUSE (more detail here Downloading openSUSE FAST using Metalink - openSUSE Forums )

3. How to check the MD5SUM from Windows:

One completely free, MS-Windows application for running the md5 checksum on a number of different operating systems, is here on sourceforge.net: md5deep

Another gui md5 checker for MS-Windows 95/98/NT (it works in Xp as well even though it doesn't say so). The file is md5.exe (248kB) and can be downloaded from MD5 GUI for Windows. It's under the gpl licence and you can download the source if you want.

4. Burning the CD/DVD

Next, when one burns, burn the CD/DVD iso file as an "image file". For windows users, in Nero, this does not mean selecting some iso option, but rather means selecting the "image" option (this is under "file > burn image").

When burning, please burn at a VERY SLOW speed. VERY SLOW. Also, choose a CD/DVD media that is of the highest quality you can get. Don't use some no name bargain basement brand CD/DVD that you know nothing about (see the end of this post for more information on this subject).

There is further excellent guidance, providing help on "burning the ISO image" on the opensuse wiki:
http://en.opensuse.org/Download_Help#Bur...age.28s.29

5. Ensure BIOS is set properly

Also, on the PC where the installation is to be done, ensure in one's BIOS that the PC is set to boot from the CD/DVD drive before booting from the hard drive.

6. Check MD5SUM again from within installation CD/DVD

When installing openSUSE-11.1, you may be given an option to check the MD5 checksum on your CDs (it is called a "media check" on the initial installation menu). Take the extra hour (or more) to do this!! It will potentially save you many evenings later on down the road, looking for some elusive problem that you can't find.

7. Installation Menu

If you have a simple PC setup, with only a single MS-Windows partition on your drive, then likely you can leave the "Use Automatic Configuration" selected. BUT if you believe you may have to change the location of the openSUSE boot manager GRUB in your Master Boot record then you MUST deselect "Use Automatic Configuration". If you do not, you will NOT be able to control the location of your boot manager GRUB.

In particular, Thinkpad Lenovo owners- PAY ATTENTION to this. You may need to deselect "Automatic Configuration" and then follow the guidance in the openSUSE 11.1 Release Notes !!

8. Desktop Selection

Your two main desktop choices under the automatically installed Linux X Window System are GNOME or KDE 4 . Both are good. Surf the web for more info. Alternatively, if you like KDE but

wish to try the older more proven KDE-3.5.10 , then select "Other" and choose KDE3.5. (You also have a choice of Xfce , or minimal X window or minimal server (text) installation).

Please note the Live CD for KDE ONLY comes with KDE-4.1.x and not KDE-3.5.10. To quickly get KDE-3.5.10 one must install off of the DVD and not the Live CD. There are ways to obtain KDE-3.5.10 via CD (using the KDE-4.1.x CD as an install CD for 3.5.10) but that is outside the scope of this stickie.

9. MS-Windows Users - you MUST defrag your MS-Windows partitions before installation of openSUSE. That is because if you have not already prepared a partition for openSUSE, then openSUSE installer will try to carve up your MS-Windows hard drive (allocating space for both MS-Windows and Linux), and a badly fragmented drive can cause problems.