Windows xp pro and SUSE 9.3 pro Dualboot?

[Evad Erus]

OK, well last time I tried to make a dual boot system I had windows xp home edition and 2 partitions. Par 1 was for windows and the second was for linux. I had fedora core 2 that I was planning to install it on. Anyway I ended up losing windows because GRUB took over windows bootloader and I couldn't get back into windows and I was not good at linux, so I could not get my files back either. I ended up using a bootleg version of windows I got from my friend and formatting my hard drive. So now I have windows and it is using the full 120 gigs of my hard drive and I just got SUSE 9.3 pro in the mail and I think I'm gonna try that because it should be easier to set up the wireless. So now I have a few problems that I'm gonna have if I want to make a successful dualbooting system. My first problem is that I need to make a 60 gigabyte partition of my hard drive, and my second problem is how to install SUSE on that partition without taking over windows so that I can easily boot into either two operationg systems. If I am forgetting any information please fill in also.

Please Help

[soulbrothax831]

SuSE has YaST and it is pretty good with resizing partitions. When starting the installation, YaST will probably resize your partition to maybe use half of the hard drive and still keep the Windows partition. If not, you can always manually partition it.

Dual booting will require you to install Grub onto your MBR. YaST will usually automatically setup this up for you and add Windows to the Grub boot list, which you can also manually configure during the installation process. If you do need any further help, just post here.

[Evad Erus]

SuSE has YaST and it is pretty good with resizing partitions. When starting the installation, YaST will probably resize your partition to maybe use half of the hard drive and still keep the Windows partition. If not, you can always manually partition it.

So your saying that YaST has the power to take my unused windows hard disc space and turn it into an empty partition on my hadrive?

[bigtomrodney]

It does, and it does a good job too, but always remember to defragment any FAT or NTFS drives before resizing, and as general practice I would also back up any personal data too, in case anything did go wrong.

[LondoJowo]

I'm dual booting WinXP Pro and SuSE 9.3 Pro, it was the easiest setup I've ever seen.

[Evad Erus]

Awesome, and it does this all in the installation menu(not the defregmentation of course)?

[soulbrothax831]

Yep, it's pretty much the main installation menu for SuSE where you'll configure the partitions, booting, software, time, etc.

[Evad Erus]

Great, well Thank You, I think I may get started soon.

[LondoJowo]

When you get to the partitioning phase select advanced and then you be able to resize the WinXP partition if you haven't already set up a partiton or have a second drive. Here's a screenshot of the resize utility. Defrag XP before you install SuSE.
http://www.novell.com/products/linux...mg/resizer.gif

[Evad Erus]

Wow thanks for the screenshot, that looks much easier then the Druid graphical partitioner that fedora core 2 came with.