a few questions before i convert

[raublekick]

I really need to get rid of SuSE and I am looking foreward to trying Slack 10, I just have a few questions before I go ahead and do it.

I guess I should give some details as to my set up:
SATA 120gb w/ Windows installed and 2 partitions
IDE 60gb used for Linux and a backup Windows partition

1. I can't get my MBR restored. I followed all the procedures listed on SuSE's site (fdisk /mbr, FIXMBR, YaST) none worked, GRUB keeps popping up. Do I need to make sure it is removed before I try installing Slackware and LILO?

2. Do I need to use a SCSI kernel image during install? I've been somewhat confused as to how SATA is treated. In Windows it appears to be treated like an IDE drive, but in linux it always shows up as sda.


Thanks for any possible future anwers, the help is greatly appreciated.

[techieMoe]

I really need to get rid of SuSE and I am looking foreward to trying Slack 10, I just have a few questions before I go ahead and do it.

Might I ask why you "really need to get rid of SuSE?" Is it a problem you're having that we might be able to help you with, or do you just want to try something different? What did you not like about SuSE?

I guess I should give some details as to my set up:
SATA 120gb w/ Windows installed and 2 partitions
IDE 60gb used for Linux and a backup Windows partition

1. I can't get my MBR restored. I followed all the procedures listed on SuSE's site (fdisk /mbr, FIXMBR, YaST) none worked, GRUB keeps popping up. Do I need to make sure it is removed before I try installing Slackware and LILO?

Which of your harddrives (SATA or IDE) are you using to boot from? Are you sure you're wiping the MBR of the correct drive?

2. Do I need to use a SCSI kernel image during install? I've been somewhat confused as to how SATA is treated. In Windows it appears to be treated like an IDE drive, but in linux it always shows up as sda.

Not unless you have a SCSI drive. Linux treats SATA just like normal ATA drives, or at least on my system it did. I have an 80GB SATA that's detected /dev/hdc.

[raublekick]

Weird, when I installed FC3 and SuSE it read my SATA as sda, I guess I'll just have to give it a try and see what happens.

I'm using my SATA to boot from. You may be right that it didn't fix the correct drive. When I popped in my XP Pro disc it said my only Windows installation was on drive D:. Although I know my installation is on C:, I just figured it read my IDE drive first or something. But the question still remains: is it necessary to wipe the MBR before I install Slackware?

As for why I want to get rid of SuSE: I just installed it recently, and it just doesn't have nearly the amount of stuff that I want. I am fairly new to Linux as far as installing it on my own system. I need development tools, and I prefer GNOME, and SuSE provides neither. I know I can download this stuff, but I'd rather just install a better distro for my needs.

thanks for the quick reply!

[techieMoe]

Weird, when I installed FC3 and SuSE it read my SATA as sda, I guess I'll just have to give it a try and see what happens.

I'm using my SATA to boot from. You may be right that it didn't fix the correct drive. When I popped in my XP Pro disc it said my only Windows installation was on drive D:. Although I know my installation is on C:, I just figured it read my IDE drive first or something. But the question still remains: is it necessary to wipe the MBR before I install Slackware?

You only need to wipe the MBR if you're not planning on letting Slackware install its own version of GRUB when you install it, and you have some other bootloader from another OS you want to load on there instead. Otherwise just let Slackware overwrite the MBR and you should be fine.

As for why I want to get rid of SuSE: I just installed it recently, and it just doesn't have nearly the amount of stuff that I want. I am fairly new to Linux as far as installing it on my own system. I need development tools, and I prefer GNOME, and SuSE provides neither.

Not true. You apparently had the misfortune of trying SuSE Personal, which doesn't include these things. The Pro version, however has Gnome and all the dev tools you can shake a stick at. Just FYI.

[raublekick]

Heh, I should have said Personal. I know Pro has everything I need, but you can't get the pro ISOs for free can you?

You only need to wipe the MBR if you're not planning on letting Slackware install its own version of GRUB when you install it, and you have some other bootloader from another OS you want to load on there instead. Otherwise just let Slackware overwrite the MBR and you should be fine.

I thought Slackware installed LILO? If it let's me use GRUB that just sweetens the deal!

[techieMoe]

Heh, I should have said Personal. I know Pro has everything I need, but you can't get the pro ISOs for free can you?

Well... no, I don't think you can get the Pro ISOs for free, but you can get the Pro ISOs (same as what you get off FTP) for relatively cheap at places like LinuxCd.org or LinuxISO.org...

I thought Slackware installed LILO? If it let's me use GRUB that just sweetens the deal!

I could be wrong (it's been a while since I installed slack), but I *think* it gives you the choice. Or maybe I'm thinking of Debian.. they're both ncurses installers..