New to linux and trying to install SuSE and remove XP

[randork]

I apologize in advance for being clueless!

Currently I have XP installed on my laptop, but I want to remove it and replace it with SuSE, but I have no idea how to do so. At the moment I can't even use my laptop unless I'm on safe mode, so I'm looking for the easiest way to do this. Also, is it possible to do via usb?

Sorry again for being a novice but I've only ever played around with ubuntu and I'm not that great with computers. Thanks.

[reed9]

It is possible to boot from USB and install, if your BIOS supports it. Whether USB or CD/DVD, you'll need to change the boot device or boot order from the BIOS to begin.
Common USB BIOS boot options | USB Pen Drive Linux

Easiest way to create an installable USB drive is to use unetbootin.

For the actual installation, look here:
The Perfect Desktop - OpenSUSE 11.1 (GNOME) | HowtoForge - Linux Howtos and Tutorials

I chose this guide only because it has a nice pictorial walkthrough of the installation. It's specific to GNOME, but the installation part is applicable to the KDE version of opensuse as well. Also, I strongly disagree with the amount of stuff the guide suggests installing aftering. Redundant bloat in my opinion. But, when you're not sure what you like yet, or what's out there, it can be useful to just install everything and find out.

[rojoblandino]

You can do it in several ways:

1) From a DVD.
You can download it from opensuse.org.

2) From the net.
You can download it from opensuse.org.

3) From an DB in your HD.
Do the 1st step and then prepare a 5GB partition in your HD, then allocate an image of your DVD in that partition you can do it in to ways:
a) Do as if you were going to install the distro normaly, wait the first screen, where you chose the license, idiom and keyboard settings, then type "ctrl+alt+f2" twice, then with fdisk prepare the partition, after that mount the disk somewhre in the virtual installation system e.g. /mnt/dvdsuse, now mount the new partition prviously done, e.g. mount -t ext3 /dev/sda8 /mnt/instdisk, now make the image of th disk into your HD, e.g. (cd /mnt/dvdsuse && tar -cpf - *) | (cd /mnt/instdisk && tar -xvpf -), and now wait for the files being transfered then reboot when it is done, and chose from Har disk and type the HD partition partition:/dev/sda8 directoyry:/ and the installation will be done from your HD.

b) In windows prepare a partition and then copy the DVD content into the new partition, and now wait for the files being transfered then reboot when it is done, and chose from Har disk and type the HD partition partition:/dev/sda# directoyry:/ and the installation will be done from your HD, to know what partition is, do as the step a, mount partition by partition until find the one containing the DVD installations files.


Now to replace win XP is easy, reboot the pc, then place the distro in your DVD ROM, then chose install and follow the instructions, at partitioning moment you must make 3 partitions 1) swap, 2) /home 3) /, but you can experiment doing more combinations and partitions with your system until find your desire configuration. I think that the partitioning stage is the most difficult and important for new users coming to linux. It is because i believe that chosing the Desktop, packages and others things, Suse simplify the task of those including the configuration and dafaults options.

After the partitioning of your HD you can do next, next to all after that, but is recomended to read each stage in order to be satisfied with the action to be done.

I hope you find this helpfull