Setting up dual boot

[ownuridea]

My desktop - and all files are currently in Win2K. I want to set up so I run SuSE 8.2 - learning Linux and eventually converting my work over.

So I experimented with a spare hard drive on my laptop. Loaded Win2K, then started a SuSE load. I was given the option of reducing the size of the Windows partition, creating a new partition and loading Linux. It worked fine. On boot, a SuSE window gave the option of booting into either OS; either choice was fully functional.

I tried to do the same thing on the desktop. But the only choice seems to be to clear out the Windows partition and load Linux there. There might be a format difference; I think the laptop is formatted FAT32, while the desktop is NTFS. Is the SuSE loader inhibited with the different format, or is there an option I'm not picking properly?

Thanks
Mike

 

[RhythmAce]

linux can't live on a fat32 partition. You'll have to use a non-distructive disk partitioning tool to shrink the size of the fat32 partition. Many distros of linux come with a program in a /dosutils directory called fips.exe which can do this for you. It's generally on the 1st install CD.

 

[ownuridea]

Thanks. I guess that's what YaST did for me. And as I noted in my previous post, both OS ran fine. But based on this success, I have really screwed up the system (same laptop).

I installed my main HD and repeated the load steps, but this time changed the configuration to make Windows the default. Then when I logged out, reboot failed with the mesage "GRUB Geom Error." If I use the CD and choose "Boot installed system" or "Update installed system," Linux boots with the configuration as I left it, but logging out the same boot error recurs. I can also access my Windows files from Linux, so I assume they are intact.

But now all functionality is gone. The machine won't boot Windows (will my wife be pi**ed!), and Linux boots only from CD. And since Linux refuses to recognize the Wireless LAN card, I have lost all internet connection on the laptop. Unless a solution is found, it's many hours work reinstalling and updating Win2K, installing and updating apps, reloading files, etc.

Not a happy experience so far!