# Dual Boot: Windows XP and SUSE Linux



## Purkinje (Jul 9, 2007)

I'm currently running Windows XP, and I would like to be able to get SUSE Linux running on this laptop as well. Could someone help me in a step by step walkthrough for getting this to work? I'm willing to do anything as long it doesn't make this laptop unusable. I have an operating system disc handy so if anything goes wrong I can just start all the way over (right). I would really like to back up my hard-drive before trying this, but I'm not really sure how, what software I should use, and if my laptop could even handle such a thing as two Operating Systems. 
Any help would be GREATLY appreciated and I would greatly consider even donating to this forum if this works.
Thanks!


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## Geeksbydesign (Jul 10, 2007)

Check www.howtoforge.net for detailed, step by step walk-thrus of installations of OpenSUSE.


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## Purkinje (Jul 9, 2007)

What's OpenSUSE?
And how should I back-up my hard drive if something goes wrong??


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## kpmwrestler (Jun 21, 2006)

well, opensuse is the open-source version of SuSE. the source code of the operating system is open for anyone to modify and improve to make the O/S better.

Opensuse is free, where SUSE you have to buy.

opensuse was really easy to dual with xp for me. here's what i did:

- download and install [email protected] ISO Burner

- download the OpenSUSE DVD ISO image here's one mirror

- burn the image to a DVD using [email protected] ISO Burner

- then restart your computer with the DVD in your drive (you might need to get into the BIOS and set the boot order to be CD/DVD before hard drive.

- it should start the installation by asking your language, time zone, etc.

then it is going to partition the hard drive

on my 80 gig, it shrunk xp down to 40, and opensuse got 40, but i soon learned, 20 gigs will be plenty for opensuse.


then it will ask you the type of desktop environment (i think opensuse is better with KDE) and extra packages you want to install. look through the descriptions and see if any of them are of use to you.

then i think it will install opensuse to your hard drive. (once it's almost done, i think it will tell you to take the DVD out of the drive and restart, then it will continue installing) its so you can set your root password (ALL POWERFUL user account) and your user password

if you are new to linux, i may warn you (don't use the root account as your user account) but you will need the root password to modify certain things, or install stuff.


it will do all the dual booting stuff for you, so when the installation is all finished and you restart, there will be a menu that says "Windows" or "Opensuse"

choose one.


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## Purkinje (Jul 9, 2007)

how do you shrink the windows partition and make a linux one? That's the part the confused me the last time I tried to install it.
And i don't think I'm using OpenSUSE, I have the actual box and CD to install it with, but the whole thing for free from my school.


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## kpmwrestler (Jun 21, 2006)

it does it automaticaly (at least, it does with opensuse)


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