Installing SUSE Linux - full tutorial

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
I have written a full step-by-step guide how to install and configure SUSE Linux, including configuration of software packages, updates, graphic card drivers installation, internet connection sharing, and some more cool stuff.
I would kindly ask you to head on to my humble site and read the article and tell me what your impressions are. Personally, I think the guide can benefit anyone who would like yet hesitates to try Linux (SUSE in particular) or even people who use other Linuxes and have no experience with SUSE.
I would be grateful for any feedback, correction or errors, typos or anything, suggestions for improvement.

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computers/install_suse.html

You can also check other software articles:

http://www.dedoimedo.com/computer_software.html

I will soon write another article - about how to install VMware Server in SUSE, configure it properly to have NAT for guest operating systems and no conflicts whatsoever with other network devices, and then how to power it up and install Windows XP in it. This will allow you to fully migrate to Linux and still enjoy complete functionality for programs or websites that require Windows.

Have fun and enjoy.

Mrk

[Blackspear]

Very well done Mrk, impressive.

Cheers

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Thank you.
Mrk

[sukarof]

Really nice Mrkvonic. Your site is hereby bookmarked

[Mr2cents]

Fantastic well written tutorial MrK . I've also bookmarked your site.

[pvsurfer]

Mrk, you indeed make trying Linux quite inviting! As a Windows-literate, but Linux-ignorant computer user, I can't imagine why SUSE requires 5 CDs, when others (Ubuntu, just for example) require but 1 CD; can you explain this?

[Devinco]

Excellent Tutorial Mrk!!
Easy to read and follow along.
Your other articles are very good as well.

[Devinco]

Originally Posted by pvsurfer

can you explain this?

I think it is because of all the optional free software that can be installed:
http://www.novell.com/products/linux...index_all.html
Some cool programs in there too!

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Thank you for the feedback.
PVsurfer, as to why 5 CDs, SUSE comes with a ton of excellent programs, including office suite, media, games, graphics, cd/dvd utilities, programming, etc. You won't probably need to download much to complement the installation.
Roughly naked, SUSE needs only 500MB to install.
Mrk

[pvsurfer]

Originally Posted by Mrkvonic

Hello,
Thank you for the feedback.
PVsurfer, as to why 5 CDs, SUSE comes with a ton of excellent programs, including office suite, media, games, graphics, cd/dvd utilities, programming, etc. You won't probably need to download much to complement the installation.
Roughly naked, SUSE needs only 500MB to install.
Mrk

Mrk~ Can I simply download a 'naked version' of SUSE and then decide (afterwards) which open-applications fit my needs? ~pv

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
No that I know. You need to download everything, then decide during the installation what you want or not. Besides, I would not recommend it. You need to know all of the dependencies to be able to install / uninstall everything properly. Your best choice is to install the package as is.
BTW, that is the limitation of GUI installation. If you do textual installation using tarballs and whatnot, then you can customize it to max., but then you definitely don't need my guide.
Ask yourself can you decide what part of Windows to install? Not unless you use something like nLite.
But why are you bothered with the download? Are you using dial-up? You can ask them to mail you the CD / DVDs. 3GB of installation is not much considering you get 700 packages and almost anything you need. Compare that with Vista that needs 15GB to install and you get practically nothing.
In SUSE, you can uninstall anything you don't like after the installation, too.
Mrk

[WSFuser]

Originally Posted by pvsurfer

Mrk, you indeed make trying Linux quite inviting! As a Windows-literate, but Linux-ignorant computer user, I can't imagine why SUSE requires 5 CDs, when others (Ubuntu, just for example) require but 1 CD; can you explain this?

ubuntu only 1 cd? i thinks its the live version cause when i downloaded kubuntu i got the full dvd... ill have to check it out later.

i do wish SUSE (and kubuntu) was lighter tho.

thanx for teh guide Mrkvonic. i may try SUSE for the nth time. im hoping to switch completely someday or year.

[hiptech]

Thanks Mrk,

I too am impressed, you've helped answer a number of questions that have plaqued me for some time.

I have just completed a new PC build and spent months (don't ask how many) putting it together, configuring it and backing it up (Acronis True Image 9).

BTW, I immersed my self into slipstreaming and found numerous programs including Bart's PE among others (heard of nLite?) and created a custom Windows XP CD with nVidia Raid drivers, custom Windows setup screens, current hotfixes and updates, etc. (you know, stuff you will forget how to use before you use it again).

After installing Win XP Pro, MS Office 2003 and customizing the environment just the way I like I created an image backup so after the system becomes so polluted and bogged down I can restart without the hassels. Just to be cautious, I haven't even connected the system to the net. I transfered all my apps and files from my working system to an external drive and hooked it up to the new PC.

Now that I've gone through all this trouble, is there a way to transfer this setup to a laptop I have? Since the hardware is completel different I'm afraid I already know the answer... or can you share any secrets? I read on Acronis' site about using sysprep but wasn't sure if I interpreted it correctly?
http://www.acronis.com/homecomputing...ge/faq.html#30

Thanks again and BTW, your site could use a name don't you think?

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
The simplest answer would be to clone your hard driver - TI can do.
As to the name - it has a name - my corner of the web.
Mrk

[Meriadoc]

Excellent! - will recommend your tutorial Mrkvonic - clear and easy to follow, well done!

anything else(tutorials)in the pipeline?

[Mrkvonic]

Originally Posted by Meriadoc

Excellent! - will recommend your tutorial Mrkvonic - clear and easy to follow, well done!

anything else(tutorials)in the pipeline?

Hello,
Lots and lots. Not just software but all categories.
Mrk

[hiptech]

Originally Posted by Mrkvonic

Hello,
The simplest answer would be to clone your hard driver - TI can do.
As to the name - it has a name - my corner of the web.
Mrk

Thanks again for the help Mrkvonic,

Wasn't sure I could "clone" current setup to different hardware?

Also, sorry about the site name fau paux, "my corner of the web" somehow just didn't seem intuitively obvious to me - anyway I too think it's an excellent site!

[sosaiso]

Great work Mrk.

I will refer all those who want to try Linux to your guide.

[eyes-open]

Much appreciated. I just replaced my Simply Mepis with Suse 10.1. Just being pointed straight to Yast when setting up my network saved me having to search around.

[stapp]

Mrkvonic,
I found your site on the SUSE installation an extremely interesting read. You have written it in the way all installation instructions should be written.
Words and pictures, and no big hard to understand words!! Well done!!
If I decide to go down the Linux road, yours will be the map I will follow.

[Mrkvonic]

Hello,
Thanks for the kind words everyone.
Mrk

[pvsurfer]

Originally Posted by eyes-open

Much appreciated. I just replaced my Simply Mepis with Suse 10.1. Just being pointed straight to Yast when setting up my network saved me having to search around.

As I'm trying to decide which distro to start leaning Linux, would you please tell me why you switched? Was it because of your network (as that's not a consideration for me)?
...I was just about to install Mepis.

Originally Posted by pvsurfer

As I'm trying to decide which distro to start leaning Linux, would you please tell me why you switched? Was it because of your network (as that's not a consideration for me)?
...I was just about to install Mepis.

Both are great distros .... Mepis out of the box comes with mp3 support etc. (You can do it with any distro --- but not many come already installed/config'd) --- Go ahead with Mepis - You'll like it.

[eyes-open]

Originally Posted by pvsurfer

As I'm trying to decide which distro to start leaning Linux, would you please tell me why you switched? Was it because of your network (as that's not a consideration for me)?
...I was just about to install Mepis.

No negative reason at all pvsurfer. I'd installed the simplymepis a while ago - no problem with it, I just felt like a swap. It's an old machine that I dual boot on - it's fairly expendable so I can afford to mess about with it.

As to the network - no that was fine, I found it useful to install a 3rd party software for my needs, but once done - I was up & running fine.

Regards
Andy

[pvsurfer]

Thanks for the feedback guys - as I definitely prefer the KDE gui, I think I will proceed with SimplyMepis for my first Linux installation (I was previously considering Kubuntu).

Btw, I'm planning on installing SimplyMepis as a virtual machine (VMware) - as other software I'm using prevents me from implementing a dual-boot configuration... Do you guys know of any problems (or extra-ordinary requirements) in my doing that?