SuSE Linux: Versions since 7.0
You should normally be able to access your installed system by following the instructions in step 1. However, if you require specific driver modules for your hardware components, proceed as described in step 2.
Start your system with the CD-ROM or the included boot floppy disk. Please make sure that the corresponding device is set as boot medium in your BIOS. Refer to your mainboard's manual for a more detailed explanation of the relevant options.
Users of SuSE Linux version 8.0 might have to create their own boot and module floppy disks. This process is described in the article "Creating Boot and Modules Floppy Disks" (http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/swiegra_bootdiskette80.html). The module floppy disks are only required for the second approach mentioned in this article.
After having completed all the preliminary steps, proceed to boot your computer with the CD-ROM, DVD, or boot floppy.
After you have successfully booted, the boot menu is displayed on the screen. The options may vary depending on the used version. The entries below correspond to the current version, SuSE Linux 8.0:
Installation Installation - Save Settings Installation - Apic Enabled Manual Installation Rescue System Memory Test Boot Installed OS
Now you have two possibilities:
Start your system through YaST2 (from SuSE Linux 7.2 on)
or
Start your system via Linuxrc
This is the easiest approach. Select the entry 'Start installation' from the displayed menu (version 7.3 users please refer to "The System Hangs During Installation or in Operation" (http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/wessels_noapic.html) and the standard installation will start. Continue with the installation steps up to the point where you have to choose among:
New installation
Update an existing system
Boot installed system
Select 'boot installed system'. The root partition will be detected and the the system will be started.
This approach shall be used only in case you want to load additional hardware modules (e.g. SCSI drivers). Select the entry 'Manual Installation' from the available options.
Now you are prompted to select your language and keyboard layout.
You are already in the so-called Linuxrc. The relevant menu items for you are:
Kernel module: the drivers needed for the system operation can be loaded/unloaded here. For example, if you run a system on SCSI hardware, the driver for the SCSI controller must be loaded from this menu. Otherwise, the system will not be able to boot. A module floppy disk is required to load the modules. Select the category for which you want to load the modules. The data from the module floppy disk will be read and then you can select from the list the driver suitable for your hardware. Options must be only entered in case they are really required by the module. Finally, confirm by hitting the enter key. The module will be loaded.
After having set the necessary adjustments, select the item 'Start installation / system' and then 'Boot installed system'.
Now enter the root partition (/) - in versions previous to SuSE Linux 8.0, the device must be explicitly specified. The following lines provide you with an insight into the drive denomination in Linux, different from that of Windows:
In Linux, IDE devices are usually called hdxx (x stands for a letter or digit). For example, hdax is the first device on the primary IDE controller (master IDE0), hdbx is the second device on the primary IDE controller (slave IDE0), hdcx is the master on the secondary IDE controller, and hdd the slave on the second IDE controller. This sequence will be resumed in additional (Promise) UDMA IDE controllers such as those available on Asus A7V (hdex, hdfx...). x refers to the respective partition on this disk (primary and extended partitions are labelled as 1, 2, 3, or 4, while the logical partitions start from 5 on).
This process is simpler for users of SuSE Linux version 8.0, since they are offered the available Linux partitions only. If this is your case, select the root partition and the system will be started.
For versions other than 8.0: Enter the relevant device, e.g. /dev/hda3 if the root partition is located on the third partition on the first disk.
Once these steps have been performed, either the installation will be completed or you will gain access to the system. Please note that the started kernel is the kernel from the CD and that some problems might arise if you have installed a different kernel.
Further information on possible problems with lilo is available at "LILO fails: Error messages and their interpretation " (http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/kgw_lilo_errmsg.html).
Alternatively, you can opt for creating a boot CD. For more information on this subject please refer to "How to Create a System Boot CD" (http://sdb.suse.de/en/sdb/html/fhassel_bootcd.html). Please note that this procedure exceeds the scope of the free of charge installation support.