I am installing Linux as my second os and I just want to make sure I won't have any problems with my Raid 1 drives.

Should I leave the linux default installation run its course or do I need to do a custom installation? I am new to Linux, I just want to see what its like compared to windows xp pro.

By the way. I am installing it on a USB drive formatted as FAT32

The install is very easy for SuSe. I haven't used the latest version, but I'm sure its even easier than before... It might even be easier than Windows!

I wouldn't leave the partition FAT32 - You should format it to a native Linux file system so you can experience the whole package. FAT32 has no inherit security or permissions, which may affect your Linux install.

I would imagine SuSe 10.1 will have no issues with your RAID controller.. No 'F6 for RAID' needed. But if you're installing it on a USB drive, RAID shouldn't be a concern?

***** ALERT!!! Yes I am an *****.

I was installing Linux when I decided to use partition magic to install another OS. I went through all the settings and rebooted. Linux started installing but when it came to recognizing my hard drive it couldn't find it.

It found my USB Drive but not my C drive.

I aborted the install and now my NTLDR is missing.


I am in the middle of formatting my harddrive. I used a 98 boot disk to erase my partions and its only recoginizing 10gb instead of 80gb.

I am not blamingn Linux install I am blaming myself and partition magic.

What the hell happened is beyond me.

The only reason I'd pull out the Partition Magic software is to resize my OS partition and create a new partition for Linux. Otherwise, you don't need it.

I'm surprised... Maybe it didn't detect your SATA RAID controller?

NTLDR is your Windows boot loader. This tells me your boot record intact, but C:\NTLDR is gone. This problem should be straight forward to repair using the Windows XP CD, without any data loss... Assuming you haven't done anything to delete your data. These are instructions I posted in another thread, I modified them to apply to this situation.

• Boot from your XP CD
• Press F6 to install 3rd party RAID drivers at the beginning of setup when prompted, as necessary... Just like a regular XP install
• Go through the normal process up until the option to "Press R" for Windows recovery appears. Our goal is get into the Recovery Console.
• After several seconds, you should now be in a command line interface.
• Log in to your primary installation of Windows (if you can). This is typically the install on Disk 0, Part 0, but it will be whatever drive you have assigned to be the default boot drive in your BIOS or RAID BIOS.
• Verify you still have data on the drive by typing dir. If your drive is empty, then the reason you can't boot is your OS is missing.
• Type bootcfg /rebuild to start a search for OS installs. It may take a minute or two.
• You will recieve prompts for the versions of Windows installed. Choose Y for each one you'd like to be present in your boot loader.
• You'll be prompted for a 'load identifier'. This is the name of the discovered OS, so type whatever you'd like to name the OS.
• You'll be prompted for OS load options. Type /fastdetect for each of these times
• Once your boot.ini is rebuilt, everything should boot without the CD. You may have duplicate OSes on startup. You can solve this later on under System Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery> Click EDIT. Remove the 'extra' settings (this is boot.ini by the way)

Why are you formatting? Why would you use a Win98 diskette? How about a Windows XP CD instead?

I used the XP install disk before I posted.

The only drives that were detected were the ones in my External drive.

I ran FIXMBR & FIX BOOT

The directory was not found.

I reloaded the system already, I am using it right now. I was going to reload it anyways, this just gave me a reason to do it faster.

I think I figured out what I did wrong, besides not reading the instructions, LOL.

I am going to attempt it again in a couple minutes. We will see if I learn from my mistakes

OK I re-installed Linux and had it up and running. When I shut my system down and brought it back up it went straight to windows.

The partition I put in on p: is not there, at least as p:. There are 3 unnamed partitions.

Never mind I figured it all out.

Its up and running fine.

Its an interesting system to say the least. Its going to take awhile to get use to but I am sure it will be worth learning