Installing SuSE 10.3

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Installing SUSE 10.3 on AO linux computers.

First and most important step:

Be prepare to trash your computer and lose everything stored on it.

So make sure you know what software you installed on it before you decided to update the system, also make sure you know what every other user installed on it. Look in /etc and /local for evidence of non standard software (eg matlab, comsol, cadence, coventor etc and locally produced software such as c_scan, BNS, etc and check in /etc for evidence of configuration files eg /etc/stages /etc/andor etc).

Back up anything you might need - files, programs, data, configurations etc.

However, if you are on the AO linux network your personal files and data are most likely stored of the server (anything in /home is on the server).

  • If in doubt ASK someone in the know *

Second step:

Find out about your computer, what kind of processor and what disks / partitions does it have? What are your network settings.What is the root password.

arch df ifconfig


Third step:

Get hold of the SUSE 10.3 install DVD for your computer. If the arch is i386/i586/i686 (32 bit machines) you will need the i386 disk. If the arch is x86_64 (64 bit machines) you need the x86_64 disk. If you are unlucky enough to be using a PPC machine you need the PPC disk and a lot of patience.

Fourth step: The install

Stick the DVD in the drive, reboot the computer, follow the instructions:

UK English keyboard UK timezone

Partitioning:

If your computer has been properly setup in the past you should have: SWAP 20Gb "root" partition A remainder partition (normally mounted on /eee)

You may also have a large data partition and a windows partition.

You should be able to relate the info here to the information about your disks you found during your preparation. Assuming all is well all you need to do is follow the custom partition settings to reformat the 20Gb "root" partition and mount it as "/". You can leave the rest untouched and anything on the other disks will be preserved. You should set the mount points of the other partitions / disks here.

ASSUMING YOUR COMPUTER DOESN'T MATCH THIS:

Ask for advice before proceeding. There are very good reasons for switching to a root + other partition scheme.

The you can proceed and your disk and data will be wiped and the new system installed on top of them.





root password - find out what this is and don't change it without asking

Network settings:

IP address: you should know this from the preparation - look it up in /etc/hosts on optics Subnet mask: 255.255.0.0 Hostname (this is the name of your computer - don't change it from the pre update setting). Name server: 128.243.40.192, 128.243.40.194, 128.243.21.19 Domain search: eee.nottingham.ac.uk Domain name: eee.nottingham.ac.uk Routing 128.243.1.1