has the partitioning got easier?

[hellcattrav]

I got the install cd's for opensuse, and I'm debating between the two. I like how Opensuse shows my windows partitions under/windows/C, D, E , but I can't get the wireless to work, have no idea how to act as root? Su? sudo? will fiesty fawn have a different installer? That installer for edgy isn't as user friendly Opensuse's YAST...? I really like kubuntu, but somethings just aren't conducive to helping people.

on another note: if I reninstall kubuntu would i have to redo my sources list? are the two distros at all compatibable in anyway?

[DaMoGan]

Re: has the partitioning got easier?


Hi,

I have been a SuSE user for a long time (from SuSE Professional 7.x at least...) and have, in the past year or so, started using Kubuntu, so I have some experience with both distros. First of all, I like both of them, so I don't have a particular axe to grind with either. Here are some impressions based on what you ask:

1) Showing windows partitions under windows/C, D, E, etc.

Either distro can do this, but with Kubuntu, you might just have to do a few more steps, like editing /etc/fstab. I don't know of your experience level, but this isn't too difficult to do. (Perhaps this can even be set up in the install of Kubuntu? I'm not sure.)

2) Will Feisty have a different installer?

I can't speak too much about the Kubuntu installer in general. In the past I've had problems with it, and had more luck with the (ugly but highly functional) Kubuntu alternate install cd. SuSE of course has a beautiful (IMHO) installer.

3) Getting root on SuSE.

By default, under SuSE you are expected to 'su' to root. Of course, sudo is installed as well, but you will have to configure it (via 'visudo') to make it work the way it works in Kubuntu. (By default, I believe, it will work, but will expect you to supply the root password, not your own.)

I'm afraid I cannot say anything about the wireless setup. The last time I used SuSE on a laptop, I did get it working, but that was quite a while ago.

You didn't ask about this, but in my opinion, SuSE's configuration manager, YaST, is quite good. Kubuntu's "System Settings" tool is not as robust, though it has improved a lot over the past few releases, and perhaps under Feisty it will be better still. (BTW, I'm typing this under Feisty, but I haven't yet really played with System Settings too much!)

I hope this helps. Maybe you should set up a dual boot machine, so you can play with both!

[Fintan]

Re: has the partitioning got easier?

To answer your first question: The only partioning tool that really works is gparted http://gparted.sourceforge.net/livecd.php mandrake has a great one on install. The alt kubuntu CD is a bit arcane but works. Suse has a great installing procedure thanks to yast. The current live partition tool on herd 5 is well....unless you are not actualy partitiong but assigning partitions that already exist. Besides I alway keep a copy of the gparted CD handy, Just like partition magic and paragon partition manager. Just in case.

During install (edgy, feisty) you can assign your windows partions and any others at will. Like hda1->/winxp, hda5(fat32, nfts) ->/data /hda6->/home, etc. Just pay attention at the partitioning part of installing.

On a suse note (personal). What yast does for OS installing and maybe desktop configuration, it loses as a package manager. Compared to synaptic, adept. .... well the choice is yours.

Try both if you have the space and find out for yourself. Just be suer you know how to use grub. Otherwise there are plenty of people here to help. Which brings be to my last suse point. I found them very lacking in willingness and speed compared to (k)ubuntu.

All of this is of course only my very humble opinion.


If you give some details of your wireless card, I am sure someone her will help you.



Welcome, enjoy and good luck.

Cheers
Fintan

[DaMoGan]

Re: has the partitioning got easier?

On a suse note (personal). What yast does for OS installing and maybe desktop configuration, it loses as a package manager. Compared to synaptic, adept. .... well the choice is yours.

True dat! Package management used to work fine in SuSE Pro 9.3 (though you still were pretty much forced to use the gui or curses interface, yuch!). Then Novell went and screwed things up by switching to that Zen system (which we had continual problems with). Now, we are deploying OpenSuSE 10.2 to a bunch of workstations here at work, but we ripped out the Zen stuff and instead used smart (http://labix.org/smart), which works great for us. (It has both command-line and gui options, which is important for us.)

Ok, I'd better stop now, lest I start sounding too much like a SuSE fanboi. (Anyway, I really, I do use Kubuntu a lot! I have Edgy on my workstation at work, Dapper at home and Feisty Herd 5 on a test machine at work.)

[Fenix-TX]

Re: has the partitioning got easier?

Uhmm....Why don't set partitions from KControl -> System Management -> Disks and filesystems ?

[SheeEttin]

Re: has the partitioning got easier?

That isn't really a tool to manage partitions, it's more just to see what's there and tweak it a bit. If you want a true partition manager, GParted is what you want.