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How NOT to install OpenSUSE 10.1 in 20 Steps
- Download only CD #1 of the five-CD set, hoping you can wing it.
- Boot from CD.
- When it's partitioning time, delete the existing Kubuntu swap partition, thinking that you can fool Kubuntu into using the new swap partition that is going to be created for Suse.
- Realise the folly of Step #1 when the installer demands to have access to CDs #2 and #3.
- Abort installation of software and keep fingers crossed as the system reboots.
- Pleasant surprise as system somehow manages to boot, albeit into a minimal FVVM desktop.
- Install Conexant driver (this is becoming a real breeze, nowadays).
- Realise that the minimal installation doesn't contain any web browser.
- Pat yourself on the back as you use wget to download index.html from www.getfirefox.com and determine the Firefox Linux download URL by parsing this file.
- Download and install Firefox.
- Use Firefox and Google to find out how to add online installation sources for Suse 10.1.
- Fire up YAST and try to repeatedly add these URLs, but fail each time, with either the 'Adding Catalog' dialog box hanging, or nothing happening on clicking 'Finish'.
- See if you can at least go back to Kubuntu, after tweaking it's /etc/fstab to use Suse's swap partition: nope; see Step #3.
- Go back to Suse 10.1 and download the mini ISO.
- Find that cdrecord (downloaded separately) complains that it cannot find /dev/pg*.
- Boot from both Kubuntu and Knoppix Live CDs and realize that thinking that you can get K3B from a Live CD to burn CDs is, well, dumb.
- Reinstall Kubuntu in a new partition.
- Burn the mini ISO from the new Kubuntu install.
- Boot from mini ISO and realise that it expects a freaking network connection before showing me a root prompt, dashing all my hopes of installing the Conexant driver and then proceeding with the Internet install.
- Make the new Kubuntu install my new home and proceed to spend the whole day customising it and installing all my favourite software. Sigh.
