Looking to install openSUSE Leap 15 on its own dedicated disk without affecting your existing operating systems? This guide walks you through a clean, standalone installation process that ensures system separation and bootloader integrity.
What Does “Separate Disk - Standalone” Mean?
In this setup, “Separate Disk” means openSUSE will be installed on its own physical drive, which will be formatted during the process. “Standalone” means no other operating systems (like Windows) will be connected during installation. This ensures that the GRUB bootloader is installed only on the openSUSE disk.
If you already have Windows installed, disconnect its drive before starting. After installing openSUSE, reconnect the Windows disk. You’ll then be able to switch between systems via BIOS/UEFI or the boot menu, without overwriting the Windows bootloader.
What You’ll Need
- A dedicated disk for openSUSE installation. Make sure it contains no important data.
- openSUSE installation media, such as a bootable USB drive. You can create one using tools like Rufus.
- Access to BIOS/UEFI to boot from the USB drive.
Booting into the Installer
- Insert the USB drive and restart your PC.
- Enter BIOS/UEFI and set the USB as the primary boot device, or use the boot menu to select it.
- On the boot screen, choose “Installation” and press Enter.
Installation Steps
1. Welcome Screen
- Choose your preferred language and keyboard layout.
- Click “Next.”
2. Online Repositories
- Choose “Yes” to enable internet-based updates and packages, or “No” to use only the installation media.
- For offline or minimal setups, “No” is recommended.
3. System Role
Select your preferred desktop environment:
- KDE Plasma: Feature-rich and highly customizable.
- GNOME: Clean and user-friendly.
- Xfce: Lightweight and fast, ideal for older hardware.
- Generic Desktop: Minimal setup for custom environments.
- Server: No graphical interface, suitable for server use.
Click “Next” after making your selection.
Disk Partitioning
Disks appear as sda, sdb, or nvme0n1, etc. Partitions are labeled accordingly (e.g., sda1, nvme0n1p1).
- At the partitioning screen, review the suggested layout and click “Next” to accept automatic partitioning.
- openSUSE defaults to the BTRFS file system.
For manual setup:
- Choose “Expert Partitioner.”
- Select “Start with Current Proposal” or “Start with Existing Partitions.”
- Delete any existing partitions on the target disk.
Partitioning Scheme (Manual)
For GPT disks (UEFI boot mode), create:
EFI System Partition (ESP)
- Size: 500 MB to 1 GB
- File system: FAT
- Mount point: /boot/efi
- Role: EFI Boot Partition
Root/System Partition
- Size: Max size minus swap (if applicable)
- File system: BTRFS or EXT4
- Mount point: /
- Role: Operating System
Swap Partition (optional)
- Size: Equal to or double your RAM
- File system: Swap
- Role: Swap
Click “Accept” to confirm partitioning, then “Next.”
Final Configuration
- Time Zone: Select your region and click “Next.”
- User Account: Create a user by entering full name, username, and password. Click “Next.”
- Installation Review: Review settings and click “Install” twice to begin.
The installation will proceed and complete without affecting other operating systems, provided their disks were disconnected.
Installing openSUSE on a separate disk in standalone mode is a reliable way to keep your systems isolated and boot configurations clean. Once complete, you can reconnect other drives and enjoy a dual-boot setup with minimal risk.