[opensuse] Installing openSUSE from Windows - new discussion

hi all !

I'm thinking - would it be possible to install openSUSE on NTFS
partition, to prevent repartitioning, so more Windows users will be
able to try out SUSE Linux ?

Currently we install (via instlux) the GRUB bootloader, which is
loaded from NTLDR, which then starts Linux kernel, then it opens up
basic setup routine, that starts Yast... and setups Linux normally, on
ext3 partition...

Maybe.. just maybe... there is another way to make it ?

Provided, we now have NTFS-3G officially included in the distro (I saw
RPM in factory), completely new capabilities show up.

I propose setup like this:
1. Install GRUB (as non-default bootloader), like Instlux does
2. modify NTLDR to start GRUB from it, like Instlux does
---here the similarities with Instlux end---
3. Install openSUSE right from Windows --- build a Windows setup than
installs openSUSE RPMs right into local NTFS - this theoretically
could be done via cygwin's RPM.
Simple setup program can install enough RPMs to make it for a basic
GNOME or KDE system. Of course the setup program cannot be as complex
as Yast, but rather it will be very simple, not allowing for package
customization during install stage, and not allowing for much tuning
during the setup.
The idea is to override standard Yast setup procedure, and setup the
whole thing while running Windows kernel.
4. modify SUSE init/initrd (and kernel?) to support booting from NTFS-3G driver.
5. The custom GRUB can start such a custom distro (kernel+init).
6. Instead of using swap partition, this system could use swap file,
mounted on NTFS/FAT partition.
7. end-user will just reboot, and find a new OS in his NTLDR bootloader.

The primary advantage to this technology is no need to repartition a
hard drive at all. A very welcome feature to win-noobs alike.

--
-Alexey Eremenko "Technologov"
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