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Applies to openSUSE Leap 15.3

1 Installation Quick Start Edit source

Abstract

Use the following procedures to install a new version of openSUSE® Leap 15.3. This document gives a quick overview on how to run through a default installation of openSUSE Leap on the x86_64 architecture.

For more detailed installation instructions see Chapter 3, Installation steps. For installing the AArch64 and POWER variants, see https://en.opensuse.org/Portal:ARM and https://en.opensuse.org/Portal:PowerPC.

1.1 Getting openSUSE Leap Edit source

To download openSUSE Leap, visit https://get.opensuse.org/leap/. On the Download tab you will find download links for different architectures:

  • Intel or AMD 64-bit desktops, laptops, and servers (AMD64/Intel 64)

  • UEFI Arm 64-bit servers, desktops, laptops and boards (AArch64)

  • PowerPC servers (little-endian, ppc64le)

  • IBM Z and IBM LinuxONE (IBM servers, s390x)

You also have the choice between two different images for download: Offline Image and Network Image. Check the documentation on the download page under Choosing Which Media to Download for more information.

Documentation on how to create a bootable installation media is also available on the download page under Easy Ways to Switch to openSUSE Leap.

1.2 Minimum system requirements Edit source

  • Any AMD64/Intel* EM64T processor (32-bit processors are not supported)

  • 1 GB physical RAM (at least 1.5 GB when using online repos, 4 GB or more strongly recommended)

  • 10 GB available disk space for a minimal installation, 16 GB for a graphical desktop (more is recommended). In case you plan to use Btrfs snapshots a minimum of 40 GB for the root partition is recommended.

  • Supports most modern sound and graphics cards, 1024 x 768 display resolution (higher recommended)

1.3 Installing openSUSE Leap Edit source

Use these instructions if there is no existing Linux system on your machine, or if you want to replace an existing Linux system.

1.3.1 Booting the installation system Edit source

Insert a DVD or a bootable USB stick containing the installation image for openSUSE Leap, then reboot the computer to start the installation program. On machines with a traditional BIOS you will see the graphical boot screen shown below. On machines equipped with UEFI, a slightly different boot screen is used. Secure boot on UEFI machines is supported.

Booting the installation system

On BIOS machines, use F2 to change the language for the installer. A corresponding keyboard layout is chosen automatically. See Section 2.2.1, “The boot screen on machines equipped with traditional BIOS” or Section 2.2.2, “The boot screen on machines equipped with UEFI” for more information about changing boot parameters. On UEFI machines adjust the language and keyboard settings in the next step.

Select Installation on the boot screen, then press Enter. This boots the system and loads the openSUSE Leap installer.

1.3.2 Language, keyboard and license agreement Edit source

License agreement

On systems with a traditional BIOS the Language and Keyboard Layout settings are initialized with the language you chose at the boot screen. If you did not change the default, or are using a UEFI machine it will be English (US). Change the settings here, if necessary. Use the Keyboard Test text box to test the layout.

Read the License Agreement. It is presented in the language you have chosen. Other License Translations are available. Proceed with Next.

1.3.3 Network settings Edit source

Network settings

If the network can not be configured automatically, the Network Settings dialog opens. Choose a network interface from the list and configure it with Edit. Alternatively, Add an interface manually. See Section 3.4, “Network settings” and Book “Reference”, Chapter 13 “Basic networking”, Section 13.4 “Configuring a network connection with YaST” for more information. If you prefer to do an installation without network access, skip this step without making any changes and proceed with Next.

1.3.4 Online repositories Edit source

A system analysis is performed, where the installer probes for storage devices, and tries to find other installed systems. If a network connection with Internet access is available, you will be asked to activate the online repositories. Answer with Yes to proceed. In case you do not have Internet access, this step will be skipped.

Online repositories

The online repositories are official openSUSE package sources. They not only offer additional packages not included on the installation media, but also the update repositories containing security and bug fixes. Using the default selection is recommended. Add at least the Main Update Repository, because it makes sure the system is installed with the latest security patches.

Online repositories

You have the following choices:

  • The Main Repository contains open source software (OSS). Compared to the DVD installation media, it contains many additional software packages, among them many additional desktop systems.

  • The Update repository with updates from SUSE Linux Enterprise 15 and the Update repository from openSUSE Backports contain updates for the Main Repository. Choosing this repository is recommended for all installation scenarios.

  • The Non-OSS Repository contains packages with a proprietary software license. Choosing it is not required for installing a custom desktop system.

  • Select Update Repository (Non-OSS) if you enabled the Non-OSS Repository. It contains the respective updates and security fixes.

  • All other repositories are intended for experienced users and developers. Click on a repository name to get more information.

Confirm your selection with Next. Depending on your choice, you need to confirm one or more license agreements. Do so by choosing Next until you proceed to the System Role screen. Now choose Next to proceed.

1.3.5 System role Edit source

System role

Choose a general software and system configuration with this step by selecting a desktop or server configuration.

For a desktop installation, choose between Desktop with KDE Plasma, Desktop with GNOME, Desktop with Xfce or Generic Desktop. KDE and Xfce are somewhat similar to Windows. GNOME offers an alternative, innovative environment. If you prefer an alternative to the KDE, GNOME, or Xfce desktops, choose Generic Desktop. You will be able to choose between the LXDE, MATE and others later in the installation process by selecting Software in the Installation Settings dialog.

If you are setting up a server, you probably do not need a graphical user interface. Choose Server (Text Mode) in this case. Alternatively, set up a server system with a read-only root partition and transactional updates by choosing Transactional Server. This selection also is a prerequisite for setting up openSUSE Kubic. See https://kubic.opensuse.org/blog/2018-04-04-transactionalupdates/ for more information on transactional updates.

You can also manually choose the software configuration for your system. Select Custom and then Next to get to the Software Selection and System Tasks dialog. Choose one or more patterns for installation. By clicking Details, you can select individual packages.

Tip
Tip: Release notes

From this point on, the Release Notes can be viewed from any screen during the installation process by selecting Release Notes.

1.3.6 Suggested partitioning Edit source

Partitioning

Define a partition setup for openSUSE Leap in this step. Review the partition setup proposed by the system. If necessary, change it. You have the following options:

Guided setup

Starts a wizard which lets you refine the partitioning proposal. Options available here depend on your system setup. In case it contains more than a single hard disk, you may choose which disk(s) to use and where to place the root partition. If the disk(s) already contain partitions, decide whether to remove or resize them.

In subsequent steps you may also add LVM support and disk encryption. You can change the file system for the root partition and decide whether to have a separate home partition or not.

Expert partitioner

Opens the Expert Partitioner described in Book “Reference”, Chapter 5 “Expert Partitioner”, Section 5.1 “Using the Expert Partitioner. This gives you full control over the partitioning setup and lets you create a custom setup. This option is intended for experts.

Note
Note: Separate home partition

The default proposal no longer suggests to create a separate partition for /home. The /home directory contains the user's data and personal configuration files. Placing it on a separate directory makes it easier to rebuild the system in the future, or allows to share it with different Linux installations on the same machine.

In case you want to change the proposal to create a separate partition for /home, choose Guided Setup and click Next until you reach the Filesystem Options screen. Check Propose Separate Home Partition. By default it will be formatted with XFS, but you can choose to use a different file system. Close the dialog by clicking Next again.

To accept the proposed setup without any changes, choose Next to proceed.

1.3.7 Clock and time zone Edit source

Clock and time zone

Select the clock and time zone to use in your system. To manually adjust the time or to configure an NTP server for time synchronization, choose Other Settings. See Section 3.8, “Clock and time zone” for detailed information. Proceed with Next.

1.3.8 Local user Edit source

Local user

To create a local user, type the first and last name in the User’s Full Name field, the login name in the Username field, and the password in the Password field.

The password should be at least eight characters long and should contain both uppercase and lowercase letters and numbers. The maximum length for passwords is 72 characters, and passwords are case-sensitive.

For security reasons it is also strongly recommended not to enable the Automatic Login. You should also not Use this Password for the System Administrator but rather provide a separate root password in the next installation step.

If you install on a system where a previous Linux installation was found, you may Import User Data from a Previous Installation. Click Choose User for a list of available user accounts. Select one or more user.

In an environment where users are centrally managed (for example by NIS or LDAP) you may want to skip the creation of local users. Select Skip User Creation in this case.

Proceed with Next.

1.3.9 Authentication for the System Administrator root Edit source

Authentication for the System Administrator

Provide a password for the system administrator account (called the root user).

You should never forget the root password! After you entered it here, the password cannot be retrieved. See Section 3.10, “Authentication for the system administrator root for more information. Proceed with Next.

Tip
Tip: Passwords and keyboard layout

It is recommended to only use US ASCII characters. In case of a system error or when you need to start your system in rescue mode, the keyboard may not be localized.

In case you would like to enable password-less authentication via SSH login, you can import a key via Import Public SSH Key. If you want to completely disable root login via password, upload a key only and do not provide a root password. A login as system administrator will only be possible via SSH using the respective keyin this case.

1.3.10 Installation settings Edit source

Installation settings

Use the Installation Settings screen to review and—if necessary—change several proposed installation settings. The current configuration is listed for each setting. To change it, click the headline. Some settings, such as firewall or SSH can directly be changed by clicking the respective links.

Important
Important: Remote access

Changes you can make here, can also be made later at any time from the installed system. However, if you need remote access directly after the installation, you have to adjust the Security settings.

Booting

This section shows the boot loader configuration. Changing the defaults is only recommended if really needed. Refer to Book “Reference”, Chapter 12 “The boot loader GRUB 2” for details.

Software

The default scope of software includes the base system and X Window with the selected desktop. Clicking Software opens the Software Selection and System Tasks screen, where you can change the software selection by selecting or deselecting patterns. Each pattern contains several software packages needed for specific functions (for example, Web and LAMP server or a print server). For a more detailed selection based on software packages to install, select Details to switch to the YaST Software Manager. See Chapter 10, Installing or removing software for more information.

Default systemd target

If you have chosen to install a desktop system, the system boots into the graphical target, with network, multiuser and display manager support. If you have not installed a desktop, the system boots into a login shell (Text Mode).

System

View detailed hardware information by clicking System. In the resulting screen you can also change Kernel Settings—see Section 3.11.7, “System for more information.

Security

The CPU Mitigations refer to kernel boot command line parameters for software mitigations that have been deployed to prevent CPU side-channel attacks. Click the highlighted entry to choose a different option. For details, see Book “Reference”, Chapter 12 “The boot loader GRUB 2” CPU Mitigations.

By default, the Firewall is enabled with all network interfaces configured for the public zone, where all ports are closed by default, ensuring maximum security. See Book “Security and Hardening Guide”, Chapter 24 “Masquerading and firewalls” for configuration details.

The SSH service is disabled by default, its port (22) is closed. Therefore logging in from remote is not possible by default. Click enable and open to toggle these settings.

Network configuration

Displays the current network configuration. Click Network Configuration to change the settings. For details, see Book “Reference”, Chapter 13 “Basic networking”, Section 13.4 “Configuring a network connection with YaST”.

1.3.11 Start the installation Edit source

Installation

After you have finalized the system configuration on the Installation Settings screen, click Install. Depending on your software selection you may need to agree to license agreements before the installation confirmation screen pops up. Up to this point no changes have been made to your system. After you click Install a second time, the installation process starts.

1.3.12 The installation process Edit source

Installation process

During the installation, the progress is shown in detail on the Details tab. The openSUSE Leap Release Notes tab shows important information; reading them is recommended.

After the installation routine has finished, the computer is rebooted into the installed system. Log in and start YaST to fine-tune the system. If you are not using a graphical desktop or are working from remote, refer to Book “Reference”, Chapter 1 “YaST in text mode” for information on using YaST from a terminal.

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