System:
Compaq Deskpro EP/SB Series
Pentium III 500 MHz
512 MB
Rom 08/06/99 686T2

I am setting this system up as a file server/jukebox. A friend suggested Linux as the way to go. After checking out distros, decided that SUSE 10 may be the easiest. I loaded the system fine when it had the original 30 GB HD in it, however because of the purpose I needed more HD space.

I installed a Seagate Barracuda ATA 300 GB HD. Since the BIOS would not recognize it properly, I had to use the utilities provided. I have tried setting it up as everything from W98 thru XP (LINUX is not offered as an option), I let it boot through the utility then tell it to boot from the CD.

I then do an install which appears to go fine until the first boot. I then get a GRUB error 17. ANy idea how to make this work. I am a total LINUX newbie.

Grub error 17: partition exists, but filesystem type not recognozed.

I had a similar problem recently, when upgrading to a larger hard drive. Editing the BIOS using autodetect didn't work. I had to search through the options in the BIOS menu (don't remember which one it is) until I found one that would let me edit three values: cylinders, heads, sectors. From that, the BIOS detected the correct size of the disk.

Note: the BIOS won't recognize it properly unless you find that utility in the BIOS menu and edit cylinders, heads, sectors, and set the last value on the right to LBA (I think thats the correct value: just tab until it comes up).

But: back to basics. Set the jumpers on the hard disk to designate which is master and which is primary slave. Then set the BIOS to reflect the jumper settings.

Then search through through the BIOS menu for the option that lets you set cylinders, heads, and sectors.

Then try again.

After that, insert the installation cd. Go through the steps until you reach the stage of choosing where to install. Select the disk you want to install to. If the partitions were set up correctly, it will show them to you. Make sure the partition's type is correct: Linux (83), swap (82), or some other designation. Correct if/as needed. If there is an option to format or write the partition table, then select those as well.

Then try to reinstall. If all goes well on re-boot, say thank you. If not, come back with error messages, and we'll try again.

the drive may be too big for bios to recognize, you may need to buy a disk controller and stick it in a PCI slot

Added disk controller, Belkin Ultra ATA/133 PCI card, and have the same error. Have a couple other things I am going to try and then just set the server up in Windows (less hassle).