localhost:631 in the location bar of a browser will bring you to the CUPS (common unix printing system) configuration page. You will need to be root to configure or add printers. The dialogue you describe seems like that was what it was looking for.
In SuSE, you should use YaST to install your printer. You will need to root as well to do this. It's also possible that this is what you were doing when the system asked for your root password.
I do not have your printer, but YaST has always done a nice job installing my printers with every conceivable printer configuration available. It may also be possible that you did not have CUPS installed or running. That might have been your error as well, but I would just be guessing.
Re-installing is not going to fix anything - actually, what I should say is that reinstalling is not required to fix things (in Linux). HOWEVER, if you do find yourself trying to reinstall again, do so with the printer attached to your computer and the printer turned on. If the printer is recognized, you will be presented with a choice to configure it during the install process.
I would not look to Ubuntu to help with SuSE configuration tools, but if your printer is known to be problematic you might find some usefull information.
For example, I googled your printer and found the following page:
http://cvs.linuxprinting.org/piperma...q3/000451.html
that seems to indicate that an optional driver (samsung) was needed to run this printer in Mandrake 10.
HTH