I have a Dell Dimension 4100 and brand spanking new 250 GB 1" ATA/100 8MB 16MB 7200RP HDD. The 4100 is from 2001, and the BIOS version listed in setup is A06.
I installed lenny. At "Software Selection" I chose "Mail Server". When the installation was completed, and I rebooted. Then I decided to change the software selection. It was so easy the first time, I just reinstalled and this time I chose: Web server DNS server File server Mail server SQL database However, this time when I rebooted I got a GRUB error: GRUB Loading stage 1.5 GRUB loading, please wait... Error 18 - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - As far as I can see, the GRUB manual http://www.gnu.org/software/grub/manual/html_node/Troubleshooting.html#Troubleshooting doesn't document this error. The error has been addressed in Linux Forums: http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/debian-linux-help/52256-first-time-trying-linux-grub-error-18-a.html Several contributors thought that Error 18 had something to do with a mismatch between BIOS and the HDD (hard disk too big). Suggestions included a smaller partition, smaller HDD, and upgrading the BIOS. I suppose I could try reinstalling on a smaller partition. What do you think? However, the correspondence between Geoff http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1236800523 and C.K. http://www.annoyances.org/exec/forum/winxp/1236806548 strongly suggests that trying to update the BIOS on a Dell mother board is a losing proposition. Jason Mills http://groups.google.com/group/linux.debian.user/browse_thread/thread/683a22631c8450bd/9ced896ba395445c?lnk=gst&q=%22Error+18%22#9ced896ba395445c tried to create a smaller boot partition, but was not successful. I suppose I could try yet another new (smaller) HDD, but without some documentation I would just be trial and error, which could take a while. As always, glad to hear your thoughts. Best Regards, Vwaju New York City P.S. Have to mention in passing: During my conversation with the technician at New Egg (specifically on the question of *compatibility*) he never mentioned that there would be a mismatch between a large HDD and the old BIOS. -- To UNSUBSCRIBE, email to debian-user-requ...@lists.debian.org with a subject of "unsubscribe". Trouble? Contact listmas...@lists.debian.org