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    basic linux system?

    Hello,

    I've got myself nicely confused with hardware specs for a moderate system, to be home built, on which Linux will be the only OS.

    What I want is a system will stand the maximum chance of being compatible with the majority of distros. I do understand that this rules out cutting edge stuff, for which I have no real need anyway. Something mid range will be ample. But where do I start?

    Would AMD socket 939 be better than Intel 775, Pentium 4, say? I don't have to have dual memory, dual core, or sli, but think I should have PCIe. Or perhaps I should go for an up-to-date mobo with lesser bits and pieces......

    If it's not asking too much I really would really like someone to put down a list of workable components for a linux system which wouldn't break the bank but would be fully functional for ordinary computing.

    Any advice will be gratefully recieved.

  2. #2
    HEXUS webmaster Steve's Avatar
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    PCIe is a physical-layer change from PCI, so as far as software goes... well it doesn't really care if a device is PCI or PCIe. Memory and dual-core isn't an issue either.

    Just about any motherboard should be OK, providing you don't use silly disk configurations and it's not hilariously cutting edge - hopefully someone with more wisdom than I can say if there are any mobos to categorically steer clear of.

    Think about your other hardware too. ATI/NVIDIA/Integrated graphics? Maybe a TV tuner? Will it use wireless or wired networking?
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    mush-mushroom b0redom's Avatar
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    • Wireless Networking and Linux don't play nice.
    • Nvidia tend to do better drivers for Linux.
    • Stick with a mainstream motherboard.


    It might be worth taking a quick squiz on here before you buy anything:

    http://www.linuxcompatible.org/compatlist3.html

    It's not an exhaustive list, and almost any hardware you throw at it will work in the latest distros.

    Tom

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    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by b0redom View Post
    • Wireless Networking and Linux don't play nice.
    corrected:

    Quote Originally Posted by b0redom View Post
    • broadcom Wireless Networking and Linux don't play nice.
    i use intel on my laptop out of the box without issue; most other brands are fine. it's the broadcom chips that don't work, because broadcom hate linux

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    mush-mushroom b0redom's Avatar
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    Agreed, centrino works great, but the vast majority of other kit doesn't.

    Tom

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    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
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    all other kit will work fine, - as Directhex said, the broadcom chipset is a problem.

    There have been problems with USB wirless interfaces, but thats for different reasons.
    It is Inevitable.....


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    Hi,

    Good news about the compatibility! The only 'network' I have is my connection to an ISP. However, I will eventually go on to Broadband which may have some relevance to your wireless network mention. TV is something I watch too much anyway, of so a tuner is out.

    I write letters, keep a few records, email and cruise the Web. Other than that I ought to get a digital camera soon. So my computing needs are modest, for the time being anyway.

    Now, I had a look at Scan, co. uk today and the prices for the various varieties of AMD board don't seem to vary that much. For instance, an 939 socket, Asus A8V deluxe with a Via K8T 800Pro chipset is 60 quid: an AM2 Abit KN9-S with a NF550S chipset is only a pound dearer.

    This is what led me to think that maybe, just maybe, I might be better getting something like the Abit but running it with single channel memory and single channel cpu. This is assuming that I can do this and the newer stuff like the mysterious NF550 is compatible with Linux.

    Hope no-one is getting bored with this basic stuff....

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    mush-mushroom b0redom's Avatar
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    If you're only doing that stuff, you really don't need much horsepower.

    Tom

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    Senior Member chrestomanci's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by b0redom View Post
    • Nvidia tend to do better drivers for Linux.
    Yes for graphics cards, but no for chipsets. I have had quite a bit of trouble with nVidia chipsets over the years. I recocomend Via, or perhaps intel. Avoid SIS and ATI chipsets.

    Also though nVidia graphics drivers are good, they are closed source and ocasionaly buggy. There was a security bug in thier drivers a couple of months back (see this kerneltrap thread). So if you want maximum stabiltiy or security, I would use an open source graphics driver.

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    Hello All,

    Right, I think I've got it now. Via chipsets on the board, Nvidia chipset on the graphics card, and shun Broadcom at all costs.

    That's just what I needed to know and I'm most grateful to you all for your help. I look forward to using and learning about Linux.

    Best wishes,

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    Comfortably Numb directhex's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by bluffer View Post
    Hello All,

    Right, I think I've got it now. Via chipsets on the board, Nvidia chipset on the graphics card, and shun Broadcom at all costs.

    That's just what I needed to know and I'm most grateful to you all for your help. I look forward to using and learning about Linux.

    Best wishes,
    click "my system" next to my username. notice anything?

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    I do. I do see something. I see a Soltek mobo that has had very good reviews for its stability and pricepoint. And I see it doesn't have Broadcom or Nvidia.

    Seems good. Trouble is I can't trace anywhere to buy one. Googling produced nothing worthwhile, except for possibly soltek.com/tw. When I tried to open that, I just got a blank black screen. Mind you, my monitor is rather shaky. Nothing on Ebay, either.

    So if you could let me know where I might get a K890 PRO, I'd be very interested. Hope the 939 socket is still around..............

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    Fried Chip Extremist alsenior's Avatar
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    you could look for if you going the Intel route is get a Intel based is a 865 or an 875 based board and use the ich5r raid controller. with a nvidia 6600. that should work a treat under linux.
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    Hello,

    I had a thought at three in the morning! I googled for other makes of mobos with K8T890 chipsets and found a few. However, some were micro atx size which ruled them out and the Asus M2V had a couple of poor linux support comments attached to it.

    The best spec seems to be the Asrock Alive Sata2 which goes for about 44 quid. Any thoughts on this? The board had almost everything on it by Via which is consistent.

    Asrock does an Intel mobo, the 775Dual-880 Pro, which costs about 50 quid. This has a Via chipset, too. Perhaps this with a Pentium 4 processor would be fine for Linux?

    Alsenior, your advice is a little too cryptic for me to follow. I'm not up on Intel names but I suppose the the Nvidia 6600 is a graphics card. I have the impression that Intel stuff is quite a bit dearer than AMD, too...............

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    Agent of the System ikonia's Avatar
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    look at the link I put in your other thread on the same topic.

    It takes you to hardware compatability sites, that in some cases comment on opinions on it.

    You sound like you're very nice to a non-microsoft operating system so I strongly suggest you forget about anything too new or leading edge, and check all the items you plan to buy and get %100 compatability.
    It is Inevitable.....


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    Senior Member chrestomanci's Avatar
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    Intel anouced about 3 months ago, that they where going to open source the 3D graphics drivers for the i965G chipset. This means that you can have good 3D performance on a total open source sysetm.

    I would spec an i965G based system for my next upgrade to my linux system. There are a number of good mATX boards arround with a good feature set.

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