Linux compatible build.

[Cruise51]

I want to build a socket 939 system that can dual-boot into windows xp and linux (not sure what distro, maybe ubuntu). What parts would you use in it? Ive been told I should go with a nvidia graphics card (not sure why) but other than that I'm not sure what to go with for mobo,cpu,ram,etc. This will be my first computer with linux. It will mostly be used for office apps, image editing, and games. Any suggestions welcome!

 

[n0cmonkey]

I'd avoid nVidia chipset based motherboards, but their non-free video drivers are better than ATI's.

 

[scottws]

Yeah, I agree. It takes a miracle to get the ATi drivers to work.

Watch out for wireless cards too. A lot of the more inexpensive ones that have a lot of features don't support Linux whatsoever. I have a Motorola that has absolutely no support from Motorola or the Linux community.

 

[Cruise51]

So the MSI K8N Neo4 Plat would be a bad idea? Would Ati/Uli or Via boards be any better? For the video card I was thinking of the 7800gt and I don't plan on getting any wireless cards.

 

[yuchai]

Just wanted to share that my Via K8T800 based Soltek socket 939 board works with kernel 2.6.13 with no issues. My Nforce3 based socket 754 board has icky sound support, but still works for all intents and purposes.

I'm curious about the Uli/ATI motherboards, would love to hear from someone who has them working with Linux.

 

[sourceninja]

My machine is 100% linux comptatible.

DFI lanparty ultra-D
nvidia 6800GT (BFG tech)
1 gig OCZ ram
1 300gig SATA drive
1 NEC DVD burner

I'm using onboard sound in 5.1 and onboard nvidia nic with no issues. This is with both ubuntu and gentoo linux, everything 'just works'

I would say you are fine with the nforce4 chipset, the drivers are very mature in the latest kernels.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: sourceninja
My machine is 100% linux comptatible.

DFI lanparty ultra-D
nvidia 6800GT (BFG tech)
1 gig OCZ ram
1 300gig SATA drive
1 NEC DVD burner

I'm using onboard sound in 5.1 and onboard nvidia nic with no issues. This is with both ubuntu and gentoo linux, everything 'just works'

I would say you are fine with the nforce4 chipset, the drivers are very mature in the latest kernels.

The problem with nVidia is that they are being unintelligently tight lipped about their hardware. Keeping the information developers need to create a good network card driver secret is stupid. Why support that?

 

[Cruise51]

So nvidia boards have bad network drivers for linux?

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: Cruise51
So nvidia boards have bad network drivers for linux?

I don't know, I don't own an nVidia based motherboard. The drivers should work, but no thanks to nVidia. While other companies give documentation to the developers, nVidia gave OSS developers the finger.

 

[Cruise51]

So how's this setup? Anything you'd change?

Athlon 3700+
DFI lanparty ultra-D
evga 7800GT
1GB OCZ Priemeir ram
200GB Samsung SATA drive
NEC DVD burner

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: scottws
Yeah, I agree. It takes a miracle to get the ATi drivers to work.

Watch out for wireless cards too. A lot of the more inexpensive ones that have a lot of features don't support Linux whatsoever. I have a Motorola that has absolutely no support from Motorola or the Linux community.

I've never had a problem getting them to work. It's really easy, and I've done it on a few different distros too. The only problem is the poor performance in linux of your ATI card.

 

[silverpig]

Originally posted by: Cruise51
So how's this setup? Anything you'd change?

Athlon 3700+
DFI lanparty ultra-D
evga 7800GT
1GB OCZ Priemeir ram
200GB Samsung SATA drive
NEC DVD burner

That'll work fine. I'd try for an X2, but everything else works... well sorta.

I've got a DFI ultra-D as well and ubuntu 64 fried both ethernet ports on it. They worked fine in windows, worked fine in gentoo64, but when i tried ubuntu 64 I got hangs and then net problems. I rebooted to windows and my LAN would connect for 2 seconds, then disconnect repeatedly. Reinstalled the drivers, no change. Tried gentoo's live cd, no dice. So I disabled it and plugged in the other ethernet port, and after a few hours had the same problem (it worked great in windows months back, and same in gentoo as well). I stuck in a third party lan card, used ubuntu 32 bit, and it works great now.

*shrug*

 

[sourceninja]

Originally posted by: n0cmonkey

Originally posted by: sourceninja
My machine is 100% linux comptatible.

DFI lanparty ultra-D
nvidia 6800GT (BFG tech)
1 gig OCZ ram
1 300gig SATA drive
1 NEC DVD burner

I'm using onboard sound in 5.1 and onboard nvidia nic with no issues. This is with both ubuntu and gentoo linux, everything 'just works'

I would say you are fine with the nforce4 chipset, the drivers are very mature in the latest kernels.

The problem with nVidia is that they are being unintelligently tight lipped about their hardware. Keeping the information developers need to create a good network card driver secret is stupid. Why support that?

Yea, I dont like their closed source attitude, but the best AMD64 motherboards all seem to be nforce4.

So far I have not had a single issue with the nforce nic driver even if the kernel calls it experimental. This machine was the easiest computer that I've own to date for setting up in linux.