Linux hardware compatibility...

[gopunk]

i want to build a box using cheap components, set it up in raid 1... if i want to use linux, do i need to make sure that whatever hardware i get is supported? i don't want to have to fuss with getting misc. drivers here and there... will mandrake just take care of everything for me like windows does?

 

[ScrapSilicon]

ran knoppixlive on CD ..recognized all my stuffz..you should be fine

 

[Zepper]

Generally all you need to worry about is if you need modem commo. Most PCI internal modems won't work with Linux. An external serial modem is best. You can still find the Cendyne out there for $20 or less. Also the 3D acceleration part of some fancy video cards isn't supported, but most will work fine in 2D. And some LAN cards are iffy. If your LAN is integrated with your mobo it should work OK.
.bh.

:moon:

 

[uOpt]

Wireless cards are aproblematic.

Random cheap USB devices are often problematic, but no problems with real stuff like cameras. Check scanners, some are outright unwilling.

Don't get any ATI graphics card.

Super-new integrated chips on mainboard will often not work yet. Example: on my i875 I have Intel CSA Ethernet and a 5.1 card which work flawlessly out of the box. In my Athlon 64 NVidia I have NVidia's Gigabit which has some patches somewhere and some 8-channel card which has some patches somewhere else.

if you do Linux anyway, software RAID is probably the better and more flexible choice. Just remember not to use raidtoold, use mdadm (another Linux thing, elsething exists twice).

 

[uOpt]

Originally posted by: Zepper
Generally all you need to worry about is if you need modem commo. Most PCI internal modems won't work with Linux. An external serial modem is best. You can still find the Cendyne out there for $20 or less. Also the 3D acceleration part of some fancy video cards isn't supported, but most will work fine in 2D. And some LAN cards are iffy. If your LAN is integrated with your mobo it should work OK.
.bh.

Actually NVidia's Linux driver support exactly the same set of 3D hardware that the Windows drivers do.

They are just a little slower than Windows, or maybe it is the games which are a little slower.

As I noted earlier, some integrated LAN and sound is not fine. But a $10 card each will fix that until a solutions comes in the form of an update.

 

[Lyfer]

My wireless Netgear usb adapter was a pain in the but to get to work. But it was "sorta" worth it.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
Wireless cards are aproblematic.

Random cheap USB devices are often problematic, but no problems with real stuff like cameras. Check scanners, some are outright unwilling.

Don't get any ATI graphics card.

Super-new integrated chips on mainboard will often not work yet. Example: on my i875 I have Intel CSA Ethernet and a 5.1 card which work flawlessly out of the box. In my Athlon 64 NVidia I have NVidia's Gigabit which has some patches somewhere and some 8-channel card which has some patches somewhere else.

if you do Linux anyway, software RAID is probably the better and more flexible choice. Just remember not to use raidtoold, use mdadm (another Linux thing, elsething exists twice).

hmmm why is software raid better?

also, i won't be getting anything cutting edge, just the cheapest mb that supports raid 1 and has onboard video... sounds like i'll be ok? all i want is a cheap cvs server... :|

 

[Zepper]

My ATI Radeon 7000 works just fine for my needs.
.bh.

 

[n0cmonkey]

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: MartinCracauer
Wireless cards are aproblematic.

Random cheap USB devices are often problematic, but no problems with real stuff like cameras. Check scanners, some are outright unwilling.

Don't get any ATI graphics card.

Super-new integrated chips on mainboard will often not work yet. Example: on my i875 I have Intel CSA Ethernet and a 5.1 card which work flawlessly out of the box. In my Athlon 64 NVidia I have NVidia's Gigabit which has some patches somewhere and some 8-channel card which has some patches somewhere else.

if you do Linux anyway, software RAID is probably the better and more flexible choice. Just remember not to use raidtoold, use mdadm (another Linux thing, elsething exists twice).

hmmm why is software raid better?

also, i won't be getting anything cutting edge, just the cheapest mb that supports raid 1 and has onboard video... sounds like i'll be ok? all i want is a cheap cvs server... :|

Hardware raid controllers are generally expensive. You also have to be wary of driver quality.

Video shouldn't matter much in this case, it doesn't sound like you'll be needing X.

Look for an Intel ethernet card. They're a bit more expensive, but worth it. Realtek is crap (really). nVidia is crap (nforce 1 NICs were crap, nForce2/3 NICs had no docs). I've also had good luck with linksys in the past, but I haven't bought any NICs they make since Cisco took them over.

Most chipsets should be supported fairly well over all. I've used AMD, Intel, and Serverworks(?) chipsets.