Which Has Better Linux Support? Nvidia or VIA mobos?

[Bana]

Does the Nforce 3 or the Via Hyperion 4 in 1 drivers have better support in linux? Specifically for gentoo/redhat/slackware for gaming most likely.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

I'm guessing the nforce 3 doesn't have a working sound driver. Nvidia stuff sucks IMO unless you're using windows. On linux you don't use via's drivers, but there are drivers in the kernel for most all of the chips they use, AFAIK.

 

[xcript]

nForce2 seems to be fairly well supported. Not sure about nF3 though.

 

[manly]

That's a tough call.

nForce2 is more or less supported, but no ACPI, which makes getting some peripherals (namely onboard NICs) working is a PITA.

I don't think ACPI will be production-ready until Linux 2.6.x where x > 0.

 

[xcript]

Originally posted by: manly
nForce2 is more or less supported, but no ACPI, which makes getting some peripherals (namely onboard NICs) working is a PITA.

What's a pain in the ass about it?

You just build the nvnet module or, if you're using 2.6.0-test9-mm2, y/m the forcedeth module and recompile.

I have the ACPI problems (lockups during heavy disk IO, etc). Disabled it, enabled APM and all is well.

 

[magomago]

i've read on nvnews that you can only get 3d acceleration working with a nvidia card with the nforce2. Sounds like a bunch of PITA to me, but then again I have an MX420 so I'm not sure....

Gosh I can't wait to get ahold of Mandrake 9.2 cds - 9.1 doesn't install right on my rig and Redhat rules but I hate trying to manually add things

 

[xcript]

Originally posted by: magomago
i've read on nvnews that you can only get 3d acceleration working with a nvidia card with the nforce2.

I have 3d acceleration working fine with my Radeon 9100.

 

[magomago]

Originally posted by: xcript

Originally posted by: magomago
i've read on nvnews that you can only get 3d acceleration working with a nvidia card with the nforce2.

I have 3d acceleration working fine with my Radeon 9100.

*phew*
thanks! then again i never bothered to get 3d acceleartion working- just tv out

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Originally posted by: manly
nForce2 is more or less supported, but no ACPI, which makes getting some peripherals (namely onboard NICs) working is a PITA.

Huh? ACPI has nothing to do with the NIC issue. The reason the nForce/2 onboard NIC is an issue is that nVidia won't GPL the driver and therefore it cannot be included in a freely distributable Linux distro. Any retail Linux pack includes that driver and it works fine, but if you install the free version of the distro you will need to download the driver directly from nVidia's website (which is impossible if you don't have a working NIC so you need to download it beforehand or use a seperate, supported NIC until you do).

I currently have 2 nForce (1 and 2) mobos and 1 Via KM266 mobo. The nForce1 and KM266 mobos each have onboard video. I use a GF4 Ti4200 in the nForce 1 board and it works fine, but the AGP slot on the KM266 board still doesn't work under Linux so no AGP card there (don't need it thankfully). The best mobo I have had for Linux was the Via KT266a, but lightning took that one from me. I've even had a KT133a that worked fine, but that started giving me memory errors after 2+ years of 24/7 service.

Which do I recommend? For the latest chipsets, nVidia (since they release their own drivers in a timely fashion). For older chipsets go with Via (but not if it has onboard video).

 

[chsh1ca]

Originally posted by: magomago
i've read on nvnews that you can only get 3d acceleration working with a nvidia card with the nforce2. Sounds like a bunch of PITA to me, but then again I have an MX420 so I'm not sure....

Umm, I have a GF3Ti200 on an Asus A7V8X (which uses the VIA KT400 chipset) and it runs accelerated just fine.

 

[xcript]

Originally posted by: chsh1ca

Originally posted by: magomago
i've read on nvnews that you can only get 3d acceleration working with a nvidia card with the nforce2. Sounds like a bunch of PITA to me, but then again I have an MX420 so I'm not sure....

Umm, I have a GF3Ti200 on an Asus A7V8X (which uses the VIA KT400 chipset) and it runs accelerated just fine.

Heh, I misread and thought he was saying people were having problems with non-nvidia cards on nForce2 boards.

I have heard quite a few people claim this however. It's BS.

 

[AnonymouseUser]

Originally posted by: xcript

Originally posted by: chsh1ca

Originally posted by: magomago
i've read on nvnews that you can only get 3d acceleration working with a nvidia card with the nforce2. Sounds like a bunch of PITA to me, but then again I have an MX420 so I'm not sure....

Umm, I have a GF3Ti200 on an Asus A7V8X (which uses the VIA KT400 chipset) and it runs accelerated just fine.

Heh, I misread and thought he was saying people were having problems with non-nvidia cards on nForce2 boards.

I have heard quite a few people claim this however. It's BS.

I think that is what he was saying, and that was true for quite some time, but any linux-supported AGP card should work fine on an nForce2 board now.

 

[xcript]

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser
I think that is what he was saying

I did it again? I need caffeine.

 

[Bana]

With the new Via boards having all the onboard features like the Nforce, wouldn't it be more difficult to get it running than the Nforce as Via doesnt realease any drivers? Just a thought...

 

[manly]

ACPI isn't just power management, but also IRQ routing/peripherals configuration.

 

[drag]

Originally posted by: AnonymouseUser

Originally posted by: manly
nForce2 is more or less supported, but no ACPI, which makes getting some peripherals (namely onboard NICs) working is a PITA.

Huh? ACPI has nothing to do with the NIC issue. The reason the nForce/2 onboard NIC is an issue is that nVidia won't GPL the driver and therefore it cannot be included in a freely distributable Linux distro. Any retail Linux pack includes that driver and it works fine, but if you install the free version of the distro you will need to download the driver directly from nVidia's website (which is impossible if you don't have a working NIC so you need to download it beforehand or use a seperate, supported NIC until you do).

I currently have 2 nForce (1 and 2) mobos and 1 Via KM266 mobo. The nForce1 and KM266 mobos each have onboard video. I use a GF4 Ti4200 in the nForce 1 board and it works fine, but the AGP slot on the KM266 board still doesn't work under Linux so no AGP card there (don't need it thankfully). The best mobo I have had for Linux was the Via KT266a, but lightning took that one from me. I've even had a KT133a that worked fine, but that started giving me memory errors after 2+ years of 24/7 service.

Which do I recommend? For the latest chipsets, nVidia (since they release their own drivers in a timely fashion). For older chipsets go with Via (but not if it has onboard video).

ACPI controls lots of stuff. If your hardware needs to power down to save energy and a componate can't do it properly (a very common thing in x86 hardware) it's going to cause problems. The first thing you do if you are getting freeze ups, especially during hardware detection in installations is to turn off acpi support.

Could also be driver issues, since Nvidia won't release specs on there hardware (they use a modified version of a realtech chip for their on-board stuff for good greif) you can't be garrenteed that the driver authors have worked around the limitations and bad design choices of the manufacturers. There are defects in everything, but unless you get help from the guy who made it you have to reverse engineer everything and make "educated guesses" on lots of stuff you shouldn't have to. So if acpi encounters hardware that can only sort-off support it, then it can cause f-ups.

 

[SUOrangeman]

I've never had a problem with nForce2 boards in Linux. I'm using RedHat 7.2 -> 8.0 is an environment with no Internet connectivity. If I'm not mistaken, the source code is included with the generic nVidia download package, so it will compile itself in the absolute worst case.

I think I'm using an A7N8X Deluxe (with both NICs enabled and active!) and a Leadtek.

-SUO

 

[spamsk8r]

No, the source is only available for the audio, since it is based on the AC97 code that is GPLed already.