New Linux ONLY Box - Is this Hardware Cool?

[Convert]

I have decided that the only way i will 'Master' Linux (I am applying for a job as a sysadmin and need to get familiar with Unix OS'.. being a CNA and an MCSE, i have lots of BAD Habbits), is to install it on my machine SOLELY! This is my setup. I need to know if this is all compatible with a Red Hat based distro (i am juggling drake 7.2 or rh 7.0, drake 8.0 when it gets released):

ASUS A7V133 Mainboard
AMD Thunderbird 1.2ghz@1.4ghz
Quantum lct20 ATA 100 Hard Drive
512 Megs of Mushkin Rev2 Performance RAM
Visiontek Geforce2 Ultra 64meg DDR Video Card
SB Live! MP3+ Sound Card
3Com Nic (i know this is good for *nix)
Sony G400 Monitor

I am asking about this config because when i tried to install RH7.0 the first time, it couldn't find any available X Modes. This is strange because i thought that such a common vid card and monitor would be supported just fine. Please tell me what YOU would change in my conifguration (please NO Matrox G450 recomondations.. i hate that card)

[ 02 April 2001: Message edited by: Convert ]

[Gaccm]

nvidia has been known to not have good linux support, but i think xfree86 4.0.x has fairly good Geforce2 drivers, so try using that. That means you cant use the graphical install for rhat (i think) (most .iso images of distros still use xfree86 3.3.6)

[Convert]

That is true that xfree86 3.3x has terrible accelerated graphics support, but in 2d mode should be fine. I have been running drake 7.x for over a year now; first with a TNT2Ultra, then a GeForce256, then a GeForce2 MX, and now my GF2 Ultra. (Geforce 3 in about 6 months)

[ 02 April 2001: Message edited by: Convert ]

[sans-hubris]

Curious, why are you using so much power for Linux? I'd use that for gaming if I were you, but you're not me...

Anyway, the only times you usually have to worry about compatibility are usually with sound cards, video cards (for acceleration), and network cards (OTOH, I haven't found too many NICs that Linux doesn't know). A good place for making sure is http://www.linhardware.com .

[Convert]

I am using this setup because i am a consultant who gets computer parts for dirt cheap. That whole setup with a PHATTY case (Antec SX1030b) only cost me like 700 bucks, excluding the 500 dollar monitor! I also wanted to build a system that can run all my scientifc programs with ease. I also am a huge quake fan and love playing at 1600X1200 @ 32bit color.

So, getting back to my question, i guess all that is compatable. Don't know why i couldn't run RH7.0 in X.

[ph34r]

I'd stop overclocking, but otherwise, it should work.

I'd use Slackware, and avoid installing X at all, until you can download/compile the latest X 4 (4.03 afaik) and drivers for your card.

Definately read over the various hardware howtos/compat lists available at www.linux.org (http://www.linux.org) and www.linuxdoc.org (http://www.linuxdoc.org) - they can tell you exactly what is needed for your stuff.

[Two_five_zero_one]

Well personally I've had nothing but problems with RH7. The distro I purchased was so buggy it wouldn't even install, then I got a copy from the RedHat Linux 7 Bible(pretty good book btw) which did install, but had so many bugs it was a chore to run, and now I've reverted back to RedHat6.2 which is running great for me. You can only try so much before to go to another version or distro.


2501

[mike32]

You need at leat X 4.02 for your Geoforce to work out of the box. I would suggest a Redhat Wolverine beta or Mandrake 8.0 Beta which shouldn't have any problems.

Mike

[Lovechild]

HAND IT OVER !!!! NOW !!!!

YOU HAVE NO CHANCE TO SURVIVE, MAKE YOUR TIME !!!!

.. yeah it will be just cool... now give it over :)

[Derango]

You're going to be my new best friend from now on. ;)

Seriously though, Its a awesome setup...except for one thing...the overclock.

You shouldent just overclock for the sake of overclocking. You defintily will not be able to tell the difference between 1.2 and 1.4. Athlons run hot anyway, so you would have to invest in a really really good cooling system for it. 1.2 is fine...espicaly for linux.

[Nalle]

Heh, I had RH7 for about 30 minutes. It kinda didn't suit me.

Well the actual reason is that not only isn't 'mc' part of the default workstation setup, but that install didn't even include 'ginstall'. I needed that to compile rp-pppoe (for ADSL).

I've used SuSE for a long while, but I finnaly outgrew it, i think. Now I'm more of a slackware kind of person.

It's said about RH: "They're living on the bleeding edge, but they leave the bleeding to the users", and never have that been more true than with 7.0, I think.

[Convert]

Thanks Guys, i guess i should not overclock my linux box, but i can't help it. I have never NOT overclocked a computer. When i rean windows, my vid card was overclocked too. Core 300mhz, Memory 500mhz (DDR). WEll, i think i am going to d/l drake 8.0 beta and give that a wirl. If i install the beta Drake, will i still be able to update it via drake's update tool when the stable version comes out, or will i have to uninstall and reinstall?

[FoBoT]

if you do distributed computing, then you should overclock to squeeze out a few more cpu cycles ;)

[hungarian]

I have overclocked several cpu's in the past.
Mostly on dual boot machines, and from my experience one of the reasons why Linux is faster with 386 compiled binaries on Red Hat 7 than MS on 586 binaries because the hardware is used fully and very efficiently.

So you can not easily overclock any of your hardware or your box will hang.
Now, I had a heck of a time figuring out why I couldn't compile a kernel and as it turned out it was because of an overclocked cpu. And it was only 50 MHz above specs.

Also I used and still use RH 7, now it is true that 6.2 was better, but if you install 7 and start
up2date
to download all the latest upgrades, you will be just fine.
I run 2.2.18 and 2.4.3(custom kernel) for a few days and with 2.2.18(custom kernel) this box is very stable.

About you Asus board, it uses KT133A chipset, now I installed Suse 7.1 Pro for a friend on the same chipset and had no major issues.

In general I found Suse 7.1 Pro better and faster(compiled for x486) than RH 7(compiled for x386). Forget the speed but it is much more stable, it feels real solid after a correct install.

Hope it helps !
:)

[MBMarduk]

If you overclock in Linux you could get plenty of "unexplicable errors" like Signal 11/Segmentation faults and the like. That's 'cuz Linux is much more demanding than a sloppily-coded WinCrash kernel.

As for your vid card...why not go for a super-duper supported S3 ViRGE?

[The King Ant]

I'd actually recommend not getting a 3com nic. Really the only difference between that and other nics is about 30 dollars. Any well known generic ethernet card will work (Linksys, dlink, netgear, etc.).

RedHat 7.0, after upgrading everything, works great with a geforce. Get the drivers from nvidia's site.

I heard about a geforce overclocking tool, but I haven't used it. http://www.evil3d.net/products/nvclock/

[Molecule Man]

Originally posted by Convert:
Thanks Guys, i guess i should not overclock my linux box, but i can't help it. I have never NOT overclocked a computer. When i rean windows, my vid card was overclocked too. Core 300mhz, Memory 500mhz (DDR). WEll, i think i am going to d/l drake 8.0 beta and give that a wirl. If i install the beta Drake, will i still be able to update it via drake's update tool when the stable version comes out, or will i have to uninstall and reinstall?

You should be able to use the update/upgrade tool, you might need to boot with the cd and upgrade in that fashion, and as this is a beta you might need to do a clean install, but I haven't had to in the past.

[Convert]

I am surprised to see so many reply's about my box. yeah it is pretty kick ***, but it can be had for the price of a cheap *** pentium system... AMD all the way.

[DaMasta]

I've never had any problems with linux on an overclocked box. P3 550 @ 733. Go ahead and overclock. Nothing wrong with it. You'll see a difference in frame rates as well. There is now a nvidia videocard overclocking utility available at evil3d.net. Check it out.

[killerasp]

i suggest you dual boot. Since you are a newbie, its the best thing. Go fully to linux when you have a good grip on it

[Convert]

Originally posted by killerasp:
i suggest you dual boot. Since you are a newbie, its the best thing. Go fully to linux when you have a good grip on it

Thanks for the tip, but i am sick of dual booting... when i first learned windows i didn't need any training wheels :D . I think ill be just fine, i got plenty of books, and i love penguins.