building a new linux box

[null]

I'd like to replace my current linbox (P-III 1Ghz, 256Mb RAM, 40 GB H-D) with something better.

 

I want to go to a mini-tower case, black or dark grey, with easy accessibility for upgrading, etc. And maybe with a clear window side panel ... oh yeah - and usb 2 ports on the front.

 

Also I want to go AMD, so I need suggestions for a new mobo and what chipset & processor to get. I suppose an athlon 2500 barton core would be enough for me. I don't know alot about chipsets though, I'd like something that linux would not need too much fiddling about. nVidia ? 600 ? I suppose I'll buy 512Mb RAM.

 

Video card - I'm not really a gamer at all, although I'd like to maybe pickup one of the top games just to occasionally play (one that works on linux).

 

Sound card - anything decent will do.

 

I definately want to learn burning audio CDs and burning DVDs (from source DVDs - my own of course). Is that even possible under linux? If so, I will probably buy an inexpensive DVD multi-format burner such as Lite-On.

 

I also have a Canon S-40 Powershot digital camera, which I can plug in to my usb 2 port on my win2k box, and the Canon software (Canon ZoomBrowser) automatically opens up and I can download the pics into it. What will happen with this on a linux machine... ?

 

If this all works out OK, I can use it for my main Do Everything Machine, and just use my win2k AMD 2000 machine as a backup machine only. After around 2 years of occasionally farting around with linux, I am starting to think I can go 100% linux sometime this year.

 

I suppose I should wait a couple months so that the new 2.6 kernel is included in the main distros... ?

Edited February 9, 2004 by null

[cjc]

Here is what I am running as a dedicated system under MDK 9.2:

 

MOBO: Asus A7V8X-X, 1 x AGP 8x, 6 PCI, Realtek 10/100 Mbps ethernet (built in), VT8233 [AC97 Audio Controller, built in]

Memory: 512MB ram (PC2700):

CPU:AMD 2600+XP (333MHz FSB)

CD Burner: SONY CD-RW CRX160E

Video: GeForce4 MX 420

 

Not top of the line, but it functions just fine for my needs

[Ixthusdan]

I would recommend Epox mb with via chipset, and of course amd all the way. The A97 works nicely in linux, so you don't really need a soundcard, but any Creative soundblaster card is best. Nvidia for video. Other components are not critical, except that lg is on my "do not use" list after the 9.2 release. Get a 350-400 watt power supply.

 

 

http://www.mwave.com

http://www.noblepcs.com

 

Always shop.

[VeeDubb]

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO

SOYO!!!!!!

 

 

I can't say it enough times. For the love of all things good and right forget everthing anyone else has told you and buy a Soyo motherboard. you can check them out at http://www.soyo.com

 

I have built many systems and the 8 that I have built on Soyo motherboards have been best recieved and had the very fewest problems which greatly increased my profit margin.

 

I can not express to you the joy that is working on a soyo motherboard. They fully support All versions fo Windows and Linux, out perform andything I can find and they look great for a show computer like what you are thinking of with the clear side panel.

 

As if all that wasn't enough, they are also VERY reasonaby priced when compared to boards with similar features. Not cheap, but very reasonable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

My second sugestion is this. Buy EVERYTHING at http://www.newegg.com

 

I won't buy hardware anywhere else.

[Sarissi]

I am using a Chaintech 7VJL Deluxe Apogee and love it, at least for Mandrake Linux. When they Deluxe, they mean it! It comes with:

 

4 CDROMs, 2 are Thiz Linux 6.0

CBOX - 4 USB 2.0 ports, Mic, and Headpones. Fits in 3.5 inch bay

Single Floppy drive cable (FDD controller only supports One FDD)

Two rounded ATA133 cables (dual drive on both)

Rear Audio riser

Cmedia 6 channel 4.1 Surround Sound (works fine in Mandrake and Windows)

1 AGP 3.0 8X slot

6 PCI slots

NO AMR, CNR, or other wondoze funky slots

Via KT400/vt8235 chipset

Header for Card Reader on mobo

Builtin 10/100 ethernet nic (works fine in Mandrake and windows)

2 Serial ports

1 Parallel port

PS/2 Keyboard and mouse ports

6 USB 2.0 (2 in rear and the other 4 are handled by the CBOX)

Max RAM is 4 Gigabytes DDR333

Max CPU is Athlon XP 3000+ or 3200+ 333 Mhz FSB (mine is running 2500+ Barton core just fine)

2 ATA133 channels

 

This is the first mobo I have had, that Mandrake actually turned OFF the computer, when I told it to (no need to use the power button to turn the stupid thing OFF).

 

This mobo was built with Linux in mind.

[null]

Only mobos I have ever bought were Abit or Asus, cuz those are the ones that the two local hardware stores that I like can get for me. I haven't ever bought a mobo mailorder.

 

I guess like Ix said, I can blow-off a sound card - just use the built-in. I don't have a sound card in my win2k box either and it sounds OK.

 

What about my inquiry about downloading pics by usb from a digital camera... ? If I can get everything going on a linux box that I do with my winbox (burning CDs, burning DVDs, and retrieving the pics from my Canon digital camera) then I can use my win2k machine as only a backup machine...

 

Oh yeah - and if I can get stuff installed on a linux box that I have installed on my winbox - like Java, Eclipse, various plugins, etc.

[arthurking]

Hi null (do you say Nee? )

You should have no worries with getting stuff off your camera.

9.2 is normally set up in its default desktop install to load the nessessary stuff, I think. i can't be sure but it needs automount(?) installed. Just do a multimedia install.

I have been using a usb flash drive for some time now.

They are so handy.

Did you say Canon camera? Errrr-yuck! canon sucks. I love 'em for their quality products, but ask them about some linux drivers.

I mean, if you're going to write drivers for Mac, why not Unix. Dickeds!

The camera should be ok though.

 

cheers.

[Gowator]

I suppose I should wait a couple months so that the new 2.6 kernel is included in the main distros... ?

If your going to do that why not wait for AMD64 to be more mainstream.

 

I got the Cd's For Mandrake 9.2 64bit already....

Now im waiting for the updates and bug fixes ..

[Peep]

you can do everything you mentioned in linux. easily and pain-free.

 

i have a similar digital camera (canon elph s200). buy a $10 USB compactflash reader and it'll be easier in both windows and linux. it'll save batteries and the computer will just see the card as a little hard drive. it's MUCH better than the software that comes with cameras. i think 9.2 will automatically detect when you plug the compactflash into the reader and mount it automatically. if not, it would be as easy to mount as clicking an icon on your desktop. (There are also a lot of different utilities that might allow you to connect directly to your camer just as you do now--but i haven't used them and don't know much about them... it's possible you could just plug your camera in and it'd work.)

 

burning cds and dvds is at least as easy in linux as in windows. k3b and similar programs have come a long way. if you build the computer, install 9.2, it should set up everything for you.

 

if you aren't ready to go all out on a new system right now, why not just buy a new hard drive and stick it in your existing win2k box? then you could install mandrake on it and do all the neat stuff you're talking about right now, just as you do in windows!