Guest reducer Posted July 18, 2004 Report Share Posted July 18, 2004 Hi, I'm wondering this : I wan't to buy new hardware, i.e. a fully new computer based on a AMD 64 Athlon (wanna go 64 bits) but I want it to be fully compatible with Mandrake 10. How can I know at forehand I'll be buying fully compatible hardware ? I mean, I want to buy a new machine, but I want to make my own selection of hardware and this regarding to a compatibility list. I know there is the official Mandrake compatibility list, but I think it's a little too restrictive and not very up to date for someone who wants new. Maybe there is a site with good hardware tests, a bit like Tom's Hardware (for those who know that site) where linux compatibilities are on the topic too. Someone has an idea ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Adriano Posted July 18, 2004 Report Share Posted July 18, 2004 Hi, I'm wondering this : I wan't to buy new hardware, i.e. a fully new computer based on a AMD 64 Athlon (wanna go 64 bits) but I want it to be fully compatible with Mandrake 10. How can I know at forehand I'll be buying fully compatible hardware ? I mean, I want to buy a new machine, but I want to make my own selection of hardware and this regarding to a compatibility list. I know there is the official Mandrake compatibility list, but I think it's a little too restrictive and not very up to date for someone who wants new. Maybe there is a site with good hardware tests, a bit like Tom's Hardware (for those who know that site) where linux compatibilities are on the topic too. Someone has an idea ? <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Sorry, but the only other thing you can do is pray... Maybe checking the Linux compatibility lists (and downloading new kernels perhaps) at linux.org, but if you really want to be sure you can only either check Mandrake's compatibility list or install the hardware and test it. No, I lie. Google is always your friend. For every abstruse piece of hardware, there's always a nutcase who's bought it and tried it on Linux before you do. Said nutcase does also manage to write up something in a forum about it. I know this leads to a paradox, but so far the universe hasn't collapsed, and I got my computer working, so who cares? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aRTee Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Check also websites like linuxhardware.org (.com), they review hardware (athlon64 mobo's for instance) and tell in how far things work with linux. Check for a mobo, plenty of info on the web. For other hardware, make sure that there are open source drivers (basically, anything that works with Mandrake download editions out of the box means the drivers are included with the kernel) which means that they will be available for amd64 systems (just compiled with different options). You'll want nvidia graphics, since ATI has not released a closed source 64bit driver yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSe Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 Also ask around on the board about hardware you aren't sure of. ChrisZ recently did that to build himself a new system, so maybe ask him about what he discovered. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GodFlesh Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 forums at linuxhardware.org are a good idea. Also the latest anandtech.com reviews are interesting. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYinYeti Posted July 20, 2004 Report Share Posted July 20, 2004 With a lot of google, you can find almost all info you want. Search for "<some reference> linux". That's how I chose my Pinnacle PCTV Stereo. I have to run a self-compiled kernel, though (which is not all that hard to do). Yves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xbob Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 What YinYet said, I just built this system a few weeks ago and chose all my hardware by doing Google searches like "Shuttle SK41G Linux" or nVidia GeForce 4 Mandrake 10" (not always fruitful but sometimes you get perfect information), perusing forums and reading specs very carefully. Linuxhardware.org is also very useful and can give you some good insight into chipset support and performance. Personally, I find buying a few months back almost guaruntees good Linux support as the community works pretty hard to support most everything that comes down the pike, but bleeding edge stuff can be hard to deal with on occaision. Good luck. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SwiftDeath Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 Yeah what they all said sounds like good advice. if you go to http://www.mandrakelinux.org they also have hardware compatibility list too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
arctic Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 how about the most simple way? take a mandrake10 move cd and test the hardware in the shop before buying it. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSe Posted July 21, 2004 Report Share Posted July 21, 2004 (edited) how about the most simple way? take a mandrake10 move cd and test the hardware in the shop before buying it. ;) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Aye - I use PCLOS to test hardware before loading Linux on it sometimes. Although you can't really do that to hardware you haven't already bought... Edited July 21, 2004 by SoulSe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
theYinYeti Posted July 22, 2004 Report Share Posted July 22, 2004 This method is simple, true. But it does not apply when you cannot see the computer: - because you buy it from components parts, or - because you buy it (or parts of it) from internet. Yves. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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