Darkelve Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 So I'm having trouble with my BIOS, I tried to flash it and it would not boot any longer (see my other thread in Talk-Talk). But I was going to have to upgrade anyway, so I'm taking the opportunity now to get a new Motherboard. Which motherboard would you recommend? Of course, it'll have to work with Linux! My specs: Company: Targa Visonary Software (They assembled the box) Monitor: Gericom, 19'' screen (max. resolution -I think-: 1280*1024) Vga Driver: Asus V185 (this was on a CD-ROM with drivers for my box) Keyboard: Chicony PS/2 Internet Multimedia Keyboard Mouse: Safeway, PS/2 optical mouse DVD-rom drive: Samsung SD-616 CDRW drive (32x12x40): Asus?? (There's no brand on the front) Hard disk: Maxtor 80GB (RPM: 7200 I think) Processor: Amd Athlon XP 1670 Mhz (I think that's the AthlonXP 2000+ ) Onboard network Card: RealTek 8139 Family PCI Fast Ethernet Driver (module 8139too) Modem: Microtel HSP modem (don't use it) Motherboard: A7N266-C Socket-A nvidia nforce 415-D Chipset (with AGP slot) DDR SDRAM Bios: AwardBios Graphics card: nvidia Geforce MX440 64MB (I think AGP, since the motherboard has an AGP slot, see above) Ports front: 1 Firewire port, 2 USB ports (I think 2.0), floppy disk, headphone + speaker (I think) port Ports Back: Tv-out, 2 "printer" ports (1 large, 1 small), 1 "modem" port, 1 "ethernet" port, 2 USB ports (module for my USB: OHCI) Other Periphal: Linksys-B WET-11 Wireless-B Ethernet Bridge (I use it to connect my PC to our wireless LAN setup, i.e. to get a DHCP address from the Wireless access point) I hope that's enough detail! It was everything I could find on the CD's and in the manuals. One more remark: I want to keep my Graphics Card for now, but replace it in the future with a high-end nvidia-brand card, like the Geforce 6600 or 6800, or perhaps even higher if necessary (it all depends on how well it'll be able to run Oblivion, the gameI'm eagerly anticipating). I guess Graphics cards with AGP slots will keep existing? So if I understand correctly, I'll need a new Motherboard AND a new processor? My preference for a processor is AMD. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted April 10, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 Okay, so someone recommended me this: - MSI K8N NEO 2 Platinum - AMD Athlon 64 3200+, 512KB L2 Cache, Socket 939 64-bit Processor - Retail Kit - Antec Power supply Should cost around $500 to $600. What do you think? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daniewicz Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 What kind of RAM do you have now? PC2100, PC2700?, PC3200? If you use your old RAM with your new board, you might have to underclock the processor to make it work. You ask about the future of AGP? PCI Express is the future! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
devries Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 http://gathering.tweakers.net/forum/list_messages/1025682 :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamw Posted April 10, 2005 Report Share Posted April 10, 2005 I think that's someone who loves to spend money advising you :). If you don't actually NEED to upgrade your machine, any nforce2 board should do you fine. I have an Asus A7N8X-E board in my only full-size machine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted April 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 I think that's someone who loves to spend money advising you :). If you don't actually NEED to upgrade your machine, any nforce2 board should do you fine. I have an Asus A7N8X-E board in my only full-size machine. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Well, I was just going through all of the possibilities for solving my "bad flash" problem. I also mentioned I might want to upgrade my machine one day, for the lastest gaming. That's why that motherboard got suggested. Although now I think it might be better to get a different machine for that, or maybe even a console... I brought in my PC. Hopefully, they can fix it, but they said perhaps it wouldn't be possible... and maybe I'd have to get another motherboard, a cheap one. But then my problem is again: will I have the same functionality in Linux as before? Will the onboard ethernet card and audio work? <sigh>... why do PC's have to be so complicated. Hopefully, clearing CMOS will fix the situation... Darkelve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamw Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 I've used many different nforce2 mobos with Linux. Yes, onboard audio and network will work. nforce onboard networking is well supported by the forcedeth driver, and onboard audio by snd-intel8x0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted April 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 I've used many different nforce2 mobos with Linux. Yes, onboard audio and network will work. nforce onboard networking is well supported by the forcedeth driver, and onboard audio by snd-intel8x0. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Okay, IF it's necessary to get another MOBO, I'll ask for an nforce2 board. Are these all Asus boards, or are there other brands too with nforce chipset? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamw Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 Many different manufacturers make nforce2 boards, practically all the major manufacturers have such a board. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted April 13, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 Many different manufacturers make nforce2 boards, practically all the major manufacturers have such a board. <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Kay, thanks. I'm asking because I *think* they're an Intel-only shop. Not that I'd mind an Intel MOBO, as long as its as good as my curreny one and Linux has no problems with it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adamw Posted April 13, 2005 Report Share Posted April 13, 2005 Intel mobos tend to work fine as well, so long as you don't buy the absolute latest super-mad-cutting-edge thing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSe Posted April 14, 2005 Report Share Posted April 14, 2005 I like ASUS, EpoX and Gigabyte. ASUS I latched onto recently - nice value for money. Not too expensive, and quality stuff. EpoX I used for years, very cheap and pretty robust, but nothing to write home about. Gigabyte is luxury - pretty pricey, but very nice. I just don't like the gimmics they peddle their stuff off of - like Dual-Bios... who the heck needs that? Well... actually... :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted April 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2005 who the heck needs that? Well... actually... :P You're trying to tell me you own one, right? ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoulSe Posted April 14, 2005 Report Share Posted April 14, 2005 You're trying to tell me you own one, right? ;) No I don't, what I meant was it might have helped you since you had a BIOS problem ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darkelve Posted April 14, 2005 Author Report Share Posted April 14, 2005 You're trying to tell me you own one, right? ;) No I don't, what I meant was it might have helped you since you had a BIOS problem ;) <{POST_SNAPBACK}> Ha! Good one. So I can buy a dual-engine in case my car brakes down! :D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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