Wanted: mobo recommendation

**rickenbacherus** · 11-19-2003, 12:06 AM

Originally Posted by baldyeti

From what I've been (un)able to find, they're both problematic under
linux. Has anyone good/bad experience here with getting the integrated
devices of either of these boards to operate with knoppix/debian?

My understanding is that for nforce2-based mainboards, non-oss drivers are
available from nvidia. Is this correct ? Anything comparable for Via?

Thanks for all shared info.

I'm really trying to avoid the VIA chipset all together. I know of several people that seem to have no troubles with them but just the same......
Here are the nvidia drivers:
http://www.nvidia.com/object/linux.html

**oldgeezer** · 11-19-2003, 07:36 AM

If you want something really cheap, you can get the PCChips Syntax with KT266 and USB2 for less than £20 from Ebuyer. I have not seen any bad reviews about this board - unusually for PCC, everything seems to work out-of-the-box and is well-behaved. Not cutting-edge, but then, neither is your prospective cpu.
OG.

**baldyeti** · 11-19-2003, 09:30 AM

Originally Posted by oldgeezer

you can get the PCChips Syntax with KT266 and USB2 for less than £20 from Ebuyer

Looks quite interesting indeed; have you actually tried that one with a knoppix CD? Did the sound/ethernet/usb2 work?

**oldgeezer** · 11-19-2003, 10:03 AM

Sorry - no! Entirely happy with my earlier K7S5As, vide supra, whose idiosyncrasies I find totally manageable. I have no USB2 devices.
OG.

**CapnGimp** · 11-20-2003, 03:52 AM

I have been using an ECS K7S5A for over a year now. I have installed Redhat, Mandrake and Knoppix on them with no problems. Onboard sound, Lan, USB, everything works fine. I have 1700XP cpu, have used 100, 133 AND DDr 2700 memory. Presently 786 meg ram, and GForce 3 vc. I like them so well, I used same boards in multiple computers at my bro-in-laws dental practice. Cheap AND reliable. I have ran mine as a server around the clock for weeks on end for DeltaForce games 3 and LW, simultaneously surfing ,etc with no problems. I use this site in Houston for all my computer parts, cheap and reliable www.neobox.ws
just my 2.3 cents worth.

**rickenbacherus** · 11-21-2003, 02:39 AM

I went with the Asus A7N266-VM/AA nForce220D from linuxvoodoo for $75 shipped. It's a uATX (9.6" x 9.6") form factor so it should fit in a fairly small case.

My XP2200 just arrived today from compubuzz- $60 shipped.

Brand new Coolermaster hsf combo from a friend.- $10

Used atx case from a lazy, twinkie binging, cash-strapped teenager- $10

450W power supply w/ dual fans - $15 shipped.

1 40G Seagate - $25

Now all i need to get is the ram.
2 x 512M sticks Micron pc2100 DDR.- $150 shipped.

That's $345.

Let's also add that I sold two older machines for $100 so my out-of-pocket was even lower.

Add my NEC 1100a dvd+rw drive and one of 25 floppy drives I have lying around to this baby and for short money I've got a really cheap pc that oughtta do just fine for a long while to come. HP, Dell, Gateway- you can keep your junk thank you.

I think I need to get the Asus ipanel for $35 shipped too. well- we'll see......

**oldgeezer** · 11-21-2003, 10:24 AM

That's robbery! M/b - $30max, mod. D1.6 (clocked=same as XP2200) - $40, mem. (too much?) - $75. Cheaper to buy mail order from Asia or Europe - even with postal costs.
OG.