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Re: Which linux flavor for amd64?



On Friday 07 Apr 2006 13:58, jjvoyager@netzero.com wrote:
> I had a Win98/knoppix p2 machine that was flooded by katrina.  I have a new
> system: cpu AMD Athlon 64 3200+
> mb evga 133-k8-nf41-xx uses the nForce4 chipset
> pcie video card nVidia GeForce 6600LE (do not intend to use SLI
> functionality) OS WinXP Home + SP2 preinstalled on a 160GB SATA HD
> Use dual (VGA) monitors under win
>
> Finished my break-in period with XP, and I'd like to establish a dual boot
> system with linux.  I think I can hack resizing the ntfs volume,
> repartition the disk, install linux and manage the boot loader.  My initial
> questions concern which linux version should I install?
>
> Constraints/desires:
> 1. I have a dialup connection, therefore I need to install from cd/dvd.
> 2. I'd like to use the dual vga monitors off the nVidia card using xinerama
> (not nVidia's TwinView) 3. Other hardware: Agere Systems PCI Soft Modem
> using SV92PL-T00 chipset, (can hook up a serial Creative Modem Blaster if
> the soft modem can't function under linux), an external usb hd, and a
> Samsung scx-4216f printer/fax/copy/scanner using either usb/parallel.
>
> Options considered:
> 1. Live CD Knoppix v4.0.2 provides a hd-installer, but some Knoppers say if
> you are going to install Debian anyway, you are better off doing a straight
> Debian install. Moreover Live Knoppix detects neither the soft modem nor
> the printer.  Haven't made the effort with the xf86conf file to see if I
> can get dual monitors driven by the one card before deciding between these
> options. 2. Install official stable (sarge) Debian v3.1r1 i386.  DVDs easy
> to purchase. 3. Install unofficial (sarge) Debian v3.1r01 amd64.  CDs (or
> DVDs?) can be purchased. 4. Install testing (etch) Debian which supposedly
> has internal amd64 support.  Can DVDs/CDs be found?
>
> Additonal notes that may/may not be applicable to the above options:
> a) Samsung has a linux driver for their printer which may give
> functionality under any of the above options. b) nVidia has a
> NFORCE-Linux-x86_64-1.0-0319-pkg1.run which adds support for (nVidia)AMD64
> nForce 430/410 mbs.  I suppose this might add support for my mb too? c)
> nVidia has a NVIDIA-Linux-x86-1.0-8178-pkg1.run which adds i386 and/or
> amd64/em64t support for their GeForce 6xxx video cards.
>
> Suggestions on which linux flavor and which add-on drivers I should install
> are welcomed.

They're half right about Knoppix.  It's a great way to test a system for 
compatibility.  {There's another liveCD that I often use for compatibility 
testing, but I shan't mention its name on a Debian list.}  It's not so good 
for flexibility with package selection, though you could put in 
an /etc/apt/sources.list file .....  except you really need a proper internet 
connection for that.  I used apt-get over dial-up once.  Never again.

Whatever you do, *only* ever install *open source* drivers.  Drivers have to 
be intimate with the kernel, and as such are subject to crash the system if 
poorly written; there is no way to know how well closed source code has been 
written, so you should always assume the worst.

Check out the Samsung driver, and make sure it has absolutely no proprietary 
components.  Check the licence file; if it's pure GPL or BSD, you're fine  
{but watch out; I have seen software offered supposedly under a BSD licence 
but without source code being available, although permission was granted to 
distribute it -- go figure}.  Unpack the tarball and look for files ending in 
".o", ".ko" or ".so" -- if you see any of those, avoid.

The open source "nv" drivers in XFree86 / XOrg work perfectly for me but I 
have only ever tried with a single monitor.  I have no experience of nForce 
ethernet chipsets so haven't tried the open source "forcedeth" driver; but I 
haven't heard much to de-recommend these mobos so they can't be all that bad.

-- 
AJS
delta echo bravo six four at earthshod dot co dot uk



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