Re: Which linux flavor for amd64?
On Fri, Apr 07, 2006 at 12:58:46PM +0000, 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.
Hmm, tricky. I used to maintain a debian unstable system up to date on
dial up. Every night I connected and asked it to download the updated
packages and hangup afterwards. Worked great. Install I did at my
parents place using cable modem.
> 2. I'd like to use the dual vga monitors off the nVidia card using xinerama (not nVidia's TwinView)
You can run xinerama on the nvidia. I know people doing that.
> 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.
Soft modems are usually a pain. External serial would work great.
I see no support for the printer. No idea what would be involved or
what their driver does and how it would integrate with something normal
like cupsys.
> 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.
Won't install on hardware that new.
> 3. Install unofficial (sarge) Debian v3.1r01 amd64. CDs (or DVDs?) can be purchased.
Not sure anyone has made disks of it. And it won't install on hardware
that new.
> 4. Install testing (etch) Debian which supposedly has internal amd64 support. Can DVDs/CDs be found?
No DVD/CDs for testing. Netinstall cds exist, which can grab actual
needed packages from internet. Discs are usually only made near to
release time, which is at least 8 or 9 months away for etch (testing).
> 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?
Any recent system already supports the majority of devices on nforce4
boards. I wouldn't touch that one from nvidia.
> 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.
Some distributions have packages of those drives, which work very well.
Nvidia's installer makes a nice mess of many systems, due to making
assumptions about the layout of the system.
> Suggestions on which linux flavor and which add-on drivers I should install are welcomed.
Well I am a debian fanatic, so that's what I would run. :) Sarge is
probably too old to install on that hardware, but testing ought to work
well, and they like people testing the beta2 for testing's installer
(named etch).
Len Sorensen
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