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Building a Linux box

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wkilleffer

wkilleffer

Jedi Knight
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Hi everyone,

This is a question for those with computer expertise:

Is it possible to build a Linux desktop using an AMD Athlon chip and socket A motherboard?

I've been interested in something like that for awhile, but haven't had the resources until now.

The reason I'm asking about that chip and 'board in particular is because my wife's computer that used that setup died last week due to failed capacitors on the 'board. I've found some good replacement 'boards and have ordered them. They're not too expensive, probably because this 'board isn't bleeding edge anymore. Processor prices aren't bad either.

Because of these lower prices, and the falling prices of ram and hard drives make it look like a good time to experiment.

I've not ever done anything like this before, though. I've always been interested in computers, but never knew much more than basic setup or enough to be dangerous. The idea of doing this in a homebrew way holds alot of interest.

Any ideas or suggestions would be appreciated, but please keep in mind that I'm pretty well committed to using this board and processor at this time.

Thank you,
 
It'll work fine! I'd also say try Fedora Core 5 as the Linux flavor... some will jump on this and recommend Debian, but for ease of loading and config I'll stick by Core 5. Download it, burn the .iso's and have at it. You'll be surprised at how stable and fast that box will become.

Other "stuff" you may find useful:

Open Office (has all the M$ 'Office' has and is nearly TOTALLY compatable with it. And it's FREE!

Mozilla Suite. All-in-one: browser, e-mail, sitebuilding utility and a bunch more. Again, FREE.

gThumb Inage Viewer: great for photo viewing, resampling/resizing.

Let us know how you get on!
 
Hi William, Linux support for AMD Athlon hardware seems to be just fine. I've run Knoppix and Redhat on my Athlon XP desktop with no problems. A buddy of mine just put PCLinux on my old Duron laptop I sold to him, and all seems to working perfectly.
 
BTW: Linux kernel supports 64-bit architecture and HAS for a while now... M$ is just now catchin' up. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif
 
ok, this is a great question. but i want the spinning cube desktop..........what do i need to do that.


mark
 
I'd suggest getting Ubuntu's distribution (https://www.ubuntu.com). I just installed it on an older Athlon 2100+ and it all worked like a charm. Easy to use, comes with all the "good stuff" listed below, automatic updates & patches.
 
[ QUOTE ]
It'll work fine! I'd also say try Fedora Core 5 as the Linux flavor... some will jump on this and recommend Debian, but for ease of loading and config I'll stick by Core 5. Download it, burn the .iso's and have at it. You'll be surprised at how stable and fast that box will become.

[/ QUOTE ]

Well, I guess my next question is how to go about downloading these. Is it a matter of running an internet search to find the files, downloading them, and burning them onto a cdrom? Then use the disks like setting up a Windoze box with a new hard drive? I'm telling you, this is part of why I've never done this before. Knowing how/where to start is a big part of the equation.

[ QUOTE ]
Other "stuff" you may find useful:

Open Office (has all the M$ 'Office' has and is nearly TOTALLY compatable with it. And it's FREE!

[/ QUOTE ]

I've been using this one for a couple of years after a grad school prof told us all about it. It's very versatile.

[ QUOTE ]
Mozilla Suite. All-in-one: browser, e-mail, sitebuilding utility and a bunch more. Again, FREE.

[/ QUOTE ]

I've used this one on an older Mac in the past, and use Firefox now. It's nice to know that Linux supports this level of functionality.

[ QUOTE ]
gThumb Inage Viewer: great for photo viewing, resampling/resizing.

[/ QUOTE ]

Never heard of this one, but it sounds good.

[ QUOTE ]
Let us know how you get on!

[/ QUOTE ]

I'll give it my best shot.

Thank you,
 
I'm running Ubuntu Linux on a 1.6 ghz duron with 512 mb of memory.The machine was a 1.2 ghz Tbird before the processor went belly up. Mother board is an aBit KT7A-R. I'd suggest Ubuntu if you primarily want a desktop ( vs. server ) it comes with gnome as the default GUI, or you can go with Kubuntu which is the same animal but with KDE as the default GUI. Either way, it's also easier to get started with since the necessary image for installing it to your HDD is smaller than most other releases. I've been running it for a while and I've had no problems with it.
BTW, I ran Knoppix on my HDD for about 3 years, but I don't recommend it ( and apparently neither does the guy who wrote Knoppix ) since it's a customized OS and may have revisions of some packages ( C++ being the most memorable ) that are older than what installer packages (say nVidia kernel modules) expect. Like I said, I ran it for 3 years , but every once in a while Chaos would reign over the computer for no explicable reason!


Ubuntu offers a "Live CD" option like Knoppix, for those who want to try before committing HDD space.


Ubuntu Home Page
 
[ QUOTE ]
I'm running Ubuntu Linux on a 1.6 ghz duron with 512 mb of memory.The machine was a 1.2 ghz Tbird before the processor went belly up. Mother board is an aBit KT7A-R. I'd suggest Ubuntu if you primarily want a desktop ( vs. server ) it comes with gnome as the default GUI, or you can go with Kubuntu which is the same animal but with KDE as the default GUI.

[/ QUOTE ]

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

And some people think LBC nomenclature is obscure.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif

By comparison finding a gudgeon pin is easy-peasy..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
[
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

And some people think LBC nomenclature is obscure.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/yesnod.gif

By comparison finding a gudgeon pin is easy-peasy..... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/jester.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif

[/ QUOTE ]

Wait! Wait! Am I hearing this from someone whose country's many variants of its national beverage have names such as:
Laprhoaig, Glenfiddich,Glenmorangie,Talisker, The Macallan,Springbank, and Glen Scotia?

/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif


Ubuntu is easy to use, easy to install, and you don't have to be a Linux afficianado to use it. It will do automatic updates just like Windows. It will not, however, explain why that stupid Drambuie commercial exists ( not that Drambuie is stupid, but the thought of polluting it with SODA is sort of like putting cream in coffee! ) or why your great aunt Sophie still insists she was Castro's childhood sweetheart even though she grew up in Lincoln, Nebraska and as far as anyone knows, the farthest she ever went from home was Ottumwa, IA ( rumored to have the highest unsolved murder rate ( per capita ) in the world ). These are mysteries that Ubuntu can not solve for you. But Ubuntu does take the mystery out of a ready-to-use, productive Linux desktop packed with features.
 
Sure, Ubunto is great... but can it help you pronounce:

Bruichladdich, or Lagavulin, or Teaninich, or Auchentoshan or Bunnahabhain?
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Even sober? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

As a transplant from the US I amuse the natives with my mangling of these names.... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/hammer.gif

Can't say I've seen the Drambuie commercial, though....



Do you drink the Scotch before, or after the computing? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/savewave.gif

Or before, during and after like me? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/thirsty.gif
 
[ QUOTE ]
Sure, Ubunto is great... but can it help you pronounce:

Bruichladdich, or Lagavulin, or Teaninich, or Auchentoshan or Bunnahabhain?
/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused.gif
Even sober? /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/crazy.gif


[/ QUOTE ]

That's why I recommend sitting down with a large dram of Drambuie before computing. Sure! It's expensive, but it makes the colors more intense, increases the stereo separation in the audio and enhances the 3D gaming experience greatly!

The Drambuie commercial basically consists of a bunch of rapidly swapped cuts of a ( circa Braveheart )highlander leaping like a gazelle through the highlands and a modern man leaping over the rooftops in a modern city. The highlander throws the secret recipe and the modern guy catches it and tucks it away safely. Not that bad of a commercial, but then they're urging you to drink Drambuie with SODA - /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/eek.gif

I find that a cup of coffee with a scotch chaser makes for an excellent computing experience if imbibed early in the session /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/devilgrin.gif
 
Not to change the subject or anything, but are there any Linux-compatible games that can take advantage of that 64bit architecture? Computers are meant for productivity, but I always played games on them as well

Also, does Ubuntu offer wireless networking support? We have wireless networking now, and I'd like to set up some wireless security cams if such exists. Put the box to work, but use it for fun as well.

Thank you,
 
Games? Well, there's the usual assortment of Linux games, some good, some not so good. But there's also a variety of Windows games which run under Wine or Transgaming's (?) customized version of Wine, for which you pay a small subscription fee ( You must own the game first, the fee merely gets you the converted code )

I believe that they have Morrowind running under Wine. I'm not sure about the various SoCom,Rainbow $, or other military games.

For more Ubuntu info, you might look around here:

https://www.ubuntu.com/community

I think you can find info on wireless support there.
 
Over the last few years I've had a couple of laptops on Linux running wireless here. Easiest to set up are the cards with Realtek NIC chips. Linux likes 'em for some reason. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif

I remember an SMC card as being a real 'mutha' on Linux.

When you find yourself in dilemma, Sourceforge and Linux Forums are invaluable resource. There are so many "HowTo's" you can't get stuck for long. The worst times I've had have been when I (bull-headedly) stuff together a "bleeding-edge" box with new hardware; stuff the latest kernel version hasn't got "drivers" for... SATA RAID was a challenge when first introduced but now it'll sort itself. Video cards are still the biggest offenders IMO. nVidia especially.
 
Hmm - I must be a 'tard.

I'm still struggling to get Apache 2 to autostart on my Xandros install. Have been for 2 days now.

Took me the first one just to install Xandros and get that version! You can tell I don't do Linux for a living can't you...

It only took me an hour on Windows though. Most of that was figuring PHP5 won't take long filenames.
 
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