Hello LinuxQuestions people

Right now computers based on the Intel 820 and
AMD 64X2 4200 chips on DDR1-compatible sockets
are priced right because the new DDR2-compatible
sockets are coming out.

So, question:
I would like to put FC4 or FC5 running smp
and either 32bit or 64bit on one of two
systems: both are HP Pavilion, both introduced
about a half-year ago:

a1445n PentiumD 820, Intel 945P chipset
on Asus P5LP-LE motherboard

or

a1450n AMD 64X2 4200, nForce 430/GeForce 6150
chipset/graphics (I believe it is the 430)
on Asus A8N-LA motherboard

Could anyone make some recommendations either
way? Which have been the easiest to install
(most transparent install, without any special
fixes or workarounds), most stable for dual-core
and fedora smp, which Core: FC4 ? FC5 ?

Is the PentiumD 820 really such a bad early design?

Maurice Yarrow

For some reason, I've always had some issues with Intel sound and Intel graphics on various distributions. Although I've tried installing graphics drivers from the Intel website in some of those situations, I never got it to work. As I was just to lazy and those boxes are used as servers, I did not care to much and used the 810 driver (with its limitations) for those situations where I wanted to use the graphical environment.

Last week I spoiled myself with a new PC with nforce 410 (MB Biostar 6100-M9). I did not experience any problems installing and running Slackware 10.2 (some 2.4 kernel; 32bit version)). Only needed to download, compile and install the drivers for both MB (network and sound) and onboard graphicks (obviously for the graphics). However, it's an Athlon 3000+, so can't judge on smp.

Somebody else might have experience on FC4/FC5; it might include the NVIDIA drivers already, in which case FC5 will probably have the newer ones.

Concluding: I would try it on the AMD system.