Hi,

I have been encountering a number of issues with my OpenSUSE installs (lockups, strange slowdowns and so on) and I've come to the conclusion that the kind of hardware I buy (like my nVidia SLi motherboard and Saitek GM3200 gaming mouse) so I figured that when I next bought new hardware I should consider Linux (especially my favourite distro, OpenSUSE).

Anyway, that time has arrived, I have decided to upgrade so what I need is advice on what good, up-to-date hardware I should buy ... specifications decided so far:
• Intel Core 2 Duo Dual or Quad Core
• Intel chipset motherboard (as recent as possible)
• SATA drives
• 2Gb memory (possibly 4)
• PCI-E video at least 256Mb (probably 512).

That's it ... I have a 22" widescreen LCD screen, MS wired keyboard, MS wired mouse and specific advice I want is which motherboard, which video card etc.

I know there is an HCL for SuSE and I'm checking that out but if anyone has any other advice I'd appreciate it Smile

Kyu

Then you should know this: the hardware vendors do not keep Linux programmers up-to-date on their hardware specifications. They have been strong-armed by Micro$oft to keep MS up-to-date, and to keep competitiors in-the-dark as much as possible (my personal suspicion). So, if you want bleeding-edge hardware, you can expect to have problems that you will have to work your way through with Linux. Given the increasing popularity of Linux, vendors are slowly beginning to come around and offer their specs to Linux programmers, but not yet at the same level at with microsoft.

If you are willing to sacrifice a small amout of bleeding-edge, a hardware system a few months old may be better, especially if you can upgrade it to newer specs as Linux catches up to hardware development.

My own system is a couple of years old. However, I decided on a server tower and motherboard which can expand (upgrade CPUs [of which I have two] and increase RAM to 16 Gig) as well as attach newer hardware of other types, such as two Ide hard drives plus two optical drives [either IDE or SATA/SCSI] plus 4 SATA/SCSI hard drives. I can upgrade the CPUs to newer, faster models (AMD plus nVidia makes my ticker tick). I chose a system which can grow to a point before it becomes necessary to buy new equipment again.

I suggest you do likewise.

OK ....

Yes, I know many vendors don't keep up to date and that creates an issue in what is a largely MS oriented hardware market though I am not convinced of any dirty dealing outside of what seems to be to be typical corporate bullishness.

The motherboard I was considering is the Foxconn P9657AA-8EKRS2H (965 chipset) or the 975 chipset variant 975X7AB-2.0-8EKRS2H on the basis that it was the PC Pro (UK professional computing magazine) recommended motherboard for near 2 years only recently being replaced by an MSI Neo. The board is now quite cheap and I figure that having been a recommended board for that long it should have developed some support in the Linux community. So yes, I don't buy the latest or greatest except possibly at the cheaper end of the market (mice, keyboards etc. ... CPU, motherboard, video and so on all tend to be a little bit older but that hasn't stopped me getting problems.

Likewise on hardware ... although I'm not an AMD enthusiast I build systems to last a while (can't do much else, it costs too much); my current system is nearly 2½ years old and since I have a network at home and my wife and kids all have their own PC's that kit will go to my youngest next where it will likely remain for a couple of years more.

Kyu

I do not know if it is totally wright or not ,but the advise I get when I buy my new computer a month ago , be sure that you have free PCI slots , because Linux has difficulties to recognize sound card , modem , ethernet card that is on board
Thats why my mobo has 4 PCI slots free

All the best

No worries, I always do ... being a "build-it-myself" merchant expandability is an important issue so PCI would be required

Kyu