Recently migrated windows user needs basic pc/linux help. Would appreciate any suggestions at this point as I am now creating more problems than solutions...

I have a very basic (turns out to be too basic) motherboard made by PCChips, the M909G, with the Intel i845 chipset, Pentium 4 CPU 2.4Ghz, 512MB RAM, on-board VGA and a SONY SDM-HX73 monitor, which is an LCD (1280x1024@24bit, ideally). When I setup the hardware, I ran a dual boot of SUSE 9.2 and XP for awhile, and things were fine visually in windows, but could not configure Suse and was left with a very magnified desktop that prevented me from doing anything. Several weeks of attempts at anything and everything...

*edited XF86Config files to support better resolution, but X11 would never load because hardware could not support resolution, which I know it can from having run a sharp windows desktop on it;

*through YAST, things didn't get any better;

*was told to check out BIOS configuration for plug n'play and sure enough the on-board VGA memory was set to 1MB so switched it to 8MB and immediately saw results:

*YAST configuration allowed for a maximum of 8bit at 1024x768 setting, which was better than the original 800x600@8bit, but still poor;

*switched distros to RedHat, no luck, back to SUSE 9.2;

*purchased and physically installed ATI Radeon 9600SE and nothing is locating it, not BIOS, not SUSE or RedHat;

I know about lack-of-driver problem, but I haven't even gotten that far because I can't figure out how to tell the BIOS to look for the AGP card and surprise surprise PCChips has been unresponsive to emails, while both SUSE and RedHat were great, but had no solution other than to purchase a new, better motherboard with a better BIOS.

So, this brings me to basic BIOS questions (and please forgive me that this is out of SUSE discussion parameters, well underneath it anyway)...

When i go to Setup BIOS, I go to PCI/Plug and Play Setup and there are these four items with options following:

1) Primary graphics adapter: AGPro, OnChip VGA or PCI;
2) OnCHip VGA Mode Select: 512KB, 1 or 8MB;
3) Allocate IRQ to PCI VGA: Yes/No:
4) PCI IDE BusMaster: Enabled/Disabled DMA.

Presently, the first setting is AGPro, even though I am running monitor off of VGA(?), second setting is 8MB (which i changed from default 1MB); third setting is "Yes" and fourth "Disabled."

So the question is: is there anything there that needs to be changed so that software will identify new card? What else can/should I do to remedy this?

Long-winded, I know, but I am lost at this point.

Thank you very much for any help you can give me.

Cheers.

mmm... i dont have that much of experience with PcChips.. although enuff to tell they are one of the worst motherboard manufacturers... well.. as for the agp problem... MOST motherboard with a integraded video card would let u disable it and boot fron agp slot instead.. and just my 2 cents, never buy ATI Video cards to play with Linux, just save yourself headaches and problems.. i would say all linux distros out there will have problems with ur video card.... i mean , some would let u boot from it and see some graphical candy but, they wont be fully functional..

look for ur motherboard manual and look for the setting to disable integrated video card...

yup...probably THE worst motherboard available as the BIOS they package it with does not appear to have disable or toggle for moving from on-board VGA to AGP, and as I mentioned before, the setting I have it on right now while using the VGA is AGP!

arggggghhhh.

can anyone recommend a surefire motherboard manufacturer?

Supermicro

It's the best motherboard mfg., but also a bit costly.
You do get what you pay for.

Just my 2 cents

Supermicro is more into the server side of things in the computer industry. I'd look elsewhere for a simple home computer.

There are some very nice ABIT boards that are pretty cheap. Of course you could go higher end, but seeing that you're coming from a i845 chipset, something like this would probably do nicely:

http://www.newegg.com/app/ViewProduc...127-174&depa=0

Gives you some upgradability if you plan on that in the future.

from my experience and because im currentlu using one of them , i would recommend u to go the Abit way.. very reliable motherboards, and not costly as others....

thanks for the input.