[Linux4christians] hardware

Fri Dec 23 01:08:28 EST 2005

On Thursday 22 December 2005 09:09, singingfalls wrote:
> I have an acquaintance who is building his first non-proprietary box. He
> asked me what I thought of his intended acquisitions. Since I have not
> been keeping up with hardware I pose it to the list for comment. He's an
> older fellow, a printer by vocation, and he will be doing small graphics
> related projects. He's a Mac user most of his years but is being forced
> to do windows for work purposes. He's requested I install linux dual
> boot for him. Here goes:
>
> Box: Full Tower
> Brand     Thermaltake
> Series     XASER, Armor Series
> Model     VA8000BWS
>
> MoBo:
> Specifications
> Model
> Brand     ASUS
> Model     A8N-SLI Deluxe
> Supported CPU
> CPU Socket Type     Socket 939
> CPU Type     Athlon 64 FX/Athlon 64
> FSB     1000MHz Hyper Transport (2000 MT/s)
> Chipsets
> North Bridge     NVIDIA nForce4 SLI
> Memory
> Number of DDR Slots     4x 184pin DDR
> DDR Standard     DDR 400 (PC 3200)
> Maximum Memory Supported     4GB
> Dual Channel Supported     Yes
> Expansion Slots
> AGP Slots     None
> PCI Express x16     2 x PCI Express X 16 (*SLI mode : x8 , x8 *Default
> Single VGA mode : x16, x1)
> PCI Express x1     2
> PCI Slots     3
> Storage Devices
> PATA     2 x ATA 100 up to 4 Devices
> PATA RAID     NV RAID 0/1/0+1 JBOD
> SATA I     4
> SATA II     4
> SATA RAID     NV RAID 0/1/0+1 JBOD
> Additional SATA RAID     RAID 0/1/0+1/5
> Additional RAID Controller     Sil 3114
> Onboard Video
> Onboard Video     No
> Onboard Audio
> Audio Chipset     Realtek ALC850
> Audio Channels     8 Channels
> Onboard LAN
> Max LAN Speed     Dual 10/100/1000Mbps
> Rear Panel Ports
> PS/2     2
> LPT     1
> USB     4x USB 2.0
> IEEE 1394     1x 1394
> S/PDIF Out     1x Coaxial
> S/PDIF In     1x Optical
> Audio Ports     6 jacks
> Onboard USB
> Onboard USB Connectors     6x USB 2.0 (3x headers)
> Onboard 1394
> Onboard 1394 Connectors     1x 1394a
> Physical Spec
> Form Factor     ATX
> Dimensions     12.0" x 9.6"
> Features
> Features     - 24pin Power connector
> - Under SLI mode : support two SLI-ready graphics cards*
> - Under Default(Single VGA) mode: supports all PCI Express graphics cards
> - ASUS EZ Plug
> - ASUS SLI Warning LED
> - ASUS EZ Selector
> - ASUS two-slot thermal design
> - ASUS PEG Link for dual PCIe graphic cards
> Post Reporter
> ASUS EZFlash
> ASUS CrashFree BIOS 2
> ASUS Q-Fan
> ASUS MyLogo2
> ASUS Multilanguage BIOS
> ASUS Instant Music
> ASUS SLI warning LED
> ASUS EZ Selector
> ASUS EZ Plug
> 4 Mb Flash ROM, AWARD BIOS, PnP, DMI2.0, WfM2.0, SM BIOS 2.3
>
> Power Supply:
> Brand     SILVERSTONE
> Model     SST-ST65ZF
> Series     ZEUS
> SPEC
> Type     ATX12V
> Maximum Power     650W
> Fans     1
> PFC     Active
> Main Connector     20+4-Pin
> Dual +12V     Yes
> SLI Support     nVIDIA SLI Certified
> Output     +3.3V at 33A, +5V at 24A, +12V1 at 13A, +12V2 at 18A, +12V3 at 16A,
> +12V4 at 8A, -12V at 0.5A, +5VSB at 2.0A
> Features
> Features     nVIDIA SLI Certified, Quad +12V rail for superior
> performance, Dual PCI Express 6pin connectors (SLI ready), Four Serial
> ATA connectors
>
> RAM:
> Corsair (XMS Series)
> $238.00
> ($208.00 after $30.00 Mail-In Rebate)
> Rating + 5Rating + 5Rating + 5Rating + 5Rating + 5[56 reviews]
> Add item to Cart
> CORSAIR XMS 2GB (2 x 1GB) 184-Pin DDR SDRAM Unbuffered DDR 400 (PC 3200)
> Dual Channel Kit System Memory - Retail
> (limit 10 per customer)
>
> Hard Drive:
> 160 G used from another box
>
> Video Card:
> Brand     eVGA
> Model     256-P2-N386
> Chipset
> GPU     Geforce 6800GS
> Core clock     425MHz
> PixelPipelines     12
> Memory
> Memory Clock     1000MHz
> Memory Size     256MB
> Memory Interface     256-bit
> Memory Type     GDDR3
> 3D API
> DirectX     DirectX 9
> OpenGL     OpenGL 1.5
> Interface
> Interface     PCI Express x16
> Ports
> D-SUB     1
> DVI     1
> TV-Out     HDTV Out
> VIVO     No
> General
> Tuner     None
> RAMDAC     400 MHz
> Max Resolution     2048x1536 at 75Hz
> SLI Supported     Yes
> Cooler     Heatsink and Fan
> Operating Systems Supported     Windows 2000/XP
>
> DVD RW:
> Brand     LITE-ON
> Type     DVD Burner
> Model     SOHW-1693S Beige OEM
> Performance
> DVD-ROM Access Time     160ms
> CD-ROM Access Time     160ms
> Cache     2M
> Data Transfer Rate     DVD: 16x ( 21600KB/sec ) maximum by CAV
> CD: 48x ( 7200 KB/sec ) maximum by P-CAV
>
> Floppy/Flash:
> Brand     Koutech
> Model     IO-FPM220
> Spec
> Compatibility     3.5" Drive Bay
> Features
> Features     3.5" bay designed front panel
> Reads & writes CompactFlash Type-I/II, Microdrives, Memory Stick (Pro),
> Memory Stick Duo (Pro), Secure Digital (SD), SD Mini, MultiMedia Card
> (MMC), RS-MMC, SmartMedia media, and etc virtually all flash media in
> the market now (23-in-1)
> Built-in high quality 3.5" 1.44MB slim floppy disk drive
> Save the limited drive bay you need for today applications
> Easily fitting both floppy drive and multi flash card reader in one 3.5"
> bay Fully Plug-N-Play Compatible
> Supports Windows 98SE/ME/2000/XP or later
> Five years warranty

I have an ASUS board in my home PC with an AMD chip.   Its been a very 
reliable board, however if he puts Linux on it, don't expect much help from 
ASUS!!  As a matter of fact they may even get a little haughty that you are 
even running linux on their mb!  They are almost, or have been in the past, 
openly hostile to Linux.  (haven't checked in the last year or so, but 
thought you might want to check this out.).

Their clocks tend to run a little fast as well for some reason, so make sure 
ntpdate or ntp of some type is set to keep the clock honest.

-- 

See Ya'
Howard Coles Jr.
John 3:16!

	"The act of faith is the obedience of the understanding
	 to God revealing, and the product of that is the obedience
	 of the will to God commanding."
		Matthew Henry, on Romans 1:5

Christian Books On-Line http://risenbooks.com
http://home.comcast.net/~dhcolesj