[vox-tech] making a new pc

[Alex Mandel]

Richard Harke wrote:
> On Mon July 17 2006 10:53, Jimbo wrote:
>> I am compiling a list of items to make a nice computer.  I want to make
>> this pc so it can also run linux.  The biggest problem I have faced is
>> making hardware work in linux.
>>
>> Raid, wireless broadband, dvd  and, most important, high end games is what
>> this system is being built for.  Buzzwords like dual core, sli and 8.1 want
>> to be implemented.  Amd and nvidia will be focused on.   I have a 3k budget
>> so I don't have to scrimp however there is no way that I am going to buy a
>> $1000 processor.  The one I want cost $600 which gives some indication of
>> the system that I want to build.
>>
>> I have suse linux ver. 10 that I have dabbled with.  User friendly for a
>> mechanic like me but have seen abundance praise about debian.  Don't want
>> to, nor do I have a need to compile kernals and spend hours tweaking an os
>> just to make it work.  Will debian do this for me?  Is it packaged like
>> suse?
> The package systems are rather different. SUSE uses RPM (Redhat Package
> Manager) while Debian has its own system based on dpkg and apt-get
> I used to run SUSE and then about three years ago I switched to Debian.
> One thing I like about Debian is it is oriented to the online world. If you 
> have a high speed internet connection, it is very convenient. I always felt 
> that SUSE was more oriented to their CD ROM sets. They do provide some
> online updates but I could never get any decent download speed off
> their servers.
> You didn't say if you are considering 64bit or not. (AMD64 or Intel's EMT)
> I have AMD64 on my laptop and my impression is that it was a lot more hassle
> to install than the x86 version. (Of course you can just stick the 32bit OS
> on your 64bit machine.
> As far as Nvidia, I have an Nvidia based video card and installing the
> Nvidia proprietary drivers was not hard. You will want the proprietary
> drivers to get 3D acceleration for games.
> 
> Richard Harke
> 

I've been running 64bit OS on an AMD for 1.5 yrs and only had a few 
issues come up where software wasn't compiled for my system. There's a 
neat gamer trick(transgamer.org?) I picked up using deb bootstrap to put 
a chroot 32bit system on inside my 64 and the using filesystem links to 
run 32bit apps from my menus or command line.
If you plan to run Wine this is the only way to get a 32bit windows 
setup going since wine compiled in 64bit will try to run your games as 
64bit which they are not.
Another prime example is if I need flash I open the 32bit version of 
firefox.

Nvidia drivers seem easy enough, I made the mistake of getting an Ati 
card and it's been a little rough and still doesn't work quite right.

Note, my motherboard has surround sound ability but I've never gotten 
independent control of the rear speakers, only a clone of the front, but 
the sub and center seem to work. Board supports up to 7.1 and I'm 
running 5.1

FYI: I run the debian based Ubuntu
I've heard good things about Gentoo for gaming though, can anyone speak 
to that?

Most important though, RAM, RAM, RAM - a lot of it, high quality and 
paired. I've got 4x 512 but wish I had gone 2x 1GB so that I could add 
another 2x 1GB now.
For gaming i've heard but never concretely read that low latency  RAM is 
best, mines something like 2-2-2-5-2

Alex

PS: Water Cooling?