- Apr 3, 2013
- 1
- 0
- 10,510
I need advice about motherboards with Linux! please and thank you!
Sorry for my long-winded OP.
I was ready to pull the trigger on an Asus motherboard a few minutes ago (P8Z77... their middle of the road consumer board). I thought that the Asus might be the best choice because it uses the Intel NIC and it is less expensive than comparable Intel boards (which is a also a discontinued product line). The Asus also comes with a WIFI b/g/n module that most everyone says performs quite well.
I did some preliminary shopping a month back, but decided to not buy anything because we had no pressing need for it. I was looking to assemble a home theater/media server/living room PC. I want something fully modern (PCI 3, USB 3, SATA 3 (basic RAID), Ivy bridge, and decent GPU power for Home theater audio/video and causal gaming).
We now have a pressing need(!). My wife has book to write, with a deadline, and her laptop is in for its 5th RMA(!) and we have no confidence that things will ever be resolved this time either. We need to have another PC in the house, ASAP.
Not only do I have her blessing... she was mad that I didn't buy all the parts yesterday!
I want something with decent CPU power (occasional kernel compiling duties, IDE usage, etc). I'm not a real hacker... but I am trying (and learning everyday)! My old PC (8 years old, pentium D) is still fine for many things, but certainly shows its age when real muscle is needed.
I've been an everyday Linux user for maybe 5 years now. And in that time, I've actually come to love computers. But it has always been with my old clunker. My linux experience has never been with hardware more modern than that. And I never really paid any attention to hardware changes that have occured in that time.
--The most important capability for the PC, is it absolutely, unconditionally must run Linux (mint/Xubuntu/debian). Actually, my wife prefers using linux over windows herself, and she also prefers the FOSS alternatives over the commercial applications (MS office, photoshop, acrobat) that she uses at her day job. So that's sweet.
This book she is writing has nothing to do with her day job and will all be done at home.
Google searching led me discussions on Phoronix, to verify the Asus board (P8Z77) was a linux friendly motherboard. Reading the various threads there... scared the crap out of me! Asus's responses to inquiries to Linux users are that people must buy and run MS products. I understand that the manufacturers and Microsoft are BFFs. That's fine... I understand that they help each other extract more money out of the pockets of consumers. That's fine too... I really mean it... just as long as it isn't my money.
Most problems seemed to be centered around dual-booting with Windows 8, this "secure boot" stuff, and w/ grub.
My machine will NOT be dual booting with any MS OS. Does that resolve any potential issues? (although I might throw XP in a virtual box... like on my old clunker).
I know next to nothing about UEFI (I understand it is a more modern BIOS) and I know nothing about "secure boot" at all. Reading the stuff on Phoronix has me scared and wondering if there is any modern board that won't be a hassle due to the relationship that exists between hardware manufacturers and MS.
I'm not happy about it... but I'd like to avoid any anti MS rants from the linux crowd though (thanks). Also, if your advice is to just buy Windows, your input is not needed either (thanks).
I only need advice on what I should buy given that the situation is what it is.
--below is the other related hardware I was looking at buying, mostly because of past experience or internet reviews... any comments about these other choices of hardware?
-intel i5 line (3450, 3550, 3550K... maybe overclocking might be fun?)
-EVGA GeForce GTX 660 (i've been manually installing proprietary nvidia drivers/modules on my old PC, with every kernel update for years now)
-WD hard disks
-Corsair or Seasonic PSU
-Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600 MHz
-CM evo 212 cooler
-Fractal Design R4 case
Sorry for my long-winded OP.
I was ready to pull the trigger on an Asus motherboard a few minutes ago (P8Z77... their middle of the road consumer board). I thought that the Asus might be the best choice because it uses the Intel NIC and it is less expensive than comparable Intel boards (which is a also a discontinued product line). The Asus also comes with a WIFI b/g/n module that most everyone says performs quite well.
I did some preliminary shopping a month back, but decided to not buy anything because we had no pressing need for it. I was looking to assemble a home theater/media server/living room PC. I want something fully modern (PCI 3, USB 3, SATA 3 (basic RAID), Ivy bridge, and decent GPU power for Home theater audio/video and causal gaming).
We now have a pressing need(!). My wife has book to write, with a deadline, and her laptop is in for its 5th RMA(!) and we have no confidence that things will ever be resolved this time either. We need to have another PC in the house, ASAP.
Not only do I have her blessing... she was mad that I didn't buy all the parts yesterday!
I want something with decent CPU power (occasional kernel compiling duties, IDE usage, etc). I'm not a real hacker... but I am trying (and learning everyday)! My old PC (8 years old, pentium D) is still fine for many things, but certainly shows its age when real muscle is needed.
I've been an everyday Linux user for maybe 5 years now. And in that time, I've actually come to love computers. But it has always been with my old clunker. My linux experience has never been with hardware more modern than that. And I never really paid any attention to hardware changes that have occured in that time.
--The most important capability for the PC, is it absolutely, unconditionally must run Linux (mint/Xubuntu/debian). Actually, my wife prefers using linux over windows herself, and she also prefers the FOSS alternatives over the commercial applications (MS office, photoshop, acrobat) that she uses at her day job. So that's sweet.
This book she is writing has nothing to do with her day job and will all be done at home.
Google searching led me discussions on Phoronix, to verify the Asus board (P8Z77) was a linux friendly motherboard. Reading the various threads there... scared the crap out of me! Asus's responses to inquiries to Linux users are that people must buy and run MS products. I understand that the manufacturers and Microsoft are BFFs. That's fine... I understand that they help each other extract more money out of the pockets of consumers. That's fine too... I really mean it... just as long as it isn't my money.
Most problems seemed to be centered around dual-booting with Windows 8, this "secure boot" stuff, and w/ grub.
My machine will NOT be dual booting with any MS OS. Does that resolve any potential issues? (although I might throw XP in a virtual box... like on my old clunker).
I know next to nothing about UEFI (I understand it is a more modern BIOS) and I know nothing about "secure boot" at all. Reading the stuff on Phoronix has me scared and wondering if there is any modern board that won't be a hassle due to the relationship that exists between hardware manufacturers and MS.
I'm not happy about it... but I'd like to avoid any anti MS rants from the linux crowd though (thanks). Also, if your advice is to just buy Windows, your input is not needed either (thanks).
I only need advice on what I should buy given that the situation is what it is.
--below is the other related hardware I was looking at buying, mostly because of past experience or internet reviews... any comments about these other choices of hardware?
-intel i5 line (3450, 3550, 3550K... maybe overclocking might be fun?)
-EVGA GeForce GTX 660 (i've been manually installing proprietary nvidia drivers/modules on my old PC, with every kernel update for years now)
-WD hard disks
-Corsair or Seasonic PSU
-Corsair Vengeance 8GB (2x4GB) DDR3 1600 MHz
-CM evo 212 cooler
-Fractal Design R4 case
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