Need advice on building a Ubuntu PC

[rwayne]

My wife is wanting a new PC that runs on Ubuntu or Linux. But her main focus is Ubuntu.

Can the forum provide any hardware component advice for this build?

This is just for a standard websurfuring and email reading PC.

I already have a spare AMD 64x2 4200 processor so I am in need of an AM2+ board.

What graphics cards run good with Ubuntu drivers? or does it make a difference? I am perfectly fine with intergrated graphics too.

 

[froilanr]

Specifications:

PC for web, e-mail, and word processing applications.

Some additional hardware for your PC:
- memory: 2 Gb - DDR2 (to appreciate better Ubuntu loading of Operating system and applications).
- Hard Disk: 7200 RPM (SATA)
- Video Card, Network Interface Card, sound card: Built-in

My home desktop PC specifications:
- Processor: AMD Athlon LE-1600 2.2 Ghz (64-bit, single core only)
- Motherboard: Emaxx onboard ( built-in video, network interface card and audio)
- Hard Disk: 80 Gb SATA (Western Digital)
- DVD RW: Asus
- Casing: Slim type

My Office desktop PC (IBM Lenovo brand) specifications:
- Processor: Intel Core 2 Duo (64-bit)
- Memory: 1 Gb
- Hard Disk: 160 Gb SATA
- Motherboard: Intel (built-in video, network interface card and audio)
- CD RW

I don't see any problem even if the video card is built-in. But upon successfully installing Ubuntu. You should connect it to the Internet to download lots of updates and additional drivers (if there is any especially for the 3D video card functionality).

Use at least 15 inches monitor to appreciate the desktop. Especially the icons and letters.

To better improve (fast booting and loading of applications) my computing, I am using Xubuntu (64-bit). It's like Ubuntu operating system, but it is using XFCE desktop environment, instead of GNOME or KDE desktop environments.

I was using Ubuntu since April 2008. But I shifted to Xubuntu, because I am much satisfied with the perfomance of my computers.

For more informations about XFCE, please visit http://www.xfce.org/.

For more informations about about Xubuntu, please visit http://www.xubuntu.org/.

Hope these helps.

 

[Acethechosenone]

Just a teensy bit of advise, if you are planning to use wifi make sure your wifi adapter is supported by Ubuntu.
I use it on my laptop that has the Atheros wifif adapter and I still haven't got it working!
But other than that froilanr 's build is more than enough for running ubuntu, linux doesn't really need powerful components to run it.

 

[rwayne]

What ATI video card drivers do you use for Ubuntu?

The linux X86_64 driver?

 

[rwayne]

Hey, who makes better Ubuntu / Linux drivers?

Nvidia or ATI?

Maybe I should be buying an Nvidia video card

 

[ke7diz]

i have had better luck with nvidia but i have good and bad expenses with both. whatever you chose search around and see what others have done

i would go with a 780g chipset the board run 70-90 or so and have decent graphics nvidia makes a similar offering

+1 to be careful with wi-fi

otherwise most hardware will run just fine on linux

 

[rwayne]

ATI requires NET.Framework to run on windows operating systems.

Are there any downloads you have to make for ATI graphic chips to run on LINUX?

 

[ke7diz]

yes just like in windows you need to download the drivers from the website

catalyst control center is what needs the NET.Framework and CCC does not work in ubuntu anyway (or at lest i have never herd of it)

but with the hardware drivers app in ubuntu (system/administration/hardware drivers) you can just enable the drivers and it will download and install the necessary drivers

 

[hbr]

I already have a spare AMD 64x2 4200 processor so I am in need of an AM2+ board.

What graphics cards run good with Ubuntu drivers? or does it make a difference? I am perfectly fine with intergrated graphics too.

The AMD CPU will work very nicely with Linux. Most AM2/AM2+ boards are well supported. The older the
mainboard is, the better the hardware support is likely to be. Pick a make and model of mainboard
and then check the various on-line forums to see is other Linux users are having problems before
you buy it.

The most likely problem areas are: Wireless, dial-up modems (Winmodems) and peripherals like printers
and scanners.

Linux hardware support is pretty good these days. Ubuntu supports both my laptop (AMD Turion)
and desktop PC (Athlon 64 x2) out-of-the-box without having to download any extra drivers.
Everything just works, HP printer, Epson scanner, Pinnacle TV/Radio card etc....

I don't think either ATI or Nvidia provide free open-source drivers for Linux. However,
the standard x.org drivers work well enough for most applications. If you really need
accelerated 3D graphics, you can always use the closed-source nVidia or ATI drivers.

 

[rwayne]

yes just like in windows you need to download the drivers from the website

catalyst control center is what needs the NET.Framework and CCC does not work in ubuntu anyway (or at lest i have never herd of it)

but with the hardware drivers app in ubuntu (system/administration/hardware drivers) you can just enable the drivers and it will download and install the necessary drivers

Has anyone heard of CCC not working in Linux or Ubuntu?

How about Nvidia's control panel?

I am wondering if I should go with Nvidia.