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wludavid · Dec 13, 2003, 02:37 AM

Hi,
I'm trying to put together a linux box with standardized parts like motherboard and power supply, but I don't want to go through the trouble of buying all the parts myself and assembling them. And I don't want to pay the MS tax. Has anyone had any luck with any PC makers that don't make you buy Windows, but put together a high-quality box suitable for mandrake linux?

thanks, D

Peter · Dec 13, 2003, 04:51 AM

I dont think many companies do this, you are much better off to make it yourself, at least this way you can get your parts from a variety of places.

chalk_outline · Dec 13, 2003, 05:01 AM

You might want to try going to a local mom-and-pop computer store. I bet they would even throw it together for a small fee if you buy the parts there.

D'Espice · Dec 13, 2003, 02:46 PM

Whatever you're about to purchase, make sure it's not cutting-edge hardware. The problem with Linux is that most companies don't give a tiny Yeti's ass about Linux and their users, hence Linux support for the latest hardware is always kinda nonexistent.

The safe thing to purchase is a 2nd generation mainboard, 2nd generation video card, etc. Of course you can also run Linux on cutting-edge hardware (like eg. I have Debian 3.0 running on my nForce-based Opteron) yet it might be a major PITA - I had to rewrite the Linux kernel IDE driver in order to have UDMA support for my southbridge.

nForce2 mainboards are supported pretty well, nVidia is one of the companies that has accepted Linux as an OS their customers might run (and surprise surprise, nForce2 based Linux systems have tripled in the last three months) and provides Linux drivers, see www.nvidia.com for details.
VIA KT400 based mainboards are supported as well by the latest kernels which means that whatever distro you're about to install, you'll need to compile your own kernel (or update it using the latest distro standard kernel, see distro documentation). If you don't want to do anything geeky like compiling your own kernel, you'd have to stick to 2nd generation hardware.

Shaddim · Dec 13, 2003, 03:35 PM

You can get everything from one source. I'd go with:

This Shuttle XPC barebones system (with int. GF4 graphics) for $290.

...then include 512MB of DDR ($80), Combo drive ($50), and Athlon retail CPU of choice ($70-$150) and you'll have a small, quality, smokin', Linux box for only $500.

D'Espice · Dec 13, 2003, 04:01 PM

Originally posted by MacNStein:
You can get everything from one source. I'd go with:

This Shuttle XPC barebones system (with int. GF4 graphics) for $290.

...then include 512MB of DDR ($80), Combo drive ($50), and Athlon retail CPU of choice ($70-$150) and you'll have a small, quality, smokin', Linux box for only $500.

Freakin' loud, you forgot freakin' loud.

Octo · Dec 13, 2003, 05:17 PM

I made an linux box using an Epia MB. You can get a variety of speeds and functionality depending on what you want.

They have new boards that have dual ethernet witch would make a good router or they also have some motherboards which are rated to run without cooling. All you have to add is some memory and a hard drive, everything else is optional.

Check out the mini-itx format boards at http://www.viavpsd.com

wludavid · Dec 14, 2003, 02:21 AM

Thanks for everyone's help. I agree with D'Spice about the shuttle PC - a nice little package, but this thing is going to sit in my bedroom and I don't want a wind tunnel 10 feet from my head when I'm trying to sleep.

I'll probably end up building my own box with 2nd or 3rd gen parts. Not looking for cutting edge - I'm looking for stability and cheap.

Sigh. Damn Dell and his proprietary parts. Why can't he make it easy for me?

d

Truepop · Dec 14, 2003, 02:26 AM

Have you looked in to Penguin Computing?

http://www.penguincomputing.com/

In all the articles I have read about linux hardware on the web and print, I have never heard anyone say a bad word about them.

Also, when I was subscribed to linux mag, they had ads that changed about once every 3 months and my favorite one was "Born to Frag"

wludavid · Dec 14, 2003, 06:00 PM

penguin computing was a little more pricey than I had wanted.

Has anyone tried a Shuttle PC with the heat pipes for cooling? It supposedly eliminates one of the fans and reduces the wind tunnel effect.

Truepop · Dec 14, 2003, 09:27 PM

They are a bit pricey but they do what you were looking for and they sell their units with a standard 3 year warranty, on-site repairs for some units, and telephone support. Also if you had a problem with red hat (which comes preinstalled) they will walk you through it over the phone for up to three years.

that is open source at it's core. great software at wonderful prices but hard as hell to install and manage so you spend an equal amount of money on support.