[CentOS] How to select a motherboard -- Socket-754 nVidia C51/NV44 is best bang/buck

Thu Dec 15 16:12:33 UTC 2005
Bryan J. Smith <thebs413 at earthlink.net>

Todd Cary <todd at aristesoftware.com> wrote:
> I forgot to add that performance is not an issue since this
> server is used for testing PHP code,  FTPing applications
via
> DSL to my clients and viewing photos.
> http://209.204.172.137/rotary/

Oh, in that case, nVidia C51/NV44 is excellent in the entry
Socket-754 platform.

I've just assembled in some $57 ASRock K8NF4G-SATA2
mainboards with $75 Sempron 64 2800+ (latest Rev. E/SSE3)
CUPs.  You can't beat the combo for the price, especially
since you don't have to add a thing (NV44 integrated video,
2xSATA, 2xATA, 8USB2.0, ALC850 7.1, etc...).

Just note the need to update the kernel to get newer PCI ID
support -- they changed a few from the rest of the nForce
series:  
http://thebs413.blogspot.com/2005/12/linux-on-nvidia-c51nv44-nforce.html

I haven't tested if the RHEL 4 kernels have backported the
newer 2.6.13/14 PCI ID support and updated GPL forcedeth
driver.  If not, you can always load the nForce platform
driver that nvnet (for the newer MAC+PHY IDs) and nvsound
(not needed).  On Fedora Core 4, the 2.6.14 kernel handles it
fine.  I need to check the last 2.6.12 kernel for Fedora Core
3 to see if it is the same.

Ironically enough, the NV44 _does_ work with the X11R6.8.2
NV4x code, so that works for 2D.  You don't have to use VESA.
 nVidia just released their first ForceWare 80 driver
(1.0-8174) for Linux about 10 days ago, if you want 3D
acceleration.

-- 
Bryan J. Smith                | Sent from Yahoo Mail
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