rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
For you folks insisting on building your own. A thread for you! I'm looking for a killer Opteron Linux box. Ideas?
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
I am still considering an Apple Mac, just upgrading my PC.  I wish I could move all those PC upgrade posts over here. Oh well, I'll post followups here - the stuff's on the way.
Opteron Linux? Is that like Red Hat with slinky spring eyeballs?  Sorry, must be late.
Only Poo Bahs and Carpals can create new forums, right?
Thanks Ron!
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16399
Loc: Brooker, FL
|
|
Ron,
Most of the wintel boxes will run Linux just fine - the configuration depends on what you want to do with it...drivers are less of an issue now that Linux has entered the mainstream...
Alex, Opteron is one of the names AMD has given to its 64-bit processors - which can also run 32-bit code natively...the only reservation I have is that AMD has 2 or three socket forms for the 64-bit processers in the works.
IMHO, the mobos aren't quite ready for Prime Time, but in a couple of months I may be ready to build some PCs with that line of CPUs.
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
Rusty found this place right away! Overclocking: naw, I tried that with my Soyo and it freaked out. I know it sounds cool to say "I beat AMD out of $129 by overclocking from 300+ to 3200+" -- but who wants to live on the razor's edge of random crashes and runaway heat buildup?
And look at me. The other object of this rebuilding exercise was to lower noise. So I'm going to crank the old variable speed fan up to 6000 rpm and a Canaveral-like 90 dbA for an 8% speed increase ... I still think the MCX462 is loud at 48.5 dB(A) and 4900 rpm. I tuned it down to about half speed.
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
Tom's Hardware reviewed a handful of AMD64 motherboards. I dropped the ball on the Opteron moniker for the XP64. Asus K8V got a good rating. It is probably too new; Fry's is taking pre-orders. And I didn't even want to know what the chips are going for. Am I correct we gain nothing until the OS and some core apps are retooled for 64 bits? Isn't this like the 32 bit conversion in the nineties?
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
Alex;
Go to the bottom of the window and check out Extra Information in the Permissions pane. "You can start new topics" should be there.
The Opteron will run 32bit and 64bit code. It ran neck and neck with the G5 so Linux users can rejoice. I believe SuSE has a 64bit Linux out now, but it's always nice to have your apps compiled and optimized for 64bit.
My experience with Wintel hardware (maybe just Intel hardware??) and Linux; as long as you are not bleeding edge you are usually OK. Even then, for sound cards and video cards there are third party commercial folks willing to help out - for a fee. I've found that route to be quite useful at times. Some folks simply refuse to pay for software that runs under Linux but I think a little grease along the way encourages developement and adaption.
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
Anonymous
Unregistered
|
|
Alex, the Opteron will run 32 bit apps just fine. If an app is written to take advantage of the wider path, then the better.
Don't forget that all server manufacturers (IBM, DELL, HP, etc), design specifically for MS Server AND Linux. IBM is on a Linux kick right now so the make sure that all the drivers function correctly and (hopefully) fully optimized.
And they use the Opteron CPU. Go to there eServers site and look around. It will atleast educate you.
Good luck, Tom
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
Thanks for making this clearer guys - I knew we could run 32bit on Opteron XP64. I was under the impression you wouldn't see the real processing power gains until the 64 bit apps hit the market -- compared to a 32 bit chip at the same clock speed. I saw somewhere the XP64 clock speed is 2GB, which is not faster than the 3000+ model, which would translate to the neighborhood of 2.5GB actual clock speed.
The Athlon 3000+ that should arrive tomorrow is not quite bleeding edge. I'm quite sure my next chip will be 64 bit, though. When the apps and OS are available to take advantage of it, that is.
Ron, Permissions has always said I can start new topics, but it is not hyperlinked and I don't see anything else to click on the pages that would allow me to start a new topic. So maybe I am missing something more elementary -- I am just not seeing a way.
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16399
Loc: Brooker, FL
|
|
Alex,
Recent Soyo boards aren't known for overclocking potential, but they're generally loaded with features. The DFI mobo probably can handle modest O/Cing. I O/C only to wring the most "bang for the buck".
The MCX 462 is a brute of an HSF, but IMHO, is yesterday's news, as there are lot of more efficient units out there. I'm finding even rabid gamers are tiring of the howl from a Delta fan that creates the sound of a 747 departure.
Now that I've installed the Zalman, I think it's going to be a prime recommendation - the only disadvantage is that the fan is not replaceable. The new MCX462V - with the bent fins - has some promise as it will accomodate a 92mm fan. Still, for the guys that just HAVE to have max cooling, the Thermalright SP-94 with a 119 cfm Tornado (aptly named) should make 'em happy....if they're that obsessed with O/Cing, water cooling is a better bet
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
Amen Rusty! The rheostat tones down the Swiftech some, but why do I want neighbors in the next town to hear I'm running one of these coolers?
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16399
Loc: Brooker, FL
|
|
Why? Panache, of course - it's vital in Geekdom that you not only have a Hot Rig, but more importantly, that your neighbors know it...
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
Alex;
In the main thread topic area, at the top where the title of the forum is at (in this case Computers & Astronomy) you will see a Post lable. That is your baby. Don't make me regret showing you this! 
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
Ron, thanks for your patience with me. On this page for example, where it says "Speciality Forums >> Computers & Astronomy", I do not see a Post label. Never have seen one. Some BB's do not dole this out til you've been around a while. I don't even have a hundred posts yet. You had a hundred posts before you were old enough to kick the slats out of your crib.
Rusty, the DFI Lanparty NFII Ultra and the Zalman CNP57000A-AICu arrived today. Problems. I will PM you but it looks like a drive down to Fry's Saturday! Oh Well ... 
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16399
Loc: Brooker, FL
|
|
Alex, we gonna make a Geek of you yet (I hope you have a case with UV lights and a window, so's the colors of that mobo can be SEEN! [Very important in Geekdom]). 
So what are the problems? The DFI mobos come with just about everything.
Anyway, you're going to like the Zalman - and it's very easy to install - but check the instructions BEFORE you mount the mobo to the case...
If Fry's has Arctic Silver, try to get AS 5; if not, the thermal paste supplied is OK, but Arctic Silver 5 will run the CPU about 5-7 deg C cooler than the stock. 
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
Dang, don't you Florida guys ever sleep? The DFI mobo does come with about everything except four mounting holes. The Zalman website doesn't even list a DFI model number beginning with the letter "N" as in NFII Ultra.
Unless I'm missing something (it's happened before) I may have to swallow my pride and drive into Fry's with a convincing "Oooh I'm so sorry" Customer Service supplicant expression.
I've made a note to get Arctic Silver. I thought it was just an image thing!
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
Alex; what if you back up one level to where the listing for computers&astronomy are. Post should be there. If not, I'm sure it's because of your draft status, unauthorized tatoo or meade ownership. 
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
I'll be goldurned. Post. One level up. I never did think the tatoo was THAT bad!
Thanks, Ron!
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
Users.... 
If Meade and Celestron are the Apple and Microsoft of the telescope world, is the dob our version of Linux?
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
indobitably.
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
No dobght about it then.
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16399
Loc: Brooker, FL
|
|
Groan
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
What's a matter Rusty, didn't use teflon bearings?
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16399
Loc: Brooker, FL
|
|
Greased 'er up good with bacon fat...shoulda worked, even if it didn't for Lester Flatt.
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
or Scruggs ... I am back, albeit with a somewhat faster AMD 3000+, and I trust the admiring throngs have flocked from the many and several states to ooh and aah at my increased typing speed 
Preliminary report: The new mobo and CPU were too much, in tandem, for XP to absorb without re-registering on the web. Mounting hardware - the customary bag of nuts and bolts - not part of the DFI package. Round cables nice, but I had them. The diagnostic LED's on the board helped me reseat DIMMs and graphics card. Never did find out which one was not seated properly.
Shoulda done a clean OS reinstall instead of letting XP repair itself. Lots of issues with wrong or missing dll's and other resources. I thought I was pretty handy with jumper pins and IDE drives but my brand-new Seagate data drive absolutely refuses to be recognized as a slave. It is jumpered as slave and cabled as secondary slave, but tries to mount as a master and overrides the secondary master DVD/CD recorder. I am running the backup for my data drive.
The DFI manual could have offered a better level of detail to help me troubleshoot mistakes and unclear points. CMOS Clear should come jumpered pins 1-2 but mine came with 3 bare pins.
The RAID drivers did not work and I had no RAID controller until I tried a supplementary floppy which evidently had a newer set. I just use the RAID for extra IDE channels for now.
SETI sure runs faster! CPU temp runs 29-37 degrees C, about 5 degrees cooler than the 1800+ -- guess that Arctic Silver 5 really works!! The Vantec cooler and V. Stealth 420W power supply are much quiter than the MC462 cooler and PC Power & Cooling supply I had before.
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
Why is it that every other machine you build you have to relearn everything because so much changes. And yet so little changes (case in point; your Seagate drive being a pisser).
Never considered RAID as a way to get more IDE channels. Cool!
Arctic Silver is dah bomb!
I will have a hard time replacing this old horse in 2004. I may (summon the gods) opt for a dual G5 come 2005 unless AMD comes out with some fantastic I/O chips.
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
Rusty
Postmaster
Reged: 08/06/03
Posts: 16399
Loc: Brooker, FL
|
|
Alex, sometimes the RAID drivers can be a PITA, especially on a fresh OS install. For future reference, it's best to copy the RAID drivers to a floppy (the mobo driver disk probably has a routine to make the driver diskette). For reasons known only to Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, Windoze can't cope with RAID drivers on a CD....
As far as the Seagate drive's refusing to be a slave, try setting both the optical and Seagate to Cable Select, and use the cable connectors to make the choice. BTW, I generally set the HDD to Master when paired with an optical drive.
RDRAM can be a bear to seat properly - on Abit boards, I recommended they come with a small hydraulic press...I now seat the RAM while the mobo sits on the antistatic plasic on a solid surface.
DFI mobos aren't known for stellar documentation - Abit, Soyo and Giagbyte are probably the best, Asus and Epox aren't too bad. But Real Men don't read instructions anyway...
Everything will run faster, not just becuse of the CPU clock speed, but because the 1800+ has an FSB of 266 MHz(133x2) and the 3200+ is at 400 (200x2). The memory controller on a nForce2 board is also far quicker than the previous mobo, which probably had VIA core logic.
--------------------
N11GPS Fastar
TOA-130S
MK66 Std
Vintage C5
Megrez II 80mm ED Triplet APO
SolarMax 40
NJP Temma II
Sirius EQ-G
ST8XE/CFW-8(LRGBHa)/AO-7/DF-2/STV Dlx/ST237a/350D (Unmodded)/Mallincam Color Hyper Plus/DSI III Color/DSI II Pro
Two not-spoiled Golden Retrievers - Maggie and Casey
Sometimes I think we're alone in the universe, and sometimes I think we're not. In either case the idea is quite staggering. - Arthur C. Clarke
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
Affirmative on all counts, Rusty. The RAID drivers that worked came on the undocumented, unexplained floppy.
I DID seat the RAM while the mobo was still sitting on the antistat plastic, and the keepers popped in by themselves too. I always have trouble with the AGP card, on least 1 or 2 prior mobos as well; that is my prime suspect. So I yanked this one and re-seated it again. Sometimes they look great and perhaps still don't seat right.
Optical drive slave or master? I've found I can always get a boot CD to boot on a master, but not always on a slave -- is that outmoded W98 days lore, or was it always just a superstition?
I was getting sporadic freezes but suspect a conflict between drivers for trackball and new XMas optical wirless mouse. The old XP is about a year old. I still think a year to year and a half is more than enough for a Win or Mac system and then it's time for a clean sweep -- comments?
Yeah Ron, 4 IDE channels (4 master 4 slave drives) with RAID. With today's big drives and the movers breaking 2 optical drives, I am down to 2 main HD's (60GB C drive + 120GB data drive) and one optical, but I keep a dummy DataPort channel wired for swaps and backups. SuSE Linux will probably go into an extra DataPort one of these days.
Oh, CSEL - I never got this setting working because I never understood how it was supposed to work. Set both drives to cable select and let the cable sort out who's primary and who's secondary?
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
summitlake
scholastic sledgehammer
Reged: 09/05/03
Posts: 878
Loc: Castro Valley CA
|
|
The CSEL idea worked. On the RAID channel, yet! Thanks!
Still getting freezes. Clean OS install time. My theory: when there's a complete mobo and chip changes, a clean install is warranted. All the old Soyo dll's are still floating around, no telling what else. I have a ton of apps, upgrades, uninstalls and reinstalls, and the registration should be getting pretty bloated about now anyway!
Comments on this theory (or anything else) always welcome -- at least, when complete, I won't be able to whine about an old OS installation!
--------------------
Alex
Meade LX90 8" SCT
Orion 127mm Mak
|
rboe
Numbfinger
Reged: 03/16/02
Posts: 39690
Loc: Phx, AZ
|
|
Still getting freezes after a clean install. Hmmm, have you tried a longer wait time for memory access? There is a different term - latency I think.
When you look at how small the structures are inside the silcone, the critical timings, EM interference - it's a minor miracle things work at all. Good luck!
--------------------
Ron
NS11GPS
Pronto
16" dob
15X70 Obies
|
|
|
Previous
Index
Next
Threaded
Edit
Reply
Quote
[Re: