[NTLUG:Discuss] hardware upgrade

[Christopher Browne]

On Wed, 31 May 2000 11:50:39 CDT, the world broke into rejoicing as
Michael Sandfort <sandfort at post.cis.smu.edu>  said:
> I've got a brother who's going to law school next year and needs a basic 
> computer for wp/email which dual boots win/linux.  I have an old 
> 486DX4/100 from which I'd like to salvage as much hardware as possible:
> 
> Seagate ST31200N 1.05G HD
> Samsung VG32163A 2.16G HD
> Sony    CDU55S   CD-ROM
> MediaVision Pro-Audio 16 Sound Card
> Cirrus CL-GD5402 Vid. Card
> 
> Having read through Chris Browne's page on inexpensive linux boxes and the 
> links there (Red Hill, etc.), I'm thinking I can do this for about $260, 
> minimal replacements being (including shipping):
>
> FIC VA 503+ + K6-2 at 450MHz = $140
> ECC PC100 64MB SDRAM      = $70
> ATI Xpert 98 Video Card   = $50

Glad to see some of it appears useful...

> As far as I know, I don't need an I/O card, since primary/secondary IDE 
> are included on the mb. The CDROM appeared on a linux blacklist around 
> '95, but I think this has been resolved. The sound card seems to be 
> supported. My major problem (I think) is that I don't know anything about
> DMA or AGP.

I'd be worried about the CD-ROM; there's certainly a driver for the Sony
535 model, but I'm not sure that's the same thing as the CDU55S.  (I'm
looking in the kernel sources in /usr/src/linux/Documentation/cdrom and
/usr/src/linux/drivers/cdrom.)

As for AGP, if the mb has an AGP slot, then you can use an AGP video
card.  Nonissue.

If you had faster, more modern, IDE drives, they might be able to
get a mite better performance if you could tune performance; that's
likely a non-issue for you.  I'm not sure it's worth spending _any_
time worrying about trying to tune it, particularly if the machine is
going to a possibly-naive user who may not be well equipped to retune
it should it prove necessary to reinstall Linux on the box
later...

> 1) Am I missing any important hidden costs here? (apart from my time, 
> which I'm willing to take to learn a little more about this stuff :) )
> 2) Is configuring this FIC mb as daunting as Red Hill seems to suggest? 
> (in particular, for a very amateur hardware person such as myself)
> 3) Is this a good idea, or is it crazy to be doing this when cheapo 
> machines can be had for about $500?

You may want to _consider_ getting a cheap IDE CD-ROM.  That might up
the price $50, but cuts out a question.

As for the "daunting" FIC configuration, the last mb I bought was an FIC,
with a K6-2 at 266MHz.  The vendor preconfigured it for that CPU, so I never
had to touch a jumper.  One of the merits of the old Super Saturday sale
at InfoMart; they sold enough stuff that they had at least a _little_
familiarity with the hardware.

Are you being crazy?  Possibly.  

On the other hand, that system might have a better case/power supply than
you'd get in one of those $500 systems.  And the learning experience is
worth _something_.  And by spending $250, you do save $250.  And if you
buy the components yourself, you _know_ what you're getting, which
certainly can't be said for the $500 boxes.
--
cbbrowne at hex.net - <http://www.hex.net/~cbbrowne/lsf.html>
What should you do when you see an endangered animal that is eating an
endangered plant?