[NTLUG:Discuss] (OT) Probably a stupid question

[Wayne Dahl]

Hi all.  I'll apologize up front for the length of this post.

I haven't built a computer in about 7 years so I'm having to play
catch-up.  I'm wanting to build a 64 bit computer and Fry's has a
motherboard/cpu combo on sale for $189...it's an ECS K8 HT 1600
motherboard with an AMD Athlon 64 3.2 Gig  processor.  It's in the right
price range...anyone tried using one of these?  If so, any problems I
should know about?  I googled for hardware compatibility and couldn't
find this motherboard listed anywhere.

Also, it doesn't have onboard video.  What reasonably priced ($150 and
under) can you recommend?  I saw the video card discussion a while back,
but unless I'm dreaming, you guys were discussing higher dollar video
cards than I need.

The big question I have is in the area of software.  I've never used a
64 bit machine before.  Can you run 32 bit software on one?  I don't
have a problem installing a 64 bit version of Linux on it as I can
download it for free, but what about Windoze?  The wife still uses the
MickeySoft stuff and we currently have a computer running Weenderz 98 SE
on it.  I do want to upgrade her OS (I'm hoping to eventually get her
off the M$ train, but I'm not holding my breath either) but if I build a
new 64 bit machine, can you install Win 98 SE on it and then upgrade to
a newer version (like XP)?  Will Win 98 work on a 64 bit machine or
would I have to go to something else?  If I can find someone that has a
copy of something else I could buy for cheap (because they've upgraded
and no longer need it) like Win ME (shudder) or NT or whatever just to
have something installed so I can do an upgrade to XP (don't wanna have
to pay for a new install version), I can do that.

What about apps?  Will 32 bit apps run on a 64 bit machine?  Will they
run well or will there be problems if they run at all?  If I really need
64 bit apps, what's the availablility, both Weenderz and Linux?

Can anyone direct me to a resource that will help me in building a 64
bit machine, the gotchas, the pitfalls, the right directions to go,
etc?  I could also use some education into modern computer
architecture.  I've read some on Hypertransport threading, but what
resources could you recommend to build the type of machine I'm looking
at?  This is going to be a multipurpose computer, probably be set up
initally as a dual boot with Linux/XP until I can get a copy of VMWare
for it, then Linux will be the host and XP the guest OS.  It'll be used
to listen to music, burn CD's (data and music), access the Internet, do
general household type functions.

Thanks,

Wayne