Re: new linux box

From: Johan Kullstam (kullstj-nn_at_comcast.net)
Date: 05/13/04 

Date: 13 May 2004 13:53:36 -0400

Xilo Musimene <xilopublic1@ca.inter.net> writes:

> > Question: why are you spending so much on a Dual CPU board but
> > getting only 1 CPU and skimping on the RAM? IMHO, you can never
> > have too much RAM, so I'd add a second DIMM to that order.
>
> I'm sorry the list did not show the qtys, I do would like to order two
> CPUs of course. And the RAM will have to stay at only 256Mb, because,
> I don't need more and I can't afford more.

Based upon my experience with a quad ppro200, 256MB of RAM is usually
plenty. More is more better, however. And if you are going to spend
the cash on dual, then you should be prepared to follow through.

I have a dual athlon setup, but I found that it was not cheap. It's
not that just the motherboard and MP processors are rather pricy. You
will need a well laid out (for ventillation) case with lots of fans to
keep your computer cool -- these modern CPUs run HOT. You will need a
powerful power supply -- I would look to get at the very least 450W,
(550W would be better) (hint - get a P/S with bottom sucking fan for
the improved system cooling aspect).

I understand you could run XP or perhaps Durons, but the mobo,
cooling, case, power supply &c still stand. Dual is more expensive
not just for the extra CPUs, but because the whole infrastructure is
more expensive.

Hmm. You want dual CPU, but do not have that much cash. For
inexpensive, I would look at a dual PIII board. 1GHz PIII are still
pretty good CPUs and this might actually be not a bad system, if a
little old. (Old means that you might not get as fast AGP, fast RAM
and such). You can scavange up a used system at some computer show.
Take the money you save and buy 1GB of RAM and a good video card.

> > BTW, you are aware that Duron CPUs aren't officially supported for
> > SMP, right? So if you do purchase a second one, you're more-or-less
> > on your own to get everything working right.
>
> I don't know much about hardware, I used to, back when we'd overclock
> the first Celerons, though I left that world for about 5 years and
> now, I'm "retarded"(1) about all the hardware versus Linux.

Just get a nice single P4 or Athlon XP. Put 512MB of RAM into it.
They have plenty of power, I'd invest some more into making sure the
system is quiet. I really like multi-CPU boxen, they have great
response even under heavy load (the quad mentioned above is like a
diesel, it never really bogs with load and always remains consistently
responsive - if a bit less than snappy). But, that said, the value is
in the single CPU machine and today's machines are so CPU overpowered
(meaning that CPU has sped up much more than the other parts, e.g.,
RAM, hard disk, ethernet over the past half dozen years) that a dual
is overkill.

> (1) Sorry, I'm french and that's the only word I found to be most
> appropriate, think of my as being hardware-retard but still being a
> normal (aka unretard) being! ;)
>
> So...
>
> What is SMP?
> Is there proper documentation to make the two CPUs work with Redhat
> 9?

It ought to work right out of the box. I never tried redhats 8 or 9,
but the earlier ones like 6.X and 7.X worked just fine with SMP. And
it's only a kernel recompile away in any event. 

-- 
Johan KULLSTAM <kullstj-nn@comcast.net> sysengr

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