New build Hardware

[pete_c]

Just posting a new build on a sitting around computer.  Newbee here not familiar with LinuxMCE.  A little bit familiar with Ubuntu.  This computer will be sitting in the basement "comm" room.  I currently have a MythTV box sitting in the vicinity with connectivity two a couple of HD Homerun boxes (5 tuners) and using a Nexus Satellite tuner card inside of it.  Lately into small footprint boxes such that I may move this setup to a mITX I7/I5 CPU board in a small footprint case.  

1 - Original Hardware

HP Pavillon A1700n - new never used been sitting in the basement catch all pc pile.

Base processor
Athlon 64 X2 (W) 3800+ 2.0 GHz
•2000 MT/s (mega transfers/second)
•Socket AM2
Chipset
GeForce 6150 LE / nForce 430
Video nVidia C51PVG
Motherboard
•Manufacturer: Asus
•Motherboard Name: A8M2N-LA
•HP/Compaq motherboard name: NodusM3-GL8E
Memory
•3Gb

Relating to initial build had some issues with built in video and network card.  Updated base with:

1 - Intel Gb NIC (new PCI card) - integrated Gb NIC wouldn't talk any faster than 100Mb.
2 - Gigabyte GV-R467D3 (ATI Radeon) - it too was just sitting around in the cache all box (new)

Started again from scratch.  Installing updates to base (not sure if this is right - not reading wiki right now) - Guessing it should be plugnplay.

[tschak909]

Hi Pete_c.

I would highly recommend using an NVIDIA card for your first build, as we have not been able to get ATI cards working as smoothly.

-Thom

[pete_c]

Thanks Thom.

Looking to just build a "core server" with no display as it will just be sitting in the basement comm room.

I will remove the Gigabyte video card and use the one on the motherboard which is an nVidia C51PVG.

[tschak909]

Ok. I would also mention that you need to put two NICs into the system (at least two visible network interfaces), as one goes to the outside world, and the one to the house network, and you should be set.

-Thom

[purps]

Thanks Thom.

Looking to just build a "core server" with no display as it will just be sitting in the basement comm room.

I will remove the Gigabyte video card and use the one on the motherboard which is an nVidia C51PVG.

As a beginner, I would recommend leaving your core as a hybrid, at least for now. True most things can be done remotely, however sometimes I find it is really useful to have a physical screen, especially when it's early days. The MD part really doesn't use up that much resource if it's just sat there doing nothing.

(Also handy for doing Clonezilla disk image backups - an absolute life-saver!).

I am using an ATI card in my core (because I had one). As Thom says, nVidia really is the best bet, but where I am using it purely as a "service screen" if you like, you can get away with lots of other types of card providing you used UI1 (the first option in the AV wizard, the non-fancy one). No it doesn't look nice, sometimes the screen resolution does funny things, sometimes it appears matchbox size.... but I don't care.

Cheers,
Matt.

[pete_c]

Thanks guys!

Yup the on the motherboard Video is an nVidia C51PVG.  For the time being I will just connect the KVM to that one. I will leave the Gigabyte ATI Radeon card in place for the time being.

I currently have the PC connected to a Raritan IP116 which lets me get to the bios stuff remotely.

That said the built in network card is Gb but for whatever reason it wouldn't load up Gb drivers such that I added the Intel Gb card.  

That said both network cables go to a managed switch which will help me a bit.

I am also concurrently replacing my Smoothwall firewall that had three interfaces to a new PFSense firewall with 6 interfaces as I am looking to do some multiwan load balancing and test some separate networks on the inside.