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Mainboard Recommendation

W

Wharf_Rat

[H]ard|Gawd
Joined
Mar 15, 2000
Messages
1,151
Can anyone here recommend me a mainboard which meets the following criteria? There is a few that meet my requirements on newegg, but a lot have very mixed reviews...

I am planning to pick up the mainboard and a q6600, swap the quad with my current e6600, and make the new box a VMWare test box/folder.

I was hoping that someone here might be able to look at my requirements and have one currently in use that meets my needs.

1. mATX
2. Intel 775 (Quad)
3. OC my current e6600 (which is currently stable at 3.42 on a badaxe2)
3. DDR800
4. Linux driver support for all onboard devices
5. RAID not necessary, but a bonus.

I have been leaning toward this one, http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16813128085 , but not much info out on it.

Thanks guys.
 
If you're looking to overclock a quad, go with a P35. The Gigabyte GA-G33M-DS2R was highly regarded around here. It's a P35/mATX board.

EDIT: Looks like you've already got a P35 board picked out. Linux is going to be tricky for these boards :(


 
I've got two Intel Bad Axe's running; one is version 1 and the other is version 2.

I really like them... they work well, have lots of SATA ports, and they OC just fine.

I know that the Rat is looking for mATX, but I am not. I'm looking for something like the Bad Axes.

Any suggestions? I like lots of SATA ports. I want to build my daughter a gaming machine based on an intel quad core. Thanks.
 
Pocatello said:
I've got two Intel Bad Axe's running; one is version 1 and the other is version 2.

I really like them... they work well, have lots of SATA ports, and they OC just fine.

I know that the Rat is looking for mATX, but I am not. I'm looking for something like the Bad Axes.

Any suggestions? I like lots of SATA ports. I want to build my daughter a gaming machine based on an intel quad core. Thanks.
Click to expand...

the MSI Neo2-FR i'm using has 5 internal sata and 2 external and is at 3.1 on the quad @ stock voltage...i'm happy with it
 
I don't normally look at mATX boards so I'm not sure what I can add to this other than I have had good luck with Gigabyte boards lately. My current is the P965-DS3 and it's been a great board. I have a Gigabyte mATX AM2 board with AMD/ATI chipset and integrated graphics which has been great as well. It runs my X2 4000+ at 3.0Ghz without a sweat and I'm using the onboard video. Both of them are running Linux as well with no trouble.

I just got my Gigabyte P35-DS3R today, but I don't have my new case, video card or Q6600 yet so I haven't had a chance to try it out. I expect rather good things from it.

With the luck I have had with Gigabyte boards lately, I would say your choice is probably one of the best right now.

Pocatello, I would probably suggest the Gigabyte P35-DS3R if you're wanting lots of SATA ports. It has the Intel ICH9R southbridge meaning 6 SATA ports plus it has an additional SATA controller with 2 SATA ports. It also has a shitload of USB ports on the back plus it comes with a header for eSATA. Technically speaking, about the only thing missing on this board is Firewire. It may be lacking it, but it's not something I have ever had a need for so it doesn't matter to me. It should also be a pretty good overclocker and it's definitely not a bad price. It's tough to find another board with the same features for anywhere near the price.

 
aldamon said:
If you're looking to overclock a quad, go with a P35. The Gigabyte GA-G33M-DS2R was highly regarded around here. It's a P35/mATX board.

EDIT: Looks like you've already got a P35 board picked out. Linux is going to be tricky for these boards :(


Click to expand...

This is the board I wanted...but it looks like they have dried up. Discontinued?

I have read linux might be a bitch, but I was hoping to not buy an OS.

I have 4GB ddr2, hard drives, opticals...etc, and was hoping to just cobble something together with my dually and put the quad in my main rig with the bx2.

Maybe I should give it up and go something nForce based? All I really need to do is OC my e6600 back to the 3.4 range.
 
I haven't read up on anything really, but I don't see a reason why there would be a problem with the board and Linux. There is nothing cutting edge new with the board and I would pretty much guarantee that everything on it would be supported. The P3x and G3x chipsets aren't exactly new and neither are the southbridges which go with them so drivers in Linux should not be a problem.

Hell, if I had an ATI/AMD chipset with integrated video install just fine under Linux, there shouldn't be a problem with an Intel board. Everyone knows that ATI video isn't exactly the most fun thing to install under Linux.

 
It is mostly around sound and some video anomolies that I am reading, but it is across all different distros as well...

I just want linux as the platform to run VMs on + run one SMP client...so sound isnt really that important but video would be a killer. I just dont want to run into a whole rash of shit configuring this thing. I am no linux expert and dont want to have to fight too much of a battle for things to work as they should.
 
Wharf_Rat said:
It is mostly around sound and some video anomolies that I am reading, but it is across all different distros as well...

I just want linux as the platform to run VMs on + run one SMP client...so sound isnt really that important but video would be a killer. I just dont want to run into a whole rash of shit configuring this thing. I am no linux expert and dont want to have to fight too much of a battle for things to work as they should.
Click to expand...

is diskless an option? I ran into the fact that my onboard NIC didn't install proper but that's solved with a cheep NIC.
 
Wharf_Rat said:
It is mostly around sound and some video anomolies that I am reading, but it is across all different distros as well...

I just want linux as the platform to run VMs on + run one SMP client...so sound isnt really that important but video would be a killer. I just dont want to run into a whole rash of shit configuring this thing. I am no linux expert and dont want to have to fight too much of a battle for things to work as they should.
Click to expand...

2D video normally is not a problem that I've seen. You shouldn't have any trouble as long as you're not looking for 3D acceleration. I had no trouble with the integrated ATI video for just normal 2D stuff when I installed openSUSE 10.3 on my AM2 board. I didn't have any 3D acceleration until I installed the drivers from ATI but I really haven't even used that yet since the system isn't for 3D stuff. I don't see there being a problem with integrated Intel video seeing as how it's the most used integrated video out there.

You might have some trouble depending on the distro you use as each has its own quirks. Personally, I've had very little trouble with openSUSE and I use it as my full time OS on my main system as well as the OS of choice on 3 of my other 4 computers. These range from an old Compaq P3 1Ghz with integrated video to a C2D P965 board with an nVidia 7600GT. Hopefully this weekend I will also have it on a Q6600, P35 and 8800GT. I obviously install the nVidia drivers for 3D acceleration but I haven't had a single problem doing that using Yast with openSUSE.

I think you would be okay, but if I have some time tonight I might see about doing a little research in regarding that board/video solution and Linux.

 
Pocatello said:
She is in 4th grade.

You boys are too old for her.
Click to expand...

My son is only a couple years younger, maybe we should set them up? :eek::D

If he turns out anything like me (which so far he's a clone) he'll like older women.

 
I ended up going with this board

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16813128078

based off of catboxer's use of it in the Post pics of your Farm thread.

Now I am going to order that cheap Dell Inspiron with the q6600, take out the q6600 (hope for g0) and place it in my current rig with the Intel BadAxe2. Move my e6600 to the new Gigabyte board, OC it and use it for vmware testing/folding. Then I am going to get a cheap e2xxx chip and add it to the Dell.

Should be fun and gain some nice PPD!

 
Wharf_Rat said:
I ended up going with this board

http://www.newegg.com/Product/ProductReview.aspx?Item=N82E16813128078

based off of catboxer's use of it in the Post pics of your Farm thread.

Now I am going to order that cheap Dell Inspiron with the q6600, take out the q6600 (hope for g0) and place it in my current rig with the Intel BadAxe2. Move my e6600 to the new Gigabyte board, OC it and use it for vmware testing/folding. Then I am going to get a cheap e2xxx chip and add it to the Dell.

Should be fun and gain some nice PPD!

Click to expand...

Wow that's one heck of a switch-a-roo :p
 
No kidding, huh?

Took me a while to get my head around the best way to do it!

I think I came up with a pretty good route for the most PPD :p
 
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