Linux compatible mobo?

[Sasquatch]

I'm getting ready to start building my own little supercomputer and need some help. The catch is that I'm running Linux and have no intention of going back to Windows. I don't have any problems with the antique HP Pavilion I'm on now, but it's so old the drivers are written in latin. The actual assembly of the system doesn't worry me a bit, but I don't want to waste money on components that won't work with my OS. I checked nVidia's site and they don't have any Linux drivers listed, so I can't use any mobo with their chipset. I don't know what others there are. Anybody with any experience in this matter?

 

[dmill89]

Well the first thing you need to know is that unlike windows linux rearly if ever requires drivers in the traditional sense. Linux has the information that allows the hardware to work properly in the kernal. As long as you stick with a mainstreem distro (RedHat,Fedora,Ubantu,Xandros,etc.) you should be able to use virtualy any modern motherboard.Linux has come a long way since the early days where compatibility is concerned.

 

[agi_shi]

You shouldn't have any problem whatsoever as long as you stick to an ATI or NVidia graphics card (and a modern motherboard).

Really, all I needed to install after the fresh linux install (of SuSe 10.1) was my ATI 3D (yes, only 3D - the 2D drivers were already just there) drivers and I was all ready to go (on an nforce 4 chipset, realtek sound, nforce networking...)

 

[Sasquatch]

I was wondering why I was worried. This old Pavilion (600MHz, 192MB, 15GB) was built for Windows 98 and runs Ubuntu 6.10 with absolutely no trouble. I didn't have to download any drivers to get it running. Just that every mobo bundle I looked at listed all the Windows versions it supported and I guess that had me thinking that was all they could run.

Thanks for setting me straight, time to do some shopping!

 

[Nodsu]

Nah.. The supported operating systems list the things that the manufacturer guarantees to work and what they offer support services for. So, if you can't get your mobo running with Linux, don't expect to get any help from ASUS or whoever the maker is.

It is always good to double-check before buying though. Some newer or less common bits may have no or lousy support. Fakeraid, card readers, modems may not be supported out of the box or at all.

 

[Sasquatch]

So I'm good to go on mobos, but need to doublecheck all the cards and peripherals. That's what I thought going into this, but I let myself get sidetracked by those pesky "supported OS" lists.

I've experienced no problems yet with my cable modem, Vonage router, or Scandisk Smartmedia reader. Didn't check any of those before they were installed. Guess it just made me nervous to think about spending thousands of dollars on bits that I would then have to go through the hassle of trying to return after I installed them and found out they wouldn't work.