[GTALUG] Advice -- Building Debian 8 PC To Replace Win XP PC;

Thu Aug 11 17:36:11 EDT 2016

Greetings To GTALUG Members,

Having gratefully received an avalanche of helpful postings from GTALUG members, and based on that advice, I provide below a summary of the revisions to the original specification of components, for the new desktop PC.

Please find attached a PDF summary of the revised PC configuration:
  a.. <ca.pcpartpicker.com -- win7_PC_business_24_7_duty_bare_v2 - summary - Steve_Petrie - 20160811.pdf>.
The price may seem high, given that this is not a gamer's PC. There is no video graphics support beyond that on the Intel CPU.

This PC is a heavy-duty professional / business PC. The objective of this PC is to provide fast performance, with the ability to run cool and cruising (not struggling) under constant 24 / 7 duty. Also there is provision for future expansion, without overtaxing cooling capacity or power supply.

Please note that the revised specification attached, includes only the Windows 7 operating system, and makes no mention of the Linux operating system. Omission of Linux is intentional, as commercial system builders typically are only interested in shipping PCs with Windows. So the plan is to do the Linux installation after the PC is received from the builder.

I am now going to request price quotations for the PC as specified, from a number of commercial PC builders.

If no satisfactory commercial builder quotation ensues (meaning: acceptable price and no component substitutions), then I will likely resort to the build-it-yourself option, with kind help from GTALUG. There is a hybrid build option: get the motherboard built commercially, and then personally complete the build from there.

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RAM

Increase the RAM size from 8 GB to 16 GB (2 x 8GB DIMM).

The ASRock Z97 Extreme6 motherboard has 4 DDR-3 slots, providing for  future memory expansion to the maximum 32 GB supported by the Intel i5-4460 CPU.

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DIALUP MODEMS AND DSL (DIGITAL SUBSCRIBER LINE)

It appears that Linux (and Windows) are keeping up support for: 1. USB  dial up modems and 2. PPP network protocol, to enable tethering of GSM  phones to the OS, as dial up modems (for e.g. file transfer).

Therefore it is very likely that the same support (for USB dial up  modems and PPP) on Linux, should also work on Linux with a real USB dial  up modem (e,g, USR5637 56K V.92 USB modem).

Dial up modems today still find uses, in situations where land line  telephone service is the only wired Internet connection available: 1. in  some rural areas, and 2. with portable computers away from home base,  e.g. in hotel room. Also: some point-of-sale payment transaction systems  use dial up modems, for improved security.

Terminology: "hard line" = "land line" = POTS (plain old telephone  service) = physical twisted pair of copper wires that electrically  connect a subscriber's equipment, to the remote telephone exchange and  thereby to the PSTN (public switched telephone network).

Terminology: DSL (digital subscriber line) = ADSL (asymmetric digital  subscriber line), the "asymmetric" means that upstream communications  (from local to remote) and downstream communications (from remote to  local) use different frequency ranges (Up: 26.075 .. 137.825 kHz, Down:  138 .. 1104 kHz).

DSL service can share the same hard line with analog devices (e.g.  telephone, dial up modem, fax machine) because DSL uses much higher  modulation frequencies (26.075 .. 1104 kHz) than do conventional (human  voice band) analog devices (0 .. 4 kHz).

However, in order for DSL and analog devices to share the same wire pair  hard line without interference, the DSL modem must be electrically  isolated from the analog devices (and vice-versa), to prevent mutual  interference  caused by secondary effects of signals generated by the  various devices on the line.

The necessary isolation between the DSL modem and the analog devices on  the same wire pair line, is achieved by adding a DSL filter between each  analog device (e.g. telephone, dial up modem) and the line.

For convenience, a variation on the DSL filter, called a DSL filter /  splitter, provides two jacks on the same filter device, one (unfiltered)  jack for connecting the DSL modem and one (filtered) jack for connecting  an analog device (e.g. telphone, dial up modem).

Adding decision complexity to a DSL service acquisition, are  availability of more modern DSL standards that offer significantly  higher speeds: ADSL2, VDSL and VDSL2.

Given that, with DSL service installed on the hard line, it will still  be feasible to continue to use on the same hard line, the dial up modem  on the existing Windows XP PC, why not go straight to using DSL for the  new Linux PC, and skip entirely any use of a dial up modem (e.g. USR5637  56K V.92 USB modem) on the new PC?

Here are my reasons for first using a dial up modem on the new Linux PC:
  a.. #1 Postpone the non-trivial task of: specifying and provisioning DSL service (service type decision, modem selection, service  implementation). DSL will be a too large distraction from the main  project, which is to get a Linux PC working.

  b.. #2. Simplify the task of setting up the new Linux PC, by minimizing: 1.  any changes to setup and operation of existing Windows XP PC (dial up  modem), and by minimizing: 2. any changes to existing Internet ISP connection facility (dial up).

  c.. #3. Save money ($25 / mo.): postpone upgrade, from 56Kbps dial up (ISP $15 / mo), to 5Mbps DSL (ISP $40 / mo);

  d.. #4. Curiosity: Web browsing with dial up modem on the existing Windows  XP PC has grown to be painfully slow with advent of larger and larger  web page sizes. But pages always used to load reliably, albeit slowly.

  However, over the past few  years, web page load performance has steadily degraded, to the point where too many pages either quietly fail to completely load on the first attempt, or fail to load with some  browser error message.

  So I plan to find out, if the Linux PC can deliver a better web browsing experience over a dial up Internet connection, than the very poor browsing experience on the existing Windows XP PC.

  e.. #5 Even after I have upgraded the Linux PC to use DSL for its regular  Internet connectivity, I want to be able occasionally to use a dial up modem Internet connection on the Linux PC. Mainly for testing the  responsiveness over dial up, of a new website I am building.

  I have set a target maximum of 10 seconds response time for a page load, for a website visitor using a browser over a dial up modem connection. There are still plenty of people using dial up, whether out of frugality  or poverty. And I intend that the new website will treat these dial up users, with respect for the value of their time.
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VIDEO DISPLAY MONITOR  AND CABLE 

Consider increasing the size of the video display monitor, to allow for  comfortable viewing with user's advancing age. The present display  monitor on the Windows XP PC is 17" diagonal.

Therefore the 21.5" diagonal video monitor (LG 22MB35DM-I) specified for  the new Linux PC, already provides a large increase (4.5") viewing area  diagonal over the Win XP PC monitor -- at a price of $167.92.

However, a 23.8" (LG 24MB35DM-B) monitor can be had on amazon.ca for a  price of only $195.00, so the decision is to upgrade the monitor specified, to the 23.8" LG model from the 21.5" LG model.

Video monitors of yet higher diagonal sizes are too expensive for the  budget.

Therefore upgrade the specification to an LG 24MB35DM-B 23.8" video monitor.

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Can the CPU's built-in Intel HD Graphics 4600 video display controller,  on the Intel 4-Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Processor, on the ASRock Expreme6 motherboard, drive the 24MB35DM-B 23.8" IPS LED Back-lit Full HD 1080p 1920x1080 Monitor, through its  DVI-D D-Sub connector?

Here is a paste from the Intel CPU product web page:

http://ark.intel.com/products/80817/Intel-Core-i5-4460-Processor-6M-Cache-up-to-3_40-GHz
...
Graphics Specifications Processor Graphics ++ Intel(c) HD Graphics 4600 Graphics
Base Frequency  350 MHz
Graphics Max Dynamic Frequency 1.1 GHz
Graphics Video Max Memory  2 GB
Graphics Output  eDP/DP/HDMI/VGA
Max Resolution (HDMI 1.4)++  4096x2304 at 24Hz
Max Resolution (DP)++  3840x2160 at 60Hz
Max Resolution (eDP - Integrated Flat Panel)++  3840x2160 at 60Hz
Max Resolution (VGA)++  1920x1200 at 60Hz
DirectX* Support  11.2/12
OpenGL+ Support  4.3
Intel(R) Quick Sync Video Yes
Intel(R) InTru(tm) 3D Technology  Yes
Intel(R) Insider(tm) Yes
Intel(R) Wireless Display Yes
Intel(R) Flexible Display Interface (Intel® FDI)  Yes
Intel(R) Clear Video HD Technology  Yes
# of Displays Supported ++  3 Device ID  0x412
...

And here is a paste from the ASRock Z97 Extreme6 motherboard specfication:
...
Graphics

Three graphics output options: DVI-I, HDMI and DisplayPort 1.2

Supports HDMI with max. resolution up to 4K x 2K (4096x2160) @ 24Hz
Supports DVI-I with max. resolution up to 1920x1200 @ 60Hz
Supports DisplayPort 1.2 with max. resolution up to 4K x 2K (4096x2160) @ 24Hz or 4K x 2K (3840x2160) @ 60Hz
...

Here is a paste from the LG 24MB35DM-B 23.8" video monitor owner's manual :

Resolution Max D-SUB(Analog) : 1280 x 1024 @ 60 Hz
DVI (Digital) : 1280 x 1024 @ 60 Hz

Since: 1. the DVI-I video output signals on the ASRock Extreme6 motherboard's DVI-I connector, can directly drive the DVI-D input on the LG 24MB35DM-B monitor, and 2. a DVI-D cable is compatible with the DVI-I connector on the ASRock motherboard, and 3. the DVI standard maximum length of a DVI cable is 5 meters (16 feet), a simple 12 foot (or 15 foot) DVI-D cable will suffice to connect the monitor to the motherboard.

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WESTERN DIGITAL HARD DISK DRIVE

Upgrade the HDD to Western Digital Black Series 1 TB 3.5" from Western Digital Blue Series 750 GB.

The WD Black Series are designed for heavy professional PC use. The Blue series are not so thoroughly tested by WD and are not recommended for heavy professional use.

The WD Blue Series also have a power-down feature (after 2 to 3 minutes  idle) that makes them inconvenient for intermittent use, because of the long spin-up delay after power-down.

The WD Black Series model chosen is WD1003FZEX SATA 6 Gb/s 3.5 Inch 7200 1 TB with 64 MB cache.

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CASE: FRACTAL DESIGN VS SILVERSTONE

The case originally specified: Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) has a door that covers the entire front of the case. There is exposure to damage to an optical drive, if the optical drive ejects a disc while the front door of the case is in the way.

The SilverStone TJ04-E was suggested as an alternative case. However, this venerable popular model is no longer available. The successor SilverStone model: SST-TJ04B-E does not seem to be nearly as well made as the original TJ04-E. Numerous reviews on Anazon.com mention flimsy material and construction. There are other SilverStone case models of interest, but none as compelling in features as the Fractal Design Define R5.

The decision is to use a Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) case with the front foor, as originally specified, and be very careful always to keep the front door of this case wide open, so long as there is a disc in the optical drive. (Good luck, Steve :)

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HDD BACKUP: PORTABLE USB DRIVE VERSUS MAGNETIC TAPE

Magnetic tape has fallen out of favour for PC backup, being replaced by portable USB drives. Tape is subject to heavy wear by helical-scan technology, and inexpensive helical-scan drive models are no longer manufactured.

Abandon the idea of using a SCSI (helical-scan) tape drive for HDD backup, and use portable USB drives for backup instead.

The drive selected is: Western Digital My Passport Ultra 1 TB Portable External Hard Drive, Black (WDBGPU0010BBK-NESN).

This device is being acquired separately from the PC build. The DDS-3 DAT drive on the existing Windows XP PC has just died. The plan is to switch to using a portable USB drive to backup the Windows XP PC HDD, until the new Linux PC is fully operational.

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BOOT SETUP, HDD PARTITIONING AND OS INSTALLATION

GTALUG advice is that I should undertake personally, installation of debian Linux on the new PC. This will ensure a satisfactory Linux setup and also develop vital knowledge to assist recovery in case of future problems.

The plan is to do the Linux installation after the PC is received from the builder. This will include not only installing debian Linux from ISO DVD, but also making changes to the boot firmware setup on the ASRock Z97 Extreme6 motherboard.

The PC builder will be required to install the Windows 7 into a dedicated GPT partition of e.g. 80 GB. So hopefully, the work done to install debian Linux, will not disturb the partition containing the original Windows 7 installation done by the builder.

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Plan is still to try to find a commercial builder, without conceding any variations in components as specified. Otherwise will consider building myself, with kind help from GTALUG.

Will report back on responses from commercial builders.

Best Regards and Thanks !!

Steve
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