[GTALUG] Advice -- Building Debian 8 PC To Replace Win XP PC;
Steve Petrie, P.Eng.
apetrie at aspetrie.net
Tue Jul 26 09:37:57 EDT 2016
Hello Giles,
Thanks for your response.
My comments are inline below.
Steve
----- Original Message -----
From: "Giles Orr via talk" <talk at gtalug.org>
To: "GTALUG Talk" <talk at gtalug.org>
Sent: Monday, July 25, 2016 11:49 AM
Subject: Re: [GTALUG] Advice -- Building Debian 8 PC To Replace Win XP
PC;
> On 25 July 2016 at 10:47, Steve Petrie, P.Eng. via talk
> <talk at gtalug.org> wrote:
>> Warm Greetings To GTALUG,
>>
snip
>> -----------------
>> -----------------
>> CPU Intel 4-Core i5-4460 3.2GHz Processor, 64-bit, 6
>> MB
>> cache, max 32 GB RAM, HD graphics;
>> CPU Cooler Noctua NH-U12S 55.0 CFM CPU Cooler, height w/fan
>> 158mm,
>> clears RAM & PCIe, PWM control;
>> Motherboard ASRock Z97 EXTREME6 ATX LGA1150 Mainboard, PCIe:
>> 2x
>> 3.0x16, 1x 2.0x16, 2x 2.0x1, 1x mini,
>> Ultra M.2 Gen3 8Gb/s x4 (uses 4x PCIe 3.0 CPU
>> socket
>> lanes), extra large heat sinks;
>> Memory Crucial Ballistix Tactical Tracer 8GB (2x4GB)
>> DDR3-1600
>> RAM, 1.35 volt, timings 8-8-8-24;
>> -----------------
>> Case Fractal Design Define R5 (Black) ATX Mid Tower
>> Case,
>> 3-speed fan control (max 3 fans),
>> bays: fan 9, drive: 2x5.25", 8x3.5", 2xSSD, CPU
>> cooler
>> height max 180mm, 2 dust filters;
>> Power Supply EVGA SuperNOVA P2 850W 80+ Platinum Certified
>> Fully-Modular ATX Power Supply;
>> -----------------
>> Solid State Drive Samsung SM951 128GB M.2-2280 Solid State Drive,
>> AHCI PCIe
>> Gen3 8Gb/s x4, 256 MB cache,
>> P/N MZHPV128HDGM;
>> Hard Drive Western Digital Caviar Blue Internal Hard Drive
>> 750GB
>> 3.5" 7200RPM 6Gb/s SATA 64MB cache;
>> Optical Drive LG WH16NS40 Blu-Ray/DVD/CD Writer, SATA, 2/3/4
>> layers
>> (128GB), 4MB data buffer;
>> -----------------
>> Video Monitor LG 22MB35DM-I 21.5" Monitor Full HD 1080p
>> 1920x1080 IPS
>> LED Back-lit, DVI-D, D-Sub,
>> contrast ratios: (static 1,000:1), (dynamic
>> 5M:1),
>> reader mode, flicker-safe;
>> Keyboard Dell SK-8110 PS/2 Keyboard, PS/2 Interface, Black,
>> DP/N
>> 07N242, 104 keys,
>> cable with purple 6 pin mini-DIN male (PS/2
>> STYLE)
>> connector;
>> Mouse Logitech SBF-96 PS/2 Wired Optical Mouse, 3
>> Buttons,
>> wheel,
>> cable with green 6 pin mini-DIN male (PS/2
>> STYLE)
>> connector;
>> -----------------
>> Dialup Modem US Robotics USR5638 56K* V.92, internal dial-up
>> faxmodem
>> card,
>> (PCIe) PCI Express x1;
>> -----------------
>> -----------------
>> Multi-Boot
>> Main Host OS O/S Debian 8 LXDE Linux -- x86_64 (QEMU / KVM host
>> o/s to
>> Win7 x86_64 guest o/s);
>> ISO on DVD (standard Debian installation ISO
>> **NOT LIVE
>> installation ISO**);
>> Guest OS Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Full,
>> 32/64-bit,
>> from ISO on DVD (guest o/s of Deb8);
>> Emergency OS Microsoft Windows 7 Professional Full, 32/64-bit,
>> ISO on
>> DVD (emergency multi-boot);
>> -----------------
>> -----------------
>> Cables @@@???
>> Power Bar @@@???
>> -----------------
>> -----------------
>>
snip
>
> My suggestions:
> - build it yourself. If you're comfortable mucking around inside a
> PC, you already have the skills. From my first build I think the only
> thing that got somewhat alarming was having to get and apply thermal
> paste to the main processor, and getting the clips on the processor in
> place. It's a very good way to get to know the PC, and you'll do a
> better build than any paid tech because it's _yours_.
I understand your point. If I were 40 years younger, and could treat the
new PC as an experiment, I would build it myself.
However, this is probably going to be the last computer I ever own. And
I'm going to be dependent on it for all personal and business uses, so I
prefer not to get into the pleasures of building it myself.
> - if you really need the dial-up modem, install it (although I suspect
> Linux support is poor - check it thoroughly). Otherwise, don't bother
> with it.
I have already done some research and as you say, Linux support is for
dial-up modems is not strong e.g. linmodems.org
Since I don't use the Internet for music or videos, the slow modem speed
is not a big problem for me. Email works fine. Web browsing is often
painful, but I just multitask while slow bloated pages load.
I do recognise that dial-up is obsiolete. My plan is to upgrade to a DSL
service.
So dial-up modem support is not essential for the new Linux PC, but I
would like to try to get dial-up working, more out of curiosity than
necessity. My dial-up ISP performance with the existing PC (Dell Win XP)
has deteriorated over the past couple of years. I am interested to find
out if dial-up works better on Linux.
> - you didn't mention a video card. If the motherboard has one onboard
> and you're planning to use that, the power supply sounds like overkill
> (even given the later addition of SCSI stuff ... which I'd suggest
> avoiding if you can, it's another justifiably dying breed like the
> modem). Buy a smaller capacity (500W?) and better power supply ...
> although I admit I'm going on years-old memories, EVGA wasn't one of
> the best suppliers "back in the day". Something for you to research a
> bit more perhaps.
Yes, the power supply is overkill for the PC config as specified. I
estimate the power load at around 300W so a 500W power supply should be
plenty.
I'm planning to use the video support on the Intel chipset. But I want
spare power in case I decide to get a video card later. Or add other
cards e.g. SCSI.
The main reason for the 850W power supply is extreme conservatism. I
prefer not to operate the power supply at more than 50% of its rated
maximum output (after allowing for extra load from later upgrades). But
frugality may make me take your advice.
I am satisfied that EVGA is a good quality product. It does come with a
3-year warranty.
> - BluRay support on Linux is ... limited. You can probably use it for
> backup, but you won't be able to play back commercial movies. You
> might use it under Windows.
I don't watch movies. I never owned a TV in my entire life.
As you guessed, I need the BluRay optical drive for data purposes e.g
software installations, data exchange and maybe backup.
> - go with 16G of memory if you can afford it: it's not critical, but
> you'll probably enjoy it - and it will help a lot with running VMs.
> But it's also the easiest thing to upgrade later.
I suffered for a few years with slow WinXP speed on my existing Dell PC,
because when I bought it, I had let frugality overrule valuation of my
time. I almost wept with joy at the much snappier speed, after I
installed the Dell memory upgrade :)
So I will probably take your very good advice and upgrade the spec to 16
MB RAM.
>
> --
> Giles
> http://www.gilesorr.com/
> gilesorr at gmail.com
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