Selecting Hardware For A Linux System | Linux Journal But, if you are purchasing new hardware, scsi disks are well worth considering. If you are comfortable selecting video boards and talking about RAM http://www.linuxjournal.com/article/2850
Extractions: @import "misc/drupal.css"; @import "/themes/linuxjournal/linuxjournal.css"; @import "/themes/linuxjournal/xstatic.css"; Skip navigation Subscribe Now Since 1994: The Original Monthly Magazine of the Linux Community Magazine ... Affiliates Back Issues Oct 2005 [#138] Sep 2005 [#137] Aug 2005 [#136] Jul 2005 [#135] Jun 2005 [#134] May 2005 [#133] Apr 2005 [#132] Mar 2005 [#131] Feb 2005 [#130] Jan 2005 [#129] Dec 2004 [#128] Nov 2004 [#127] Oct 2004 [#126] Sep 2004 [#125] Aug 2004 [#124] Jul 2004 [#123] Jun 2004 [#122] May 2004 [#121] Apr 2004 [#120] Mar 2004 [#119] Feb 2004 [#118] Jan 2004 [#117] Dec 2003 [#116] Nov 2003 [#115] Oct 2003 [#114] Sep 2003 [#113] Aug 2003 [#112] Jul 2003 [#111] Jun 2003 [#110] May 2003 [#109] Apr 2003 [#108] Mar 2003 [#107] Feb 2003 [#106] Jan 2003 [#105] Dec 2002 [#104] Nov 2002 [#103] Oct 2002 [#102] Sep 2002 [#101] Aug 2002 [#100] Jul 2002 [#99] Jun 2002 [#98] May 2002 [#97] Apr 2002 [#96] Mar 2002 [#95] Feb 2002 [#94] Jan 2002 [#93] Dec 2001 [#92] Nov 2001 [#91] Oct 2001 [#90] Sep 2001 [#89] Aug 2001 [#88] Jul 2001 [#87] Jun 2001 [#86] May 2001 [#85] Apr 2001 [#84] Mar 2001 [#83] Feb 2001 [#82] Jan 2001 [#81] Dec 2000 [#80] Nov 2000 [#79] Oct 2000 [#78] Sep 2000 [#77] Aug 2000 [#76] Jul 2000 [#75] Jun 2000 [#74] May 2000 [#73] Apr 2000 [#72] Mar 2000 [#71] Feb 2000 [#70] Jan 2000 [#69] Dec 1999 [#68] Nov 1999 [#67] Oct 1999 [#66] Sep 1999 [#65] Aug 1999 [#64] Jul 1999 [#63] Jun 1999 [#62] May 1999 [#61] Apr 1999 [#60] Mar 1999 [#59] Feb 1999 [#58] Jan 1999 [#57] Dec 1998 [#56] Nov 1998 [#55] Oct 1998 [#54]
Selecting Hardware For A Linux System But, if you are purchasing new hardware, scsi disks are well worth considering. The difference in price is not that big between boards based on the http://www.linuxjournal.com/node/2850/print
Extractions: @import url ("/misc/print.css"); By Phil Hughes Created 1994-11-01 02:00 In this article Phil Hughes describes the basics of choosing a hardware platform for Linux. CPU and RAM To run Linux you need a 386 or higher processor. For text-based applications even a slow 386SX system will perform very well. Although the Linux kernel is capable of emulating floating point arithmetic functions, it is significantly slower than a math co-processor; either in the form of a separate chip or a 486DX or better that has a built-in co-processor. The server system at the Linux Journal If you have a SCSI disk controller, a SCSI-based CD-ROM drive makes the most sense. It plugs into the same controller and works fine. With the advent of double and triple-speed CD-ROM drives, prices have dropped significantly on the single-speed drives which are adequate if all you intend to do is load files from a distribution CD-ROM. And prices for these devices on the surplus market seem to be in the $50-$80 range. If you are not using SCSI disks, using a non-SCSI CD-ROM is more cost-effective. Although others are supported, drives made by Mitsumi (and marketed under many names including BSR and Tandy) work well. They include their own controller card and can usually be found in the $150 price range. There is nothing special about Linux and printers. Standard parallel port connections are supported as well as serial port connections for printers. If you have a PostScript laser printer there are programs included with most Linux distributions that support these devices directly. If you don't have a PostScript printer, ghostscript, a program that comes with most Linux distributions, will translate PostScript into the necessary control codes for most printers. If you choose this options, be aware that ghostscript's default fonts are not as pretty as the fonts that come with a PostScript printer.
Audio Commentary For Sun Midrange Servers Internal devs are on first scsi. Disk boards Cabled to a external scsi Power Supplied Dependant on OS/Kernel NOT hardware/Patch Installed by default http://www.cuddletech.com/mp3/midrange.outline.txt
Extractions: same in german MU-TEC - made in Germany Instrument specific memory expansions and various interfaces, such as SCSI, digital I/O are available from MU-TEC's own high quality production for all popular samplers and hard drive recorders. Each is subjected to a test in combination with the system it has been designed for. Consequently we can furnish a 5-year MU-TEC warranty for all expansion boards and guarantee their full functionality when used with the original unit.
Using Off-the-shelf PC Hardware For Open Systems 64bit PCI is not as common on `off-the-shelf boards. Supports fast narrow scsi. The controller s BIOS (which enables the PC to boot off an attached http://www.mewburn.net/luke/papers/building-pcs.html
Extractions: With the availability of cheap and fast PC components, many people want to build an Open Systems machine from this Pandora's box of parts. This paper attempts to outline how to build a reliable Open System from PC components, based on the author's experiences. In recent years, the performance of medium to high-end PC based hardware has been comparable to, if not in excess of, that of low-end workstations. However, choosing PC hardware of sufficient quality and reliability, especially given the diversity of products, is not an easy task. Whilst a lot of Open Systems competent people have a lot of experience with workstation hardware, deciphering the twisty maze of marketing (mis-?)information in the PC industry to obtain a machine to meet your requirements can be difficult. The three most common choices of hardware to purchase are: Name brand (a.k.a `Tier 1' vendor) hardware, such as Compaq, Dell, HP, or IBM. A cheap clone from the multitude of suppliers.
The Answer Gang 99: Hunting For New Desktop Hardware And the boards tested in latest c t all have two SATA connectors, ie to few for raid5 Alternatively I ve already plenty of scsi hardware in the old one, http://linuxgazette.net/issue99/tag/2.html
Extractions: Hunting for new desktop hardware From Karl-Heinz Herrmann [Heather] The question this time is from our own Karl-Heinz Herrmann. When you play on the edge, it's best to ask a few buddies to keep an eye out for the loose rocks... Answered By: Robos, Rick Moen, Heather Stern Hi Tags, I'm hunting for new desktop hardware and getting confused and somewhat frustrated. [Robos] Me too (sort of) The best German computer magzine (c't) has of course plenty of tests and recommendations as well as "optimal PCs" for certain usage profiles. My problem is, I want a decent performing raid 5 (burned to often by sudden drive failure). [Robos] Have that already in the gangway - working flawlessly for several years now. 80GB raid 5. [Rick] Do you expect to be so incredibly short of disk space that RAID1 isn't an option? [Heather] Funny you should mention that; I met someone recently who got burned by sudden drive failure on a RAID 1 system - and to their horror, while the other drive was fine contents-wise, it was also in a state where it couldn't be brought up normally to be looked at - expected a twin to be present, and nobody wanted to risk it considering a "mew" drive the master and wiping it. It needed a visit to the drive recovery shop. RAID is not a panacea - a cure-all - against hardware failure; it merely helps. Usually, a lot. But it's specifically
IO Boards Computer Hardware PC Electronics - StreetPrices.com Find great deals on IO boards Computer hardware PC Electronics at StreetPrices scsi, 14 vendors have this product for sale from $99.00 $349.95 http://www.streetprices.com/Electronics/Computer_Hardware_PC/IO_Boards/
Extractions: top 100 products Home Electronics ... IO Boards restrict my search to I/O Cards browse all discuss hottest ... interactive decision guide subcategories sorted by category name low price # items 1 to 2 Ports [173 items from $6.68] 3 to 7 Ports [178 items from $19.90] 8 to 15 Ports [156 items from $40.00] 16 Ports Plus [91 items from $40.50] Cables [121 items from $10.94] Modular [17 items from $311.12] Riser Boards [73 items from $7.00] Narrow 1 product to 1 matching brand Digital (1)
BYTE.com DFI didn t design this as a server, in that it has no RAID hardware. Adaptec scsi boards always work, so installation should have been simple; http://www.byte.com/art/9605/sec13/art1.htm
Extractions: Jump to... Columns: Advanced Software and Technologies BYTE Media Lab Chaos Manor Conference Reports Features Free Features Gigglebytes Letters to BYTE.com Mr. Computer Language Person New Products Op/Ed Portable Computing Serving with Linux The Upgrade Advisor HOME ABOUT US ARCHIVES CONTACT US ... REGISTER May 1996 Pournelle / Of Cables and Cards Jerry Pournelle The Diamond Flower, Inc. (DFI) dual-Pentium Doubleshot 133 is the quietest machine at Chaos Manor. It's not the fastest. That honor belongs to the Intergraph TDZ-400, a dual-Pentium Pro 150, which also boasts 128 MB of main memory and 12 MB of video memory. The TDZ-400 is a blooming wonderit won BYTE's Comdex Best of Show Award for hardware. I'll have more about it another time when computer artist David Em and others who use high-end systems have finished testing it. The TDZ-400 is at the high end of the spectrum of machines I write about. The Doubleshot 133 has the most bang for the buck of any system here; it's really a little jewel. It now runs OS/2 SMP 2.11. Soon, through the miracles of System Comman
For More Information, Refer To Http//www.OpenBSD.org Released Built in IDE on most boards, ATAPI CDROM, scsi CDROM Audio Ensoniq AudioPCI Hifn 7751/7811/7951 and Broadcom Ubsec IPSEC cards. i386 scsi Adaptec http://public.www.planetmirror.com/pub/OpenBSD/3.1/HARDWARE
The Unix Hardware Buyer HOWTO Eric Raymond Esr@thyrsus.com I used to recommend dualbus PCI/ISA boards, but no longer do. You ll no longer see scsi-1 in new hardware. scsi-3 is a superset of scsi-2 including http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/docs/HOWTO/Unix-Hardware-Buyer-HOWTO
GNU/Hurd Hardware Compatibility Guide boards); Future Domain 16xx; Future Domain TMC8xx; GDT scsi Disk Array Controller All scsi CD-ROM drives with a block size of 514 or 2048 should be http://www.nongnu.org/thug/gnumach_hardware.html
Extractions: This guide is for a system running GNU Hurd running on top of GNU Mach. A note on naming. GNU Mach is the current microkernel in use by the GNU/Hurd operating system which uses GNU Hurd as a set of server replacements for the standard UN*X kernel. Some devices are supported in kernel space by GNU Mach, others are supported in userspace by a GNU Hurd translator. Table of Contents Node:Introduction, Next:
Extractions: Receive updates about Intel products via RSS. Learn More Desktop Components Laptop Components Handheld and Handset Components ... Server Boards Basic Server-Level Features and Enhanced I/O Bandwidth on a Desktop-Level Budget Click to Enlarge Download Product Brief [PDF 193KB] [SWF 941KB] Get Recommended Configurations and Order Codes Get Windows Hardware Quality Lab (WHQL) Information Features Benefits Support for one supporting Hyper-Threading Technology and a system bus of up to 800 MHz Excellent performance for entry-level server applications. Enterprise chipset capabilities, including reduced latency for quick response. Two integrated server network connections (one and one Speed and added reliability with options for separate subnets, teaming, and fail-over. Multiple data buses, including PCI-X support and a Communication Streaming Architecture (CSA) port Support for high-bandwidth server adapters and a dedicated port for superior Gigabit Ethernet network data flow. Support for up to 4 GB of Error-Correcting Code (ECC) DDR PC2100/PC2700/PC32002 SDRAM memory through four DIMM sockets High availability and data integrity through ECC, memory capacity to support demanding applications.
OpenBSD: Hardware Wanted Adaptec 786xbased PCI scsi boards; Any supported PCI scsi board with Any supported Sparc hardware. A Sun-compatible scsi CD-Rom drive for an Ultra 1. http://www.se.openbsd.org/want.html
Extractions: The following list outlines hardware that the OpenBSD project could use. Some of this is being requested so that developers can improve or add driver support for devices which are rare; other requests are for hardware that will improve our development environment. In either case, we think we are being reasonable at asking for these devices. If you do not own these devices, but want to help us, we recommend you search on eBay for the devices. If you do the bidding and then get the device shipped to us, it really helps us. It's much better if our developers do not need to spend the time going through the bidding process, since any time saved can be spent on improving OpenBSD instead. As a reasonably large quantity of OpenBSD developers and users are in northern Europe we have setup a specific want list for that area. If you are in that region, go here first to check what developers close to you are in need of or want to work on support for. In each case, please contact
BbSupport Forums :: Announcements :: Dedicated Servers 18GB scsi 10K RPM HD; boards daily backup; 15GB bandwidth/month** We have never had a major hardware problem with any of our servers, which shows that http://bb.bbboy.net/support-viewthread?forum=10&thread=19
Sun Hardware This text is from the Sunhardware-FAQ. The FAQ also contains some more technical Cards are CPU, 1 or 4 meg memory board, ethernet board, scsi board, http://www.lysator.liu.se/local/datorhandbok/SunHardwareFAQ.html
Extractions: This text is from the Sun-Hardware-FAQ. The FAQ also contains some more technical info. You can find it at "ftp://ftp.lysator.liu.se/pub/sun/doc/Sun-Hardware-FAQ.txt" (Generally: X60 machines are desk-sides, X80 machines are rack-mount) These are the large black desktop boxes with 17" monitors. Used the original Stanford-designed video board. Uses a parallel microswitch keyboard and parallel mouse. Multibus-based 68010 10Mhz. First machines that had desk-side chassis Serial Microswitch keyboard, Mouse Systems Optical mouse. 8Mb memory max. Cards are CPU, 1 or 4 meg memory board, ethernet board, SCSI board, 640 * 480 color board, monochrome video board, SMD controller, tape controller, 16 port serial mux (ALM-1) Two variants of video board, one generated TTL-level video, on ECL. Later video boards ("2prime") could generate either levels. Early 19" mono monitors (philips or moniterm) could be switched as well.
Detailed HP Integrity Rx7620-16 Server Description The cell board contains several hardware blocks connected by several data buses. Each MP/scsi core I/O board set consists of a MP/scsi board and a http://docs.hp.com/en/A7027-96013/ch01s02.html
Extractions: User Service Guide Chapter 1. Introduction Complete book in PDF Feedback Figure 1-5. HP Integrity rx7620-16 Server 8-Socket Block Diagram The cell board contains several hardware blocks connected by several data buses. The major hardware blocks are the Central Processor Units (CPUs), the Cache Coherency Controller (CC), the memory Controllers, and the Memory. Minor hardware blocks include Clock Distribution, Power Distribution, Reset Circuit, and PDH Riser Board Interface. The buses include two Front Side Buses (FBS0 and FBS1), a Memory (MID) bus, a Crossbar (XB) bus, and an I/O bus. All these blocks come together at the CC chip. Figure 1-6. Cell Board The HP Integrity rx7620-16 Server has a 48V distributed power system and receives the 48V power from the system backplane board. The cell board contains DC-to-DC converters to generate the required voltage rails. The DC-to-DC converters on the cell board do not provide N+1 redundancy. Because of space limitations on the cell board, the PDH/PDHC circuitry resides on a riser board that plugs into the cell board at a right angle. The cell board also includes clock circuits, test circuits, and de-coupling capacitors.
Controllers (SCSI) section for information on scsi controllers with hardware RAID support. Adaptec on board controllers with AIC777x (EISA), AIC-785x, AIC-786x, http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/Hardware-HOWTO/scsi.html
Extractions: Linux Hardware Compatibility HOWTO Prev Next It is important to pick a SCSI controller carefully. Many cheap ISA SCSI controllers are designed to drive CD-ROM's rather than anything else. Such low-end SCSI controllers are no better than IDE. See the SCSI HOWTO and look at performance figures before buying a SCSI card. Please see the SCSI RAID controller section for information on SCSI controllers with hardware RAID support. AMI Fast Disk ( VLB/EISA ) (BusLogic compatible) Adaptec AVA-1502E ( ISA/VLB ) (AIC-6360) ( Adaptec AVA-1505/1515 ( ISA ) (Adaptec AHA-152x compatible) Adaptec AVA-1825 ( VLB ) (Adaptec AHA-152x compatible) This card has a SCSI, EIDE and floppy port which all work nicely. Adaptec AHA-1510/152x ( ISA/VLB ) (AIC-6260/6360) Adaptec AHA-154x ( ISA ) (all models) Adaptec AHA-174x ( EISA ) (in enhanced mode) Adaptec AHA-274x/274xT ( EISA ) (AIC-7771). The 274xT is supported since kernel series 2.1.x (
Linux Information Sheet: Hardware Issues Linux puts higher demands on hardware than DOS, Windows, and in fact most operating systems. scsi, QIC02, and some QIC-80 tapes are also supported. http://www.tldp.org/HOWTO/INFO-SHEET-3.html
Extractions: Next Previous Contents The following is probably the smallest possible configuration that Linux will work on: 386SX/16, 1 MB RAM, 1.44 MB or 1.2 MB floppy, any supported video card (+ keyboards, monitors, and so on of course). This should allow you to boot and test whether it works at all on the machine, but you won't be able to do anything useful. See http://rsphy1.anu.edu.au/~gpg109/mem.html for minimal Linux configurations In order to do something, you will want some hard disk space as well, 5 to 10 MB should suffice for a very minimal setup (with only the most important commands and perhaps one or two small applications installed, like, say, a terminal program). This is still very, very limited, and very uncomfortable, as it doesn't leave enough room to do just about anything, unless your applications are quite limited. It's generally not recommended for anything but testing if things work, and of course to be able to brag about small resource requirements. 3.2 Usable configuration
CS/A65 And Gecko Computers You should have some basic understanding of 6502 hardware design. The scsi board has a heavily modified version of an old SASI interface from the german http://www.6502.org/users/andre/csa/
Extractions: The computers presented here are actually a line of PCB boards that can be plugged into a passive motherboard. A special place has the Gecko that in itself is a complete, single-board computer. Before you go on, you should know that all this stuff comes with no warranty at all . Of course this hardware is not to be used in any important or even life-critical systems. The hardware schematics and software are provided 'as is', without warranty of any kind. The entire risk as to the quality and performance of the hard- and software is with you. Should the hard- or software prove defective, you assume the cost of all necessary servicing, repair or correction. Warning: This computer system has two parts when it comes to distribution The CPU boards and the memory boards are free for NON-COMMERCIAL purposes only! If you want to do something useful with it, please contact me. Also if you like to produce PCBs, or want to earn money with it, please contact me first. For non-commercial purposes the terms of the GNU public license apply. The I/O and emulator boards are now free. They can be used and distributed under the terms of the
Hardware Components: Buses IRQ (interrupt Request or hardware interrupt) is used by various hardware You can, however, attach scsi devices to a PC by inserting a scsi board in one http://www.millbury.k12.ma.us/~hs/techrepair/busses.html
Extractions: General Information: Function and Description : Printed circuit boards are made of strips of multi-layered copper called traces placed by a printing and etching process on flat pieces of fiberglass or other material that is stiff and does not conduct electricity. Through these wires or traces, a CPU talks to memory, expansions boards, keyboards, etc. It communicates via the metal circuitry (metal traces or the silver lines you see) on the motherboard by shooting electrons along the thin metal traces. Instead of connecting each chip to the processor, sharing wires between these elements became the idea for the bus connection. Bus is an communication standard, an agreement about how to build boards that can work with a standard PC. Unfortunately there is more than one standard for many reasons. Basically, a bus is the common pathway across which data travels in a computer. A bus is defined by a set of specifcations. The bus is a series of interconnecting electrical leads which carry signals. The bus design can further be broken down into bus sections. The internal bus (main bus, proccessor bus) section
