[NTLUG:Discuss] Test machine help

[Stan Gatchel]

Leroy,

Thanks for the suggestion. That is definitely an option and maybe the
best one since the testing would be done on the same machine that I
eventually want to use for production.

Thanks,

Stan

Leroy Tennison wrote:
> Stan Gatchel wrote:
>   
>> guile,
>>
>> Thanks for the response. This is not all I can afford. I have a main
>> machine (AMD 64) but use it to run my small business. Can't afford to be
>> testing distro's on it and accidentally take it out. So the idea was to
>> use this older machine to try out different distro's and see which one
>> would be a good choice for the production machine. Then I would install
>> the full version on the production machine having some confidence in the
>> distro and the installation process.
>>
>> I think the test machine could use some more memory and perhaps a better
>> supported video card (Matrox?). If you have anything like this, I would
>> be glad to buy it.
>>
>> One more thing. From my choice of distro's you probably guessed I like
>> KDE. Just my preference.
>>
>> Are you going to be at the Linux Fair?
>>
>> Thanks,
>>
>> Stan
>>
>> guile at stupidfactor.com wrote:
>>   
>>     
>>> ----- Original Message ----- 
>>> From: "Stan Gatchel" <sgatchel at psltech.com>
>>> To: "NTLUG Discussion List" <discuss at ntlug.org>
>>> Sent: Friday, March 16, 2007 1:23 PM
>>> Subject: [NTLUG:Discuss] Test machine help
>>>
>>>
>>>   
>>>     
>>>       
>>>> I am on the prowl for a new distro. No more reading reviews. That led me
>>>> to SuSE 10.1 which was not good. Now, I want to try them first (live
>>>> CD's). I have an older machine purchased in 2001 which I thought would
>>>> ok for this. So I bought a bunch of Live CD's to try. When I booted
>>>> them, they all gave me distorted graphics (narrow band of diagonals) on
>>>> the screen or other messages (like graphics card not recognized). I
>>>> suspect the old ATI rage graphics card. Below are the spec's for the
>>>> machine. Maybe an old Matrox card would do better?
>>>> Here is the disto list:
>>>>
>>>> Sabayon 3.1
>>>> Elive 0.5
>>>> Freespire 1.0
>>>> SimplyMEPIS 6.0
>>>> Kubuntu 6.10
>>>> Mandriva One 2007
>>>> PCLinuxOS 0.39a
>>>>
>>>> Here are the machine specs
>>>>
>>>> Hardware Brand Bus Comments
>>>> CPU AMD Athlon (i386)
>>>>
>>>> Disk WD400BB-53CAA0 IDE
>>>> Disk WD200BB-00AUA1 IDE
>>>> CD-RW PlexWriter (PX-W1610A) IDE
>>>> CD-ROM N/A
>>>>
>>>> Display ATI Rage Fury Pro/ Xpert 2000 Pro (128) PCI Card type AGP --
>>>> Northbridge adapter?
>>>> Floppy Yes
>>>>
>>>> Memory 250 MB
>>>>
>>>> Modem Agere V.90 56K Winmodem
>>>>
>>>> Net Card Dlink 10/100
>>>>
>>>> USB 2 ports (USB 1.1)
>>>>
>>>> Sound ASUSTek Deluxe motherboard (RealTek ALC850 codec)
>>>>     
>>>>       
>>>>         
>>>   
>>>     
>>>       
>>>> Any ideas?
>>>>
>>>> Thanks,
>>>>
>>>> Stan
>>>> _______________________________________________
>>>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>>     
>>>>       
>>>>         
>>> Do you want to run it on older hardware or is that all you have/can afford? 
>>> I have plenty of surplus hardware so if you need anything email me and I'll 
>>> let you know if I have it. Of course anything I have in surplus will be 
>>> donated if you need it.
>>>
>>>
>>> -guile 
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>>
>>>   
>>>     
>>>       
>> _______________________________________________
>> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>>
>>   
>>     
> Another alternative: Pick up a used hard drive at one of the Saturday 
> sales real cheap (probably $1 per GB, for a 10-20 GB drive which would 
> be adequate it's well worth it).  I keep a couple "just for play".
>
> _______________________________________________
> http://www.ntlug.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
>
>