[plug] Recommendations for a new PC and dust filters on cases (fwd)

[John Summerfield]

On Wed, 1 Jul 1998 spice at roulette.q-net.net.au wrote:

> 
> Hello fellow plugers
> 
> I'm buying new PC and would like some advice from you all.
> I mainly want to use the PC for word processing, spreadsheets
> and some calculations (C program under linux). I'm on a tight 
> buget...actually my parents are on a tight buget! I already 
> have some speakers and a modem so I can save some money there
> and I'm not looking for earth shattering sound or graphics as I 
> don't play any games.
> Anyhow I have been quoted on the following 4 systems.
> 
> What I would like to know is:
> 1)	Which system represents the best value for money?

Beauty ...

> 2)	Does linux (Redhat 5 & 5.1) support AGP cards?
> 3)	Will linux have any problems with any of the mentioned hardware?
> 4)	how does a K6 and K6-II compare to a pentiumII?
> 5)	in system I does "AMD K6 266 MMX @ 3x100Mhz" mean the cpu 
> 	is overclocked and what are the consequences if it is?

No. The internal clock is 3x the PCI bus.

> 
> System I
> 	- AMD K6 266 MMX @ 3x100Mhz
> 	- FIC VA-503+ socket 7 &AGP (100Mhz FSB)
> 	- 32MB SDRAM PC100 8ns (100Mhz)

I'd go for less CPU, more RAM. I'm running in 64 Mb and (mostly) no swap.
Swapping is slow. If I had 32 Mb I'd have to have swapping enabled all the
time and by the time I have to enable swapping on my system your proposed
systems would be bogging down.

I have a Pentium II 233. Believe me, it's much more power than you need
for what you said you want to do.

A Pentium 200 MMX is plenty - but avoid the tx chipset - it only caches 64
Mb RAM.

I have an es1868-based sound card. Thus far I've not managed to get sound
out of it except for occasionally playing a CD. Another box has a pre PnP
SB16 which works fine. I've no doubt the PNP tools I have will get it
working when I figure out how to use them.

Unless someone says "Ihave one of them and here's how to make it work" I'd
stick with a geniune SB16.

> 	- 3.2Gb Quantum Fireball SE Ultra DMA
> 	- S3 Virge DX 3D 2MB Video Card

I don't like S3 Virge cards. OS/2 and NT Drivers on mine suck. Didn't
use Linux with it long enough to see whether it has problems.

I suggest one based on S3Trio64  V2 - cheaper, better drivers.

> 	- 24x CDROM
> 	- 1.44 FDD
> 	- 16 bit Yamaha sound card
> 	- MACASE high mini case WITH dust filter*
> 	- 15" phillips monitor

Two people I have heard of with Philips monitors. Both had problems.


> 	- honeywell keyboard
> 	- MS imtellimouse

My Logitech mousmen are nice. One's cordless. Both can be used as serial
or PS/2 mice.
3 buttons essential.



> 	- no software.
> cost $1778
> 
> System II
> 	- Pentium II 233
> 	- Asustek Super LX motherboard
> 	- 32 MB EDO Ram
> 	- 3.2 GB UDMA HDD
> 	- 4MB Virge vidio card (PCI)
> 	- 15" Digital MPRII Monitor
> 	- Minitower case, 1.44 FDD
> 	- 104 win95 keyboard & mouse
> 	- 32x CDROM
> 	- 16bit sound card, 120W speakers
> 	- no software
> cost $1720
> 
> System III
> 	- AMD K6-II 266 3D Mhz
> 	- TMC 100Mhz AGP mainboard
> 	- 4GB Quantum UDMA HDD
> 	- 32MB SDRAM (66Mhz)
> 	- GCT intel i740 AGP 8MB SVGA card
> 	- 32x CDROM
> 	- Yamaha 16 bit sound card
> 	- Hyundia 15" monitor
> 	- Windows 98
> 	- Keyboard & mouse
> costs $1754
> 
> System IV
> 	- AMD K6-II 300 3D Mhz
> 	- TMC 100Mhz AGP mainboard
> 	- 4GB Quantum UDMA HDD
> 	- 32MB SDRAM (100Mhz)
> 	- GCT intel i740 AGP 8MB SVGA card
> 	- 32x CDROM
> 	- Yamaha 16 bit sound card
> 	- Hyundia 15" monitor
> 	- Windows 98
> 	- keyboard & mouse
> costs $1854
> 
> Thanks in advance for any advice
> Brett Manners
> 
> 
> PS  for those of you talking about reversing your power supplies
> to pressurise the case and putting a filter over the fan, system I above
> had a case with a built in filter. The mini-tower had a "grill" about 8"x8"
> on the bottom of the front cover, behind the grill was a filter like the
> ones in air conditioning systems and behind the filter was the power 
> supply. The grill could swing open to remove the filter for cleaning.
> 

Cheers
John Summerfield
http://os2.ami.com.au/os2/ for OS/2 support.
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