[Techtalk] Re: [Newchix] Re: Your Compuq (er, Compaq) machine

[Tabatha Persad]

Hi again!

Well, what I keep finding as being compatible with your K6 2 500 are two
motherboard manufacturers:  PC Chips and Asus.  I can attest to the fact
that you won't have a problem with Linux and PC Chips, since that's what I
have.  And they also have onboard stuff such as video, sound and nic, I
think even modem (but the last onboard I had was an HSP 56k Micromodem which
is not Linux compatible so you'd want something other than that brand
there).

Specifically:
PC Chips M583LMR
Asus P5A-B

I'd still want to find the manufacturer of the other parts, particularly
those not currently working, but typically these motherboards come in
packages including those onboards I mentioned.  The reason is that they may
be perfectly compatible, just not with your current proc/board combo AND
Linux.  You may be able to re-use these parts instead of purhasinng a combo
package, saving you a few bucks.

I cc'd Techtalk to see if anyone there can give you some more information or
options!

If you have any questions, just holler!

Tabatha

----- Original Message -----
From: Barbara Rutherford
To: Tabatha Persad
Sent: Thursday, April 11, 2002 5:23 PM
Subject: Re: [Newchix] Re: Your Compuq (er, Compaq) machine

Well, Tabitha, it's like this:

 I don't open computers to look inside them anymore. When I do, I break them
irreparably, it seems.
 I have a friend who doesn't -always- break them when he looks into their
guts, but it isn't reliably safe.
 I don't have a lot of money to spend on paying an expert to monkey about
with the insides...
 But my friend could very easily just swap motherboards for me, with no
serious threat to the basic computer. He's not as klutzy with computer
innards as I am.

Based on what I'm finding out, I'd probably be safer letting him just
replace the motherboard, putting my old processor chip into a motherboard
that is linux-friendly.

So. Now the question is...what motherboards do K6/2 500 processors like,
that are linux-friendly?
Do I need to get separate modem, sound board, video and ethernet cards, or
do any of those motherboards have any of that on board that linux can work
with?
The CDRW is probably linux-workable, once there's a sound board it plugs
into that is also linux-friendly.

So. motherboard first, then see what happens. Suggestions and
recommendations are welcome. *smile*

Thanks.
Barbara.
----- Original Message -----
From: Tabatha Persad
To: Barbara Rutherford ; newchix at linuxchix.org
Sent: Tuesday, April 09, 2002 9:09 PM
Subject: [Newchix] Re: Your Compuq (er, Compaq) machine


Barbara,

Have you looked into the make of the components and determined whether they
are Compaq or another manufacturer?  Perhaps if there is nothing at the
Compuq site (I agree, they can be aggravating from a Windows or Linux
perspective), then maybe the maker of the sound card or cd-rw have a driver?
I ran into problems with modems before too, it seems my old modem had been a
winmodem... although documentation led me to believe it was a "linmodem",
meaning there was a way to make it run in Linux, but I never did end up
getting that to work.

If you've already tried that and found nothing then it may be an alternative
to buy parts that are hardware compatible, if that is an option for you.  I
have successfully replaced parts in Compaq computers such as hard drives and
modems etc, however I was only installing Windows on them.  They are good
buddies, MS & Compaq, so I am happy to hear you were even able to get Linux
onto the box!

One nasty thing with Compaq is that when you replace a hard drive, you are
likely ridding yourself of the partition where it stores the BIOS
information, which means back to their website to download the "softpack" or
whatever they are calling them these days!  I spent days trying to get the
darn thing to recognize the new HD and get back to where I could partition
and install again.

Don't know if this is of any use, but thought I'd try!

Tabatha