Buying a computer to run Linux

[jbubrisk]

I might buy a new laptop, and if I do, I will probably dual boot with Fedora, or some other Linux distro, for the purpose of expanding my computing knowledge (and programming knowledge). Is there anything I should know about hardware support/drivers/compatibility when shopping around?

In other words, is one brand generally better than another? Do you guys have any specific recommendations? I will probably be looking for something with minimal graphics (but hopefully not integrated, or at least not terrible), a fast CPU, and 4Gb of RAM. I will probably spend abut $1000.

On more thing, what about buying one of those new macbooks, and dual booting to Linux, or just foregoing linux altogether and using Mac OS X as a Unix machine? Thoughts?

Thanks in advance,
jbubrisk

 

[Cristatus]

If you're considering Ubuntu, there's System76 that makes pre-built Ubuntu boxen. www.system76.com
Otherwise there's IBM/Lenovo which do support some distros to some extent, though I don't know exactly what extent.

(C)

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: Cristatus
If you're considering Ubuntu, there's System76 that makes pre-built Ubuntu boxen. www.system76.com
Otherwise there's IBM/Lenovo which do support some distros to some extent, though I don't know exactly what extent.

(C)

some thinkpads come with SUSE linux

other variants run on it, its really just easier to look at a laptop you want and google "$LAPTOP linux" or "$LAPTOP $DISTRO" if you want to be more specific. you'll find out easily if anyone else is using the laptop youre looking at with linux on it, and what kind of issues (if any) they are having

 

[degibson]

This doesn't specifically relate to laptops, but a lot of people seem to have issues with NVIDIA graphics + Ubuntu. Apparently NVIDIA has a driver that takes some hoop-jumping to get installed, and Ubuntu's update manager routinely screws it up.

 

[sourceninja]

I've never had problems with nvidia (although my last cards were an 8600GTS and a 8800). I know the newest version of ubuntu is using a version of X that does not have nvidia drivers yet. But most of the time nvidia works without issue on 8.04 (at least for everyone I know).

Motherboard wise, most top brands can't go wrong, wireless is a factor, so double check with the list on ubuntu's site.

 

[xSauronx]

Originally posted by: sourceninja
I've never had problems with nvidia (although my last cards were an 8600GTS and a 8800). I know the newest version of ubuntu is using a version of X that does not have nvidia drivers yet. But most of the time nvidia works without issue on 8.04 (at least for everyone I know).

Motherboard wise, most top brands can't go wrong, wireless is a factor, so double check with the list on ubuntu's site.

now that i think of it, printers are another thing to watch out for. some vendors have good support, and others are meh.

 

[SleepWalkerX]

If you don't care about gaming then go for an Intel or ATi graphics card. Intel cards are fully supported out of the box with modern Linux distributions and open-source drivers for ATi graphics cards are currently going heavy development, but are on their way. With that said, take note of the wireless card as well. Look up the brand and manufacturer and look for the chipset that the wireless card uses. You'll want that to be supported as well.

Or just get a Lenovo laptop and forget about it. I bought a Lenovo (Thinkpad) R61e and it was fully supported under Linux. Most of their laptops should be compliant with Linux software (I think all of them are actually) since they partner with Novell to run Suse.

 

[dinkumthinkum]

P45/G43/G45 chipset latest Intel onboard video (4500GMA and the like) has problems with X support. On the other hand, Intel works on the open source drivers, so presumably it will be fixed soon.

 

[sourceninja]

Originally posted by: xSauronx

Originally posted by: sourceninja
I've never had problems with nvidia (although my last cards were an 8600GTS and a 8800). I know the newest version of ubuntu is using a version of X that does not have nvidia drivers yet. But most of the time nvidia works without issue on 8.04 (at least for everyone I know).

Motherboard wise, most top brands can't go wrong, wireless is a factor, so double check with the list on ubuntu's site.

now that i think of it, printers are another thing to watch out for. some vendors have good support, and others are meh.

I just realized I don't own any non-ip printers lol.

 

[Gamingphreek]

Originally posted by: dinkumthinkum
P45/G43/G45 chipset latest Intel onboard video (4500GMA and the like) has problems with X support. On the other hand, Intel works on the open source drivers, so presumably it will be fixed soon.

Sorry but horrible idea.

Half of Intel's graphics chipsets are blacklisted by compiz as they corrupt the screen when trying to run video and effects.

ATI's drivers, while they are open source now, are not the best for Linux by any stretch.

Nvidia, while it has its problems, is far and away providing the best drivers. the -19 and -21 kernel's both have support via the restricted driver. If you don't wish to do it that way you can always edit the xorg.conf manually or compile the drivers from Nvidia's website.

As for the whole computer - honestly get whatever you want. Desktop PC's are generally the easiest things in the world to install Linux on. Ubuntu normally grabs almost all of my drivers and has suggestions for the rest (I like to compile the Nvidia drivers myself though ).

As Sauron said though, printer support is sketchy. I have had good success with Canon printers, but the options are very sparse.

-Kevin

 

[Net]

yes it matters. you'll want to do a search to make sure everything is compatible before you buy it.

 

[Schadenfroh]

Yes, for example the drivers in nvidia's opensuse 11 repository do not work with my GTX260 (have to manually install the ones from their website and do some stuff to them every time opensuse issues a kernel update).

The Atheros NIC on my Asus P5Q Pro also does not work with openSUSE 11, but I got it working by following instructions here (again, I have to redo it if they issue a kernel update):
http://forums.opensuse.org/ins...woes-asus-p5q-pro.html

But, I will say this... even though I have to use the drivers from nVidia's website, the drivers seem to work better than my old ATI x1950 AGP's drivers. It used to lag when desktop effects were enabled, the nvidia does not at the same settings.

 

[gpse]

I'm running the nvidia drivers from nvidia's website on my 9800GTX in ubuntu without any troubles. The only thing I can't get to work is my SB X-Fi XtremeGamer, instead I'm stuck with onbaord Intel HDA.

 

[LuckyTaxi]

ive had success w/ nvidia video cards

 

[degibson]

Originally posted by: LuckyTaxi
ive had success w/ nvidia video cards

Out of curiosity, I tried Ubuntu-izing one of my machines to check out the NVIDIA v. Ubuntu debate, as per my previous post.

Trouble began with the ubuntu installer. Black screen of nothing. I had to contrive to run it without its frontend from a different disk. Interesting... (Even no-fp to kernel didn't help...)

After installing the system, I found it was running some horrible generic driver. That wouldn't do! So I installed NVIDIA's proprietary drivers (a hassle). Reboot, everything seems normal.

Then I figure: lets update! Bad idea. Not only were the video drivers clobbered (well, removed anyway), but Ubuntu decided my MBR needed to be rewritten . Good think I had a backup, heh.

Anyway, I can confirm that is possible to have unpleasant experiences with Ubuntu+NVIDIA. Not unfixable, but certainly unpleasant.

 

[Fox5]

Originally posted by: degibson
This doesn't specifically relate to laptops, but a lot of people seem to have issues with NVIDIA graphics + Ubuntu. Apparently NVIDIA has a driver that takes some hoop-jumping to get installed, and Ubuntu's update manager routinely screws it up.

Envyng helps out with that.

Installing the nvidia driver manually is a pain in the butt, especially on ubuntu. It hooks directly into the kernel (and replaces a lot of built in linux graphics stuff) so it requires root privileges on a terminal (no x server/gui allowed to run at all while it's doing some things).

ATI's is much simpler.

As far as drivers go though...
Intel's open source drivers suck worse than their windows drivers.
ATI has made some impressive strides lately, but they're working within some rather outdated Linux standards so I have my doubts they'll ever be perfect until the standards are fixed.
Nvidia replaces a lot of the video stuff in linux with their own code that just works better. Not to mention that since they basically were linux/unix 3d for a decade straight, a lot of stuff got built up around their drivers.

 

[sourceninja]

I've always installed the nvidia driver from inside X using gnome-terminal. Then I simply reboot (I could just kill X, but I'm lazy like that). Never had a problem. Of course as of ubuntu 8.04 I just use the restricted driver manager to install my video driver for me.

 

[rasczak]

just don't get what this guy had http://forums.anandtech.com/me...=2231974&enterthread=y

 

[Red Squirrel]

You'll probably have good luck with Dell, considering they sell PCs with ubuntu preinstalled.

 

[Crusty]

Originally posted by: RedSquirrel
You'll probably have good luck with Dell, considering they sell PCs with ubuntu preinstalled.

Be very careful with Dell's that aren't pre-installed with Linux, there's a reason they only offer it for certain for models!

 

[Red Squirrel]

Yeah true, I'd still do research first before buying, or buy it preinstalled (unless it's not the distro you want then ensure the one you want will work)

 

[Pelu]

Originally posted by: gpse
I'm running the nvidia drivers from nvidia's website on my 9800GTX in ubuntu without any troubles. The only thing I can't get to work is my SB X-Fi XtremeGamer, instead I'm stuck with onbaord Intel HDA.

hm... u arent the only one with a non-running X-Fi card in the little penguin environment... I mean... X-Fi... cant run on Linux...

if someone discover a way to make an X-Fi work awesome under linux... let us know plz...