Cheap Linux motherboard+cpu recommendation?

[plebeian]

A friend of mine (really) would like to build a cheap system to run Linux. Does anybody have any advice for for a cheap (say $150) motherboard+cpu combo? Stability and compatability are the primary concerns, not cutting edge performance.

 

[Shuxclams]

EPoX MVP3G2 and a K6-III+ 450MHz should cost pretty cheap, a FIC SD11 and a Athlon slot A 550 would be in the range as well, a generic 440BX board and a celeron 533MHz as well.





SHUX

 

[Iron Woode]

Cheap depends on what its intended use is. You could get a very cheap 486 and linux will run just fine. I just picked up a VX board with 133mghz cpu and a PCI video card and 32 megs of ram for $75. Using an old AT tower i will be building a Linux router/firewall as cheap as possible. I won`t need alot of power, but your final usage will determine what amount of muscle your linux system needs.

Speed costs money. How fast do you want to go?

 

[PG]

You could get a used computer for about $100 - 200 not including monitor if you check pricewatch.

Keep in mind that to run say KDE or Gnome you need 32 Meg of ram. 16 might not cut it. Also, many Linux distributions today are optimized for a Pentium CPU and will not run on a 486. Also, get a computer with CD-ROM. Maybe I'm just not too swift, but Linux is real hard to install via network or ftp site.

Here is one I found on pricewatch, but many places sell used computers. Compgeeks also has used computers or parts to build your own.

 

[Biggs]

Get a second hand Pentium Classic with at least 16 MB RAM and you'll be just fine.