nForce4/nForce4 SLI and Linux: What's the verdict?

Kombatant · Mar 31, 2005, 01:30 PM

I am interesting in hearing from people owning a PCI-e system with an nVidia mobo... what's the verdict on Linux support?

redsolar · Mar 31, 2005, 02:18 PM

I know it may be a lot to ask, since not too many people would dare to install Linux on SLI, which is in infancy even under win32, but I second Kombatant's request - I am looking into SLI now, and would really want to know how it's doing with Linux.

Kombatant · Mar 31, 2005, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redsolar

I know it may be a lot to ask, since not too many people would dare to install Linux on SLI, which is in infancy even under win32, but I second Kombatant's request - I am looking into SLI now, and would really want to know how it's doing with Linux.

To be honest I am not interested that much in SLI as I am in the mobo's driver support in general; I'd hate to have an nForce2 situation all over again with nForce4

redsolar · Mar 31, 2005, 06:01 PM

I hear ya. Though it's the case with abot any new thing.. Driver support for something not as popular as Linux is lacking at best. Though nForce 2 story is horrible, I hope nVidia takes more courtesy this time.

RIV@NVX · Apr 1, 2005, 03:32 AM

On my friend's nF4-4x MoBo (I think it's Gigabyte K8NF9 or something similar):

Mouse works in FC3, but not in Ubuntu.
Keyboard works.
S-ATA controller is detected nicely.
GFX (X600) card is detected nicely.
(Probably more)

However, I can't say anything about stability because I haven't installed fglrx or played any games on it. But if you want me to try it and if you think it's worth trying, I will ask him for that.

This mainboard isn't SLI, but it's PCI-X.

Shaga · Apr 1, 2005, 07:16 AM

My Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe rocks with some linux distributions with excellent performance. Only little problems are some strange actings made by nvidia(6600gt) in PCI-e, SATA controller and nforce controller.

In kubuntu, it worked fine but in PCLinuxOS & ProMepis, not. Try first and choose then, I recommend trying with ubuntu hoary hedgehog. Only problem for me was bad support for sb live! 24bit but I'm already waiting for "real" soundcard, or then just SB Zenith(PCI-e).

gentoo was a whole different thing,
- nforce network controller for installation worked after some tweaking
- I couldn't use my sata hd with installation so I didn't install it

None problems with mouse tho.

ps. 500th post!!!! I have an avatar already but it's good to have ability to make it morph or something *shrugs*
At least I have 500 posts

AvixK7 · Apr 13, 2005, 05:40 PM

Shaga, are you using the Nforce SATA controller or the Sil3114 controller??

I've been trying to install some linux distros with SATA drives, all of them end up locking up on the Nforce controller. I tried with the Sil3114 controller, but Windows won't even boot up when that's plugged in.

My specs are Asus A8N-SLI Deluxe, Athlon 64 3200, Maxtor 120GB, MSI 6600GT.

the distros that I've tried are Mandrake 10.1, Yoper 2.1.

I'm planning of trying Libranet which has SIL3114 support but I need to be able to use windows also. and I don't want a raid configuration, I just want regular seperate HD use.

Do you have any advice?

Dan

Shaga · Apr 13, 2005, 11:32 PM

I'm using Nforce SATA controller because Sil3114 is just for raid(nforce has that an option).

Try out ubuntu hoary hedgehog, good for nforce4. I'm still waiting for my sb audigy2 zs before installing it again tho. I hope things turn out to be good. Let me know of your troubles with it

http://www.ubuntulinux.org/download/

AvixK7 · Apr 14, 2005, 12:17 PM

That was actually the last distro that I tried and it detected all my hardware properly

(the Nvidia network card doesn't work but the Marvell does), so after I back up my data I'll actually install it. I dont' plan on staying with it though, I'd rather get Libranet 3 (libranet.com), which is going to be released soon, or Debian once I've experienced linux properly

For now, Ubuntu will do.

RIV@NVX · Apr 14, 2005, 12:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvixK7

That was actually the last distro that I tried and it detected all my hardware properly

(the Nvidia network card doesn't work but the Marvell does), so after I back up my data I'll actually install it. I dont' plan on staying with it though, I'd rather get Libranet 3 (libranet.com), which is going to be released soon, or Debian once I've experienced linux properly

For now, Ubuntu will do.

If you like using new and bleeding-edge software, then Debian isn't for you. Things take a long time to get updated in Debian, and it's intended to be used on servers and such, where stability is a must.

Shaga · Apr 15, 2005, 01:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by RIV@NVX

If you like using new and bleeding-edge software, then Debian isn't for you. Things take a long time to get updated in Debian, and it's intended to be used on servers and such, where stability is a must.

What's your favourite distribution then with easier installation than with gentoo and for to use of "new and bleeding-edge software" 'n hardware?

Gnome looks so integrated and smooth with ubuntu, any other good "gnome distributions" with top notch hardware support(x64/pcie/sata/nforce4...sli? -don't have second card but would be nice to know that os would support it-)?

AvixK7 · Apr 22, 2005, 12:18 AM

I've read that debian was capable or running with SATA. I'm not really looking for bleeding edge but debian based distros seem to detect my hardware better, but I'm not really hooked on ubuntu. I wanted to try Yoper but the install freezes

. Libranet interests me but I don't want to shell out 70-80 until I'm very familiar with linux. Fedora core doesn't interest me at all. Gentoo looks really great but the learning curve is a bit steeper. after reading their manual, portage is still very abstract. Debian on the other hand, I understand Apt-Get and I've seen many examples of desktop Debian. Bah, we'll see.

In the end, I'd like a stable, light distro for daily use and some animation programs.

RIV@NVX · Apr 22, 2005, 05:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Shaga

What's your favourite distribution then with easier installation than with gentoo and for to use of "new and bleeding-edge software" 'n hardware?

I'm currently using Ubuntu, because of it's simplicitiy, HW detection and great functionality. However, Fedora Core is great too, and FC4 looks quite promising to me, if they manage to get compatibility between GCC4 compiled stuff and GCC3 compiled stuff sorted. If I would need to get everything recompiled to use it, then I wouldn't consider it good, even it's "new and bleeding edge".

Quote:

Gnome looks so integrated and smooth with ubuntu, any other good "gnome distributions" with top notch hardware support(x64/pcie/sata/nforce4...sli? -don't have second card but would be nice to know that os would support it-)?

Sincerely, I don't know any. Most of them use KDE as default, and ship GNOME "just to have it". Fedora is "GNOME distro" (it ships KDE "just to be there"), but it's ~1.5 months away from a stable release (their test releases are unusable from my expirience).

AvixK7 · Apr 22, 2005, 07:41 PM

well, I figured out why the installer of Debian wouldn't work. It selects the 2.4 Kernel by default as opposed to the 2.6 Kernel. Simply typed: linux26 and the installer works Great

RIV@NVX · Apr 23, 2005, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by AvixK7

well, I figured out why the installer of Debian wouldn't work. It selects the 2.4 Kernel by default as opposed to the 2.6 Kernel. Simply typed: linux26 and the installer works Great

Is this sarge or sid? I know that sarge defaults to 2.4, but I'm not sure about sid.

And, BTW, I really like Debian (Ubuntu) installer; it's very simple, even it's not graphical.

Kombatant · Apr 26, 2005, 08:42 AM

Ubuntu 5.04 detected everything here as well; both SATA and PATA drives that I have without any problems.

nathanw · May 4, 2005, 01:28 PM

Hello folks. I'm new to the board and to sli. So most of my info is on the novice level. But I can say this. I have a gigabyte. k8nxp-sli system, twin geforce 6600 series 6 pci-e 128 video cards, 2 hitachi 80 sata2 hard drives, toshiba dvd burner, 2x512 corair value ram, athlon 64 3800+ Newcastle chip. I have 2 19 inch envision monitors and 2 17 junkers hooked up. 2 os's. Windows xp on sata 0, and on sata1 I have fedora core 4 test 2 x86 64 bit loaded and running. I have also tested the Suse 9.3 64 bit live eval on the system and it does boot load and run.
My situation though is I really don't need sli. I liked the 4 monitors. Now I just need to work out how to set them up under linux.
I also have a disk ordered from microsoft and sometime here in the future I'll have teh xp 64 bit loaded and know how it's going to fare.
Any one with thoughts on the xorg setup it would be appreciated and anyone with question. Ask I'll test about anything. LOL