At 12:49 AM 11/13/00 -0500, you wrote:
I will be scavenging a sound card (SB PCI 128), video card (Matrox Millennium G200), and CD-ROM (Creative 52x) from the current desktop which will subsequently be turned into a headless server.
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Price isn't too much of a consideration since this desktop system will be a business expense and I will be leasing the system, but I don't want to go overboard :)
The leasing company might not be happy with you sticking your own bits in their machine... something to watch for.
(1) Motherboard I intend to get a P-III CPU (probably 800EB). One store from where I got
Asus truely rocks... I have a strong preference for asus boards (note 1)
(2) SCSI Which is newer: an UltraWide2-based card, or an Ultra160-based card ?
SCSI 160 is the far more recent standard. Its getting hard to find U2W controllers now. (note 1)
I am not sure about which HD to consider. I need a SCSI HD >= 10 Gb. I haven't ever had a system with SCSI components, so is there anything else I should know ?
Yes - its bloody expensive compared to the same size IDE drives, and unless you load the system (burn CDs while playing quake) then you'd not notice a huge difference.
(3) Printer I am considering the HP 1100 laser printer. But have heard good things about Lexmark printers (Optra 310/E310/E312). I am looking for a laser printer that is capable of 600dpi (at least), and is easy to setup under Linux (of course!). It would be nice to get a printer that is supported under both Linux and FreeBSD, as I do intend to run FreeBSD on this machine from time to time.
Okay - you mention below that you'll have a network card, and hence probably a network. Have you considered a HP 2100 TN? Twin tray, jetdirect network interface, and postscript. What more could you want for under $2000 NZ (fsck knows what it is in your local currency :)
One odd thing I noticed about the HP 1100's specs on HP's site is that Windows 2000 is not listed under the supported OSes. Is this true ? I need a printer that works under Windows 2000 in addition to Linux.
That'll be because the 1100 is older than win2000.
(4) Network Card I need a good 10/100 PCI card. How well are DLINK cards (e.g. DLINK 10/100 RTL) supported under Linux ? I was considering the 3Com 905/vortex PCI card[*], as I have had a linux system with it and it worked flawlessly.
Again - if you have a preference then go for it... I use SMC or tulip cards in servers where possible.
(5) CD-Burner I was told that SCSI CD-Burners tend to perform the best under Linux and cause the least problems, which is why I decided to go SCSI in this new system. Plextor has been recommended. Are there any other SCSI CD burners that work well under Linux ?
Plextor is to CD drives as Asus is to motherboards. Go hard on a plextor and it just keeps on going.
(6) Removable storage How well are Iomega zip and Jaz drives supported ?
Zips work fine in linux and have for years... but you have a CD writer in this system... it will do everything a zip drive would do and be 5 times the size. Jaz drives are overpriced and fragile. Of course IDE or SCSI is best for a zip or LS120, don't go parallel port, and USB is just a bit too non-standard at the moment. Also theres the 250 Mb/100 Mb drives about. Remember media costs too.
note 1 - The leasing company are not selling you a computer. Most likely they have name brand machines like compaq or IBMs or Digitals that will have a higher value in three or five or six years. You might end up with whatever the standard line is.
Also I suggest you investigate rent-to-own... its a lease with an added clause that you get the option of purchase at the end of the lease for a nominal one-off payment, but this is not standard in all leases.
-- Criggie
