Upgrade to a AMD64

Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

Hello,
I'm planning on upgrading motherboard and processor in the near future and I'm considering the 3000+ or 3200+ 939 processors on the Asus A8V. I currently have a Pentium 4. Here is my info:
krondor root # emerge info
Portage 2.0.51-r2 (default-linux/x86/2004.0, gcc-3.3.4, glibc-2.3.4.20040808-r1, 2.6.9-gentoo-r1 i68 6)
=================================================================
System uname: 2.6.9-gentoo-r1 i686 Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 1.60GHz
Gentoo Base System version 1.4.16
Autoconf: sys-devel/autoconf-2.59-r5
Automake: sys-devel/automake-1.8.5-r1
Binutils: sys-devel/binutils-2.14.90.0.8-r1
Headers: sys-kernel/linux26-headers-2.6.8.1
Libtools: sys-devel/libtool-1.5.2-r5
ACCEPT_KEYWORDS="x86"
AUTOCLEAN="yes"
CFLAGS="-march=pentium3 -O3 -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer -funroll-loops -frerun-cse-after-loop -frerun -loop-opt -falign-functions=4"
CHOST="i686-pc-linux-gnu"
COMPILER=""
CONFIG_PROTECT="/etc /usr/X11R6/lib/X11/xkb /usr/kde/2/share/config /usr/kde/3.3/env /usr/kde/3.3/sh are/config /usr/kde/3.3/shutdown /usr/kde/3/share/config /usr/lib/mozilla/defaults/pref /usr/share/c onfig /var/qmail/control"
CONFIG_PROTECT_MASK="/etc/gconf /etc/terminfo /etc/env.d"
CXXFLAGS="-march=pentium3 -O3 -pipe -fomit-frame-pointer -funroll-loops -frerun-cse-after-loop -frer un-loop-opt -falign-functions=4"
DISTDIR="/usr/portage/distfiles"
FEATURES="autoaddcvs candy ccache distlocks fixpackages sandbox sfperms"
GENTOO_MIRRORS="ftp:///ftp-stud.fht-esslingen.de/pub/Mirrors/gentoo/ http://ftp-mirror.internap.com/ pub/gentoo/ http://gentoo.zie.pg.gda.pl http://gentoo.eliteitminds.com http://gentoo.ccccom.com http ://gentoo.oregonstate.edu http://www.ibiblio.org/pub/Linux/distributions/gentoo"
MAKEOPTS="-j2"
PKGDIR="/usr/portage/packages"
PORTAGE_TMPDIR="/var/tmp"
PORTDIR="/usr/portage"
PORTDIR_OVERLAY="/usr/local/portage"
SYNC="rsync://rsync.gentoo.org/gentoo-portage"
USE="X aalib alsa apm arts avi berkdb bitmap-fonts bonobo cdr crypt cscope cups dvdr encode esd f77 fam flac foomaticdb gdbm gif gimpprint gnome gpm gstreamer gtk gtk2 gtkhtml guile imagemagick imlib java jpeg kde libg++ libwww mad mikmod mmx motif mozilla mpeg mysql mysqli ncurses nls nptl oggvorbi s opengl oss pam pdflib perl png ppds python qt quicktime readline samba sdl slang spell sse sse2 ss l svga tcltk tcpd tiff truetype x86 xfs xml xml2 xmms xv zlib"

I plan on using the same Gentoo install, just moving the two hard drives into the new system. I have some time to prepare, so what do I need to do? I don't mind running a 32 bit system, at least for a while. Will the current system boot on an AMD64? Or does it need to be recompiled with some changes to the CFLAGS and USE settings?

Thanks!

get sirius · Guru Joined: 27 Apr 2002 Posts: 316 Location: Madison, WI

I can easily understand your reluctance, but the system must be built from scratch :wink:

. Documents etc can be saved and reloaded when your new system is up. Good luck; enjoy!

nukem996 · l33t Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 776

The AMD64 chips are very fast compiling the system will be very fast. Parts now are also very cheap so building a new system wont be very exspensive. I would go with socket 939 since AMD has announced that that is what they are going to be using in the near future. I have the Asus A8V and I am very happy with it. I would go witht the AMD 3500+ Socket 939, about 300 now and a very fast chip. You will need to get new memory since the early p-4's(1.4ghz-2.0ghz) used RDRAM and everything now uses DDR. You might as well go with PC3200(fastest the Asus A8V supports). SATA harddrives will also speed up your computer alot.

Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

I can do the full install if that is what is needed, since I'm building a new system for my daughter from the old pieces I'm going to have to install something anyway. So it looks like she gets my current Gentoo install and I get to build a new one for me.

nukem996,
You said that SATA drives speed up the system. Can I install on a SATA with the ASUS A8V? That would be my choice for a new drive if they can be installed on with Gentoo!

Anon5710 · Posted: Wed Nov 03, 2004 11:27 pm Post subject:

If you go for an socket 939 mobo wait a little bit more till the lower ratings come out. the 3000+ (90nm process) these chips can easaly be overclocked to the Fx speeds

By better ram with the mony you save on the processor

And yup its true having witness the power of a WD raptor Sata disk (10 00 rpm )compared to a pefetic maxtor :twisted:

well i let you finish taht one :p

nukem996 · l33t Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 776

The ASUS A8V supports up to 4 SATA drives. More can be found out about the mobo here. The mobo works flawlessly on Linux and I have had no problems with it, I haave not used the built in sound card though, I bought a Sound Blaster Audigy 2 ZS

isolationism · Tux's lil' helper Joined: 01 Nov 2004 Posts: 127

I have an A8V as well and have nothing but good things to say about it -- runs flawlessly with two 512MB Corsair ValueRAM DIMMs and an Athlon64 3500+; I compiled from a stage I. Let me tell you, compiling was a dream compared to the same on its predecessor, an old beater of an 850MHz Duron, and my 1GHz EPIA motherboard wasn't that much faster either.

I'm probably going to pick up another pair of identical DIMMs to bring it up to 2GB though as it's being used for a file and Java development server as well as probably hosting a Windows 2000 Virtual Machine at some point in the future.

In any event, I haven't tried the audio either so I couldn't tell you what that's like -- although I hear you should just emerge alsa-driver and use the snd-via82xx driver to get it working. I'll probably fiddle with it later just for a wheeze.

incabolocabus · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 3:11 am Post subject:

forget the 939, the main difference is memory throughput - alot of synthetic benches show serious speed but real world apps aren't nearly as hot. You can get a 3400+ 737 for cheap and they are FAST. I just installed a 3400+ on a gigabyte K8NS. I compiled everything (kde,mplayer,gimp,blender,mjpegtools, etc..., including a couple of kernels) in about 14 hrs. Advice if you go with k8ns : nvidia gforce graphics, onboard lan/sound work great. Don't waste your money on SATAs unless you will raid stripe - the performance difference is about 5%. I migrated all my files/distfiles from the other box via nfs and apache, which saved a bit of time.

Its cool ;)

nukem996 · l33t Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 776

The reason to go 939 is because you will be able to upgrade in the future. If you dont plan on upgrading your CPU then yes go 754. As for the harddrives my old computer with an IDE 7500 RPM drive was very slow my new SATA drive is VERY fast.

Anon5710 · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 11:28 am Post subject:

Indeed, i bought my socket 939 mobo (Av8) because i intended to upgrade to the dualcore processors within 2 a 3 years

and i would be able to keep my DualChannel DDR

Btw my mobo runs 8.5 * 300 fsb perfect synchroon

And i have no issues with the AGP/PCI lock what so ever

This in combination with an AX800Pro upgrading is something thats is still far away

Timbers2k · Apprentice Joined: 03 Oct 2003 Posts: 215

Yes, I'm buying a 939 because of the upgrade path, and I want to use one of the new 90nm chips. Does the on-board ethernet on the A8V work with Gentoo?

Anon5710 · Posted: Thu Nov 04, 2004 6:09 pm Post subject:

it sure does work

The only problem is that hotplug or the Live-cd doesn't find it you have to manuly load it

nukem996 · l33t Joined: 13 Nov 2003 Posts: 776

Yes that is true you need to modprobe sk98lin but you only need to compile your harddrive driver and filesystem into your kernel, not things like you ethernet and soundcard. I did find that hotplug, now coldplug, will not work on my new AMD64 system. What you have to do is put the modules you want to load on boot in /etc/modules.autoload.d/kernel-2.6 here is what mine looks like