Any comments on this spec for Linux?

[woodward2]

Hi,

Time for a new PC for wife/children!

Searching Google etc. shows no negative comments on the specs below; however, I always regard personal experiences as valuable - so, does anyone have any experience with Linux (probably going with Mint 14 MATE/Cinnamon 64-bit) on the following:

Processor (CPU) Intel® Core™i3 Dual Core Processor i3-3220 (3.30GHz) 3MB Cache
Motherboard ASUS® P8H61-MX USB3/SI: uATX, USB 3.0, SATA 3.0Gb/s
Memory (RAM) 4GB SAMSUNG DUAL-DDR3 1333MHz (1 X 4GB)
Graphics Card 1GB NVIDIA GEFORCE GT 630 - DVI, HDMI, VGA - 3D Vision Ready

Not massively worried about the graphics card - currently using an nVidia GT430 - but any comments welcome. Mainly concerned about the motherboard and especially UEFI boot etc.


Thanks,

 

[Toxophilix]

I don't have that motherboard but I do have UEFI and I had no problem installing and running Mint. From what I read, it seems that most of the problems stem from dual boot with Windows 8, as you then start with Secure Boot enabled and only Win 8's key accepted. Understand your concern though, UEFI is quite the headache, potentially.

 

[woodward2]

Hi Toxophillix,

I don't have that motherboard but I do have UEFI and I had no problem installing and running Mint.

That's reassuring.

From what I read, it seems that most of the problems stem from dual boot with Windows 8, as you then start with Secure Boot enabled and only Win 8's key accepted. Understand your concern though, UEFI is quite the headache, potentially.

That's pretty much the conclusion I had eventually come to. Unfortunately some of the information out there appears to be pure FUD / MS bashing, some is unclear and some is just contradictory - or maybe I just misunderstood :wacko:

I certainly won't be dual booting, so hopefully all will be well. This will be my first new motherboard purchase since UEFI, so just wanted to be certain I wasn't going to waste my hard-earned £££s ! Got badly burned last time by breaking the habit of a lifetime and buying cheap (money was tight) - ended up with a flaky SiS chipset motherboard with integrated graphics. Never again!

Thanks for the feedback.

 

[Linux-Mike]

I don't think you would have any problems installing PCLinuxOX as there are plenty on our forum that used it with UEFI MB and dual boot as well.

 

[woodward2]

Update for anyone referencing this in the future:

I decided to try Linux Mint 14 Cinnamon 64-bit. It installed cleanly first time with absolutely no problems. The BIOS was already set to non-Secure Boot and "Other OS".

Very pleased with my first experience of PC Specialist. The service, especially their communication, was absolutely first class. Will definitely be back next time I need any kit

 

[barrydrake]

Can't comment on your motherboard, but the new PC I received a couple of weeks ago has a ASUS® F1A55-M LK R2.0: FM1 A-SERIES, SATA 3.0GB/s board. UEFI was no problem at all. I had to use the nomodeset parameter on the live-DVD to install, and then run Ubuntu in recovery mode until I'd installed the video driver. Also, the LAN would not work - I had to compile a driver module - this meant doing the installation using a WiFi dongle. Have tried the latest Mint and the same problems exist. Ubuntu 13.04 now has the LAN driver in the latest kernel.