Core 2 Duo Motherboards

[jamescox84]

Hi, first of all this is my first thread, so go easy on me.

Recently I've been thinking about building a new PC. I really like what I'm hearing about Intel's new Core 2 processors. But I'm not liking what I'm hearing when it comes to GNU/Linux compatibility with the chip sets that support them.

So the question is, has anybody actually got a Core 2 Duo system up and running yet. Where everything on the board is supported correctly, and if so what board did you use, what distro did you use and what did you have to do.

If any one can help, they will be saving me a big headache.

Thanks in advance.

[antidrugue]

But I'm not liking what I'm hearing when it comes to GNU/Linux compatibility with the chip sets that support them.

Core 2 Duo supports truly begins with Linux Kernel 2.6.20, which introduce support for the Core 2 :

commit 713819989aa4dd141a37074dbc369e7c620bc619
Author: Andi Kleen <ak@suse.de>
Date: Thu Dec 7 02:14:09 2006 +0100

[PATCH] x86-64: Add option to compile for Core2

However, my Core 2 Duo worked flawlessly on a 2.6.19 kernel.

So the question is, has anybody actually got a Core 2 Duo system up and running yet.

Yep, me for instance. And a few other people at least :
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/lin...ble-linux.html
http://www.linuxforums.org/forum/deb...tallation.html

Where everything on the board is supported correctly, and if so what board did you use, what distro did you use and what did you have to do.

I'm on Debian Etch, which I installed using a special backported Sarge installer :
http://kmuto.jp/debian/d-i/

But perhaps the daily build Etch installer works now :
http://www.us.debian.org/devel/debian-installer/

Then a simply compiled the latest 2.6.20 kernel, for maximum performance. See those instructions.

My motherboard is an Asus P5B. It is to be noted that the Core 2 Duo in itself is NOT the problem. The issue is with the Intel (i965) ICH8 controller, as well as the JMICRON one, both present on my motherboard. Fully functional support for both of these was introduced in Linux Kernel 2.6.19.

Other distro I tested on this machine :
OpenSuse 10.2 (works !)
Mandriva 2007 (doesn't !)
Zenwalk 4.0 (not exactly, the ethernet card won't come up)

In conclusion : no problem at all.

[jamescox84]

Thank you very much for your reply . I'm now going to order a Asus P5B. safe in the knowledge that I will be able to get it working. I think I'm going to go with Debian, seems I've never tried it before.

Again thank you, as I can see now ,you've already answered this question before.