The DARK SIDE

[Angus]

IT has finally happened...

I've peeked around the corner to see what the dark side is like. :scared:


Our own IB (Target-Butt himself) has helped me spec out an AMD crunching system. I have stepped out from my previously pure Intel pharm. This will be a learning experience for an AMD noobie.


The order is on it's way from NewEgg :)

Adding a little XP2600 power to the home pharm.


I will happily accept and consider all suggestions for OS options - I'd like to do dual-boot with Windoze and a *nix option.

[IronBits]

:thumbs: w2k is highly recommended and only use Service Pack 3 :)

[Angus]

The W2K part is a no-brainer -

What's the current hot ticket for dual boot? 2 drives? Some sort of boot manager?

[Dyyryath]

I'd be a little worried if I hadn't just ordered an XP3200 and nForce Ultra 2 motherboard from New Egg myself. :D

As for W2K being a no-brainer...yeah, I'd use it, too, if I had no brains. ;) :D

I'll be running Gentoo Linux on my new stuff (it's an upgrade for my development box). :thumbs:

[PCZ]

Dyyryath

I hope you have paid your SCO Tax.

[Angus]

Originally posted by Dyyryath
I'd be a little worried if I hadn't just ordered an XP3200 and nForce Ultra 2 motherboard from New Egg myself. :D

As for W2K being a no-brainer...yeah, I'd use it, too, if I had no brains. ;) :D

I'll be running Gentoo Linux on my new stuff (it's an upgrade for my development box). :thumbs:

Now, did I say how MANY XP2600s I ordered? I got the nForce 2 Ultra board(s?) by Asus.


This box(es?) will have to share crunching duties with gaming, so W2K is a must.

[Paratima]

Originally posted by IronBits
:thumbs: w2k is highly recommended and only use Service Pack 3 :) There's a problem with Service Pack 4?

[Chinasaur]

W2K is a no brainer...NOT to use it.

Just use Mandrake which I'll gladly send you.

Make sure you get a good, all copper heat sink with a 70+mm fan. Use 512MB RAM sticks.

80MM fans in and out at least. XP's bake.

Welcome to the Fambly :)

[Angus]

Originally posted by Paratima
There's a problem with Service Pack 4?

Did Microsoft release it?:trash:

[Paratima]

Yah, it's out there.

I just haven't loaded it up yet, 'cause I sorta don't like to be the first on my block... ;)

And yes, China, I've heard it all. But some of us got some boxen we can't convert.

[Chinasaur]

That wasn't a slam at you Para...wasn't a slam at anyone >:(

[Dyyryath]

Well, if you're going to be gaming on that box, then I understand your choice of OS. Well, actually, I'd probably be running XP, but that's just me. In fact, my development box has XP on a second drive just for playing Battlefield 1942. :)

I got the Gigabyte GN-7NNXP (http://tw.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/Products/Products_GA-7NNXP.htm). Let me know how that Asus board works out for you, I considered it, too.

PCZ: LOL :rotfl:

SCO slays me, they really do. I have this picture in my head of John Lovitz reprising his role as the liar from Saturday Night Live:

<John Lovitz>Yeah, see...we INVENTED Unix...see, and we made Linux, too! Yeah, that's the ticket...and if you want to use it you have to pay us, see...yeah, pay us some money, that't the ticket...</John Lovitz> :D :D

[IronBits]

Originally posted by Dyyryath
I got the Gigabyte GN-7NNXP (http://tw.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/Products/Products_GA-7NNXP.htm). Let me know how that Asus board works out for you, I considered it, too.
That's all I use here, either A7N8X or the Deluxe version, and they are all rock solid. In fact, two of the Deluxe boards have an XP2600/266 running at 180 FSB (memory also) 2.25 GHz of rock solid gaming :D
The other has XP loaded with SATA enabled, and twin Raptor 10,000 rpm drives :smoking:
Let us know how that Gigabyte board works out ;)
I do not trust SP4, it's got M$ demons in it ...

[Paratima]

Chinasaur: No offense taken. Don't be so durned sensitive, will ya? :p

IronBits: One of the sysadmins at our corporate HQ is saying SP4 is the berries, another is saying it's poison. Just wondered if you knew anything special about it. They're deploying it at our office now, so I guess I'll just wait awhile on the personal fleet & see how it goes.

[IronBits]

I'm no 'pro' but I did find the following items interesting
Microsoft plans to deliver a Service Pack 5 for Windows 2000. In recent hotfixes, including an important security bulletin Wednesday involving a vulnerability with Windows Media Services in Windows 2000 servers, Microsoft has indicated that the fixes would be included in Windows 2000 SP5.

SP4 doesn't install Java and bars it later
SP4 hoses Autodesk VIZ files
Uninstalling W2K SP4 makes your scheduled tasks not run
Slow backup on Arcserve 2000
Some Windows 2000 Hotfixes May Cause a Conflict with Service Pack 4 for Windows 2000
Cannot Install Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 on a Computer Where the Hummingbird NFS Maestro Client Program Is Installed
AWE Hardware Compatibility Test Is Unsuccessful After You Install Windows 2000 SP4
Windows 2000 Server-Based Computer Stops Responding When You Restart After You Install McAfee Parental Controls

IPSEC policies may stop functioning/ get removed.
Slow logons from Citrix ICA sessions
Slow Logons from RDP sessions
Applications will not or are slow to close on logout. a. (possible apply a script)
If installed after the Novell Client, you may need a local administrator account to log in and re-add the machine to the domain.
usrlogon.cmd may stop running
Mail relay settings may change, if your server is sending mail this setting may have to be reset in the MMC.
Web Interface (NFuse) 1.6 (and other versions) sites may have read permissions set. Users need script execute permissions.
Apparently there is an issue related to Microsoft Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 and the Citrix ctxnotif.dll. During the logoff process, the ctxnotif.dll deletes the printers. The process hangs (which is probably responsible for the longer logoff times) and only has time to delete the second printer if at all before the winlogon closes all running processes and logs you off. The script at http://www.tokeshi.com/raturl/autoendtasks may help logoff issues/speed.
Printers not deleting on logoff.
Reported issues with the ability to access / authenticate then using samba as a domain controller. Samba 2.2.8a release contains a security fixes and new features/ settings that supports a new setting: profile acls (S) which is a workaround for issue with WinXP Service Pack 1 and roaming user profiles. Windows 2000 Service Pack 4 appears to exhibit the same behavior.
Error when attempting to shadow from Management Console for MetaFrame XP.
Cannot reset sessions from Management Console for MetaFrame XP, display as down state but return to active upon refresh.
Changing print drivers and/ or re-installing Feature Release 3 seem to possibly fix issues.
Microsoft is in process of replacing the Winsrv.dll. You may be able to get a copy if you contact Microsoft support and open a case. The hopefully soon to be released q article is: http://support.microsoft.com/?id=824309
Indexing Service, turn off the indexing service before installing.
Temporary install files may not be completely removed.
3rd party SCSI card drivers (Dell) may be overwritten.
Errors on open of SQL 2000 Enterprise Manager
Slow reboots
asp_wp.exe used in asp.net failed to execute.
Update JVM to version 3810 BEFORE Service Pack 4.
Novell client 4.83SP1 stops logging into the tree. User must log into windows then log into the tree. (rat note: reinstall the Novell client may correct this)
May cause RightFax Enterprise Fax Manager to fail.
May not be compatible with Microsoft urlscan.
Cannot connet via socks-proxy to Microsoft Proxy server
Cannot connect to SQL
Cannot shutdown
May increase processor utilization of OWA processes.
Can conflict with Virus scan
Can conflict with System works
Can remove net meeting settings
Exchage 2000 system attendant error / won't start.
May conflict with TN3270 emulation.

Plus other nasty things dealing with EULA changes, privacy concerns (back dooring like XP does) and other minor things like that ;)

If you install SP4 on a domain controller, you'd better have plenty of room besides what's required for the file update process. A hotfix that's rolled up in SP4 increases the USN Journal Log size for NTFRS SYSVOL replication (in %SystemRoot%\ntfrs\jet folder) from 128MB to 512MB! After upgrading a DC with 300MB free on it, the NTFRS service failed to start and the netlogon/sysvol shares weren't available anymore. There is no mention of this space requirement in the SP4 documentation that I could find. Adding a registry value to force it back to 128MB solves this. (Trivia: NT4 was ~100MB fully installed).

Just do a google search on "2000 sp4" bugs :D
the list goes on and on like the energizer bunny :(

[Dyyryath]

Originally posted by IronBits
That's all I use here, either A7N8X or the Deluxe version, and they are all rock solid. In fact, two of the Deluxe boards have an XP2600/266 running at 180 FSB (memory also) 2.25 GHz of rock solid gaming :D
The other has XP loaded with SATA enabled, and twin Raptor 10,000 rpm drives :smoking:
Let us know how that Gigabyte board works out ;)
I do not trust SP4, it's got M$ demons in it ...

I've had a bunch of Asus boards in the past & I've been generally impressed with them. I bought the Gigabyte this time because the board I'm replacing is a Gigabyte GA-7VAX (http://tw.giga-byte.com/MotherBoard/Products/Products_GA-7VAX-A.htm) and it's been flawless. I haven't had a real need for it, but I especially like the Dual BIOS and the Easy Tune tool which allows you to change clock speeds on the fly from Windows:


http://www.motherboards.org/images/15/2002/1208_p3_6.jpg

[Paratima]

WOW! Thanks for the poop on SP4, IB.
I'll forward your little list to our local sysadmin for his perusal.
Looks like M$ is showing us their best side again. :moon:

On the subject of the Gigabyte boards, I've got a couple of older ones around here and they run all day, all night, no fuss.

Not quite sure how this dang thread seems to have got bifurcated. :rolleyes:

[Dyyryath]

I blame IronBits. :D

[IronBits]

/me thinks Dyyryath bought that board because of that flashy EasyTune thang :jester:

Angus: Send me an email or PM me if you need any assistance what-so-ever. That Asus board is straight up and AOLer proof to run right out of the box, but I realize this will be your first AMD rig.
Of course you realize there is no turning back once you SEE and FEEL the performance. :D

[Chinasaur]

Dayum!! Makes SP4 sound the most destructive virus ever devised :) Or is that Windows and this is just a product update? I'm confused...

[dragongoddess]

Angus
Welcome to the Light of Day that is AMD.


DYY
Gigabyte boards are great. I have a GA-7VAXP and like your VAX its been running flawlessly 24/7. The Dual Bios and the easy tune are also nice options that should be on all mobos. Gigabyte just makes great boards. Though I don't think I will be able to afford an upgrade till the sept time frame.

[QIbHom]

Angus, if you want to learn Linux, I'm partial to Libranet. Basically, it is Debian with tweaks, including a painless setup for dual booting with WinEvil OS. Nice, small, helpful user community, the guys who do the distro participate in the user list, very easy to get started on, but the dirty stuff is there, too, for when you want to move beyond a GUI (which is occasionally necessary, even on Win2K).

Recently, I've used Red Hat, SuSE (nice, if you can deal with RPM dependancy hell - I can't), Debian (too hard to get everything I need going), Knoppix (off the CD and hard drive install - it rocks, but I don't like KDE) and Libranet.

If you've got high speed access and a burner, you can download a bunch of different distros, and just install until you find one you like. I've also found it useful to sign up for the main user list for each distro for a couple weeks before I try it out. Distrowatch has great reviews.

Haven't tried Gentoo yet, although I'm considering trying it on the surplus Pentium 233 laptop I just picked up. It probably won't be any good for DF, after all. Got it mainly because it was so cheap, and I want Nethack when travelling.

Sounds like you are going to be having a lot of fun, eh?

[rsbriggs]

I've tried nearly all the distros now, and I haven't found one that just works 100% for me. I find most of them to have nearly everything I want, but not quite...

So, my current project is to install Red Hat, set up a couple development partitions, and roll my own distro from scratch - one specifically designed for being part and parcel of a DC pharm. Boot up with VNC and PXE enabled and set up, other little nice things like that.....

Is there a Linux VNC guru in the house? I've got VNC server running everywhere, and am managing everything from a single Windoze box - but I can't seem to see the Linux VNC server from a Win box. (Of course, the Linux box can see all the Win VNC servers...) What was the other goodie that runs on a Nix box? RemoteDesk? Something like that?