Goamins frae Scotland!

[Cobra!]

Hello, I am new to Linux, and I recently installed Linux Lite on my old laptop, which has Windows 7 installed on it, and Linux Lite blows Windows 7 out of the water! it's so much faster and more reliable than Windows 7! It makes my 3-4 year old laptop feel brand new again!

I'm going to build a new PC in a month or so, with the highest end specs possible, and having it dual-boot multiple OSes, and it's looking very likely that Linux Lite will be it's main OS! I'll get myself the DVD and Case badge from the LL store when I get to doing that!
Which raises the question, what Graphics Cards have drivers that support Linux? Preferably AMD ones, after hearing about an apparent scandal Nvidia were doing with publishers to lie/exaggerate about game requirements, I'm not buying another Nvidia card if I can help it! Does there exist a list of cards that support Linux?

It isn't perfect, however, I have a few issues, which I might end up making a new topic for, unless it's fine to post them here?

[rokytnji]

Howdy from a long time linux user and scooter tramp. I am not a hardware guru so maybe the below will help, or not.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_and_op...#ATI.2FAMD
All of my working gear is used and I am just a , "run what I brung" kind of dude.

Which is funny because my only non working gear is my new Acer Chrome Book.
That one might be a 100 dollar door stop. Not sure yet.

[gold_finger]

Welcome Cobra!,

I'm not an expert on graphics cards but unless it is a model that just came out, most AMD and NVidia cards will work.  Extremely new models might not have Linux support right away.

One thing to be aware of is that most (if not all) new motherboards these days will come with UEFI firmware instead of the old BIOS firmware that everyone is used to.  UEFI firmware typically allows for booting and installation in either UEFI mode or BIOS/Legacy mode.  Currently Linux Lite does not support installation in UEFI mode.  So if you're going to install LL, go into UEFI settings and make sure it is set to BIOS/Legacy/CSM mode.  (Wording may be slightly different from one manufacturer to the next, but should be something along those lines.)

If you're planning to put Windows 8 on the new computer, get a "retail" version of it.  The retail version will allow you to install it in either BIOS or UEFI mode.  I don't know for sure, but think the "OEM" version may only install in UEFI mode.  Install Windows first, then install LL and any other OSs you want on the machine.  For best results, all OSs that you put on the computer should be installed using the same mode.

[Cobra!]

I'm not an expert on graphics cards but unless it is a model that just came out, most AMD and NVidia cards will work.  Extremely new models might not have Linux support right away.

That makes sense, I suppose, is there any Linux support for a GeForce Titan, or the AMD equivalent?

One thing to be aware of is that most (if not all) new motherboards these days will come with UEFI firmware instead of the old BIOS firmware that everyone is used to.  UEFI firmware typically allows for booting and installation in either UEFI mode or BIOS/Legacy mode.  Currently Linux Lite does not support installation in UEFI mode.  So if you're going to install LL, go into UEFI settings and make sure it is set to BIOS/Legacy/CSM mode.  (Wording may be slightly different from one manufacturer to the next, but should be something along those lines.)

That sounds worrying, but it's seems like a bridge I can only cross when I come to it. So what's the difference between UEFI and BIOS? Is it crucial to making a gaming PC? Does it make a difference to performance?

If you're planning to put Windows 8 on the new computer, get a "retail" version of it.  The retail version will allow you to install it in either BIOS or UEFI mode.  I don't know for sure, but think the "OEM" version may only install in UEFI mode.  Install Windows first, then install LL and any other OSs you want on the machine.  For best results, all OSs that you put on the computer should be installed using the same mode.

Just as well that was my plan from the start, then! I was planning on installing my modern Windows OS for newer games that don't work on WINE, then install Linux Lite to use as my main/everyday OS, and maybe install AROS for Amiga games, OSx86 for Mac programs/games, and FreeBSD, basically, every OS type available! I was thinking of also installing legacy Windows, such as ME and XP for games that don't work on Windows 7/8/9 or WINE. Do you think all this would be possible to do with one machine?

[gold_finger]

So what's the difference between UEFI and BIOS? Is it crucial to making a gaming PC? Does it make a difference to performance?

You'll have to read up on it yourself.  UEFI and BIOS are just the types of firmware that computer uses to do hardware checks and initialization when you first power on the computer.  Then they point to a part of the hard drive that holds boot loader(s) which then take over rest of boot process to get into an OS.  Has nothing to do with whether or not you will be gaming with the computer.  Here are some links to more info:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Uefi
http://www.rodsbooks.com/linux-uefi/
https://www.happyassassin.net/2014/01/25...work-then/
http://www.ilovefreesoftware.com/17/tuto...-uefi.html

I was planning on installing my modern Windows OS for newer games that don't work on WINE, then install Linux Lite (or Mint) to use as my main/everyday OS, and maybe install AROS for Amiga games, OSx86 for Mac programs/games, and FreeBSD, basically, every OS type available! I was thinking of also installing legacy Windows, such as ME and XP for games that don't work on Windows 7/8/9 or WINE. Do you think all this would be possible to do with one machine?

I have no knowledge of AROS, so have no idea what the requirements for it are.

Can you put them all on same machine?  Probably.  If installing legacy Windows like XP, you must use BIOS/Legacy mode and have the hard drive partitioned using traditional MBR (msdos) partitions.  With possible exception of MAC OS (and AROS?), all others can be installed in BIOS/Legacy mode too.  I have no experience with MACs but think they may require EFI mode.  A possible way around the problem is to have more than one drive and install the MAC OS on a different drive in EFI mode if that's necessary.  What you'll then have to do is change the boot mode to EFI and point to the MAC drive for booting when you want to boot into it.

[Cobra!]

[quote author=Cobra! link=topic=756.msg4147#msg4147 date=1408194291]
I was planning on installing my modern Windows OS for newer games that don't work on WINE, then install Linux Lite (or Mint) to use as my main/everyday OS, and maybe install AROS for Amiga games, OSx86 for Mac programs/games, and FreeBSD, basically, every OS type available! I was thinking of also installing legacy Windows, such as ME and XP for games that don't work on Windows 7/8/9 or WINE. Do you think all this would be possible to do with one machine?

I have no knowledge of AROS, so have no idea what the requirements for it are.[/quote]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AROS_Resear...ing_System

It seems like an open source x86 OS that is compatible with Amiga software. I heard about it when I was looking for ways to install Amiga OS 4.1, but found out that it's just about impossible because the hardware it was made for is too different to x86 PCs.

Can you put them all on same machine?  Probably.  If installing legacy Windows like XP, you must use BIOS/Legacy mode and have the hard drive partitioned using traditional MBR (msdos) partitions.  With possible exception of MAC OS (and AROS?), all others can be installed in BIOS/Legacy mode too.  I have no experience with MACs but think they may require EFI mode.  A possible way around the problem is to have more than one drive and install the MAC OS on a different drive in EFI mode if that's necessary.  What you'll then have to do is change the boot mode to EFI and point to the MAC drive for booting when you want to boot into it.

Alright, this is all new to me, it seems like a lot to take in, but I suppose I don't need to worry about it right now, so I won't.

Is there a forum or somewhere I can do to to ask about all of this and other stuff for when I actually get to building my PC?

EDIT: Okay, I've had a read about of it, and it seems to be a new interface for dual-boot OSes, that adds features without depending on an OS, and is compatible with BIOS OSes, is that right? Is it the new menu you get in the start when you start a multi-boot PC? So I could install Windows 8 in UEFI mode and then anything else in BIOS mode? Like WINE games running under Linux? Or is it completely different?

[gold_finger]

It will be much more complicated to install Windows 8 in UEFI mode and others in BIOS mode and if you do that it might not work at all.  They should be all installed in the same mode.

Given that LL may not be installable in UEFI mode and older versions of Windows like XP definitely won't install in that mode, your best bet is to install them all (Win 8 included) in BIOS mode.  Aside from MAC and AROS, (which I don't know enough about), all other OSs will be installable in BIOS mode also.

The mode of installation will not affect the performance of the OSs -- they'll perform the same way under either boot mode.


After you've built computer you can ask for install advise here, or on forums of other distros you install.  Generally speaking you should install the Windows OSs first, then install the others.  I haven't used Windows in a while and have never dual-booted two different versions of it -- so not sure what order you should install them in.  If I had to guess, I'd say install Win XP first, then Win 8, then your other OSs.  You may want to ask about that on the Windows 8 forum.

[Cobra!]

Given that LL may not be installable in UEFI mode and older versions of Windows like XP definitely won't install in that mode, your best bet is to install them all (Win 8 included) in BIOS mode.  Aside from MAC and AROS, (which I don't know enough about), all other OSs will be installable in BIOS mode also...

...If I had to guess, I'd say install Win XP first, then Win 8, then your other OSs.

Okay, I think I'll do that, UEFI sounds too complex, installing XP first would mean I wouldn't have to deal with it.

Thanks for your help/advice. I think I'll just install Win8/9, XP, ME, LL and AROS, because I tried running Windows 7 on my laptop for the first time after installing LL, and games seemed to run slower than before, and I'm guessing it's due to having less available HDD space. So I've decided to only install OSes I would actually need and use, so each OS would have more space in their respective partitions.

The only thing is installing legacy OSes, would it be possible to install Windows 3.1 and ME that on a modern PC? Would there be any issues with that? Would it be possible in any way shape or form to install them and XP on a SATA Hybrid Drive? (Minus using a VM?) Sorry for asking all of these questions, this will be the first PC I'll build, and want to make sure I get everything right and don't waste my money on buying things that won't work.

[Teddy]

Welcome to the Linux Lite community!

[gold_finger]

The only thing is installing legacy OSes, would it be possible to install Windows 3.1 and ME that on a modern PC? Would there be any issues with that? Would it be possible in any way shape or form to install them and XP on a SATA Hybrid Drive? (Minus using a VM?) Sorry for asking all of these questions, this will be the first PC I'll build, and want to make sure I get everything right and don't waste my money on buying things that won't work.

Honestly, I don't know about trying to install those very old OSs.  It's entirely possible that they won't work because they simply can't recognize the current hardware and there probably aren't any drivers available for the old OSs to use on new hardware.  Only way to really find out is to give it a shot.  Try installing the older ones first to see if they will function on the new hardware.  Their installations should be relatively quick and this way you'll know whether or not they work before you go through trouble of installing Win 8 (which will take some time) only to see everything broken after an attempt to add Win ME or 3.1.  If they don't work on "bare metal", they might work in a VM.  But again, you won't really know until you give it a try.