[H-GEN] Linux (or FreeBSD) and Socket 7 Motherboards

Hilton Travis QuarkComputers at email.com
Sun Jan 2 09:02:40 EST 2000


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Hi Steve,

> I've been using a K6-2 300Mhz for my linux box for over a year - it works
> great, and no troubles at all. Motherboards aren't really the sort of
> thing you need support or drivers for - unless its a really funky board,
> linux will handle it fine.

It's just that I have heard that Linux doesn't support some SiS chipsets -
thought I'd check regarding the ALI and VIA chipsets' compatability.

> As for your not being able to use your old socket 7 board, theres
> actually a distinction between 'socket' and 'super' 7 boards. The
> super 7 boards have support for higher speeds, different voltages,
> and higher multipliers.  Basically - a socket 7 goes up to max 233Mhz
> (roughly, you may be able to push it to 250 or even 266, depending on the
> board) and super 7 boards support up to 550Mhz+.
>
> No amount of BIOS upgrades will help you there.

Yeah, I realise this.  I wasn't clear enough in what I was trying to say:  I
have an old Socket 7 board which is currently running an Intel Pentium
166MMX processor, and I'm happy to leave this as is.  I would, however, like
to find a place to download a later BIOS for this Servex motherboard.  The
VCore voltages are also different on the Super Socket 7 boards.

> However there is a gizmo on the market that plug into the mobo in the chip
> socket and change the multiplier settings so you can push an old socket 7
> to higher multipliers, but I've never seen it, and I don't know how much
> they cost.

I wouldn't be interested in using one of these anyway.  They'd have to drop
the VCore down to 2.2V as well as provide the extra multiplier logic, and I
don't trust these things on older motherboards in the first place.

I'm quite willing to purchase an excess Super Socket 7 board from someone if
they have a spare, or I'll just buy a Gigabyte GA-5AX motherboard in the
next week or so.  These boards seem to be quite good, and the ALI chipset is
supposed to be supported by Linux.

Regards,
Hilton Travis


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