[mythtv-users] Looking for MicroATX AM2 CPU supporting motherboard suggestions.

Colin McGregor colin.mc151 at gmail.com
Wed Nov 5 17:08:13 UTC 2008


On 11/5/08, Brian Wood <beww at beww.org> wrote:
> Colin McGregor wrote:
>> I am looking for a replacement for an ASUS M2N-MX SE PLUS motherboard,
>> which has proven to be Linux hostile (four trips back to ASUS and it
>> still will not boot KnoppMyth...).
>>
>> My goal with the board is to have a little diskless client box in the
>> bedroom.
>>
>> I am very annoyed at the thought of buying another motherboard. What I
>> am not going to do buy another CPU, case, etc.. So, I am now in the
>> market for a replacement motherboard. I have called ASUS and they
>> suggested the M3N78 EMH HDMI motherboard which I gather from a tour of
>> the local area clone dealers is no longer available.
>>
>>  So, here is what I need:
>>
>>  - Support for Linux network booting.
>>  - No Linux hostile BIOS bugs
>>  - MicroATX form factor
>>  - Support for an AMD Socket AM2 Athlon 3200+ CPU
>>  - Support for DDR2 PC2 - 5300 memory
>>  - Onboard nVidia graphics, GeForce 5200 or better
>>  - 1 (or more) PCIExpress x16 expansion slot.
>>  - Something available locally, shipping charges would at this point
>> be an insult on top of an injury...
>
> Hard to say what might be "local" to you, as you havenot indicated where
> you are on this planet, gmail could be anywhere.

Ah, yes, local for me is the greater Toronto, ON area. In looking for
the M3N78 EMH HDMI motherboard I hit all the usual suspect spots (the
dozen or so PC dealers within 3 blocks of the intersection of College
St. and Spadina Ave.).

>> Suggestions? Normally I would be just looking at ASUS boards, but
>> after this experience I think that is a brand I would like to avoid...
>
> Funny, I always had good results with Asus boards, but I have had 2 of
> them die due to bad capacitors lately.

Yes, it is odd, up until my experience with the ASUS M2N-MX SE PLUS
board I had had exceptionally good results with ASUS.

> Generally the "latest and greatest" boards are most likely to have Linux
> issues, the slightly older ones usually have better support.
>
> I'm using socket 939 CPUs and boards, since I have several CPUs hanging
> around. The motherboards can be had cheap, if you can find the
> processors, and of course they use the older-style RAM.

My FE/BE machine is built around an ASUS socket 939 based A8S-X
motherboard. The A8S-X has been solid, running 24/7 without complaint.

Problem here is I have a bunch of parts (CPU, memory and case) which I
don't want to buy replacements for. Basicly I want to get out of this
mess while spending as little money as possible.

> beww

Colin McGregor


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