Section 2.2. Make Sure Your Hardware Will Support Linux
2.2. Make Sure Your Hardware Will Support LinuxWhile Linux runs on a wide variety of hardware platforms, it is wise to take a few minutes to be sure that the computer you have (or get) will support it effectively. 2.2.1. CPU TypeLinux probably runs on more Intel-based (or Intel clone) computers than any other type of hardware (most likely because there are more of those out in the world). But in addition to the "typical" PC processors manufactured by companies like Intel, AMD, and Cyrix, some of the other CPU families that can run Linux include:
The Intel Pentium I is probably the oldest Intel processor you would want to use. Some distributions compile specifically for Pentium, so earlier processors will not work, but even when an 80486 system, for example, will run Linux, it does so poorly. I have found a Pentium II (with enough memory) to be quite acceptable for most uses. 2.2.2. Bus ArchitectureMost modern PCs have two types of bus architectures: the Peripheral Component Interconnect (PCI) and the Industry Standard Architecture (ISA). The PCI bus is a 32-bit bus and is faster than older bus architectures (and its extended version, PCI-X, is faster yet). The ISA bus, one of those older architectures, is a 16-bit bus, and is slower than a PCI bus, but remains in many PCs for backward compatibility with old hardware. The original ISA bus was 8 bits in the first IBM PC in the 1980s and was later expanded to 16 bits. The Extended ISA (EISA) bus, a 32-bit extension of the ISA bus, is also supported by the Linux kernel. Linux sometimes needs extra drivers for older devices connected to the ISA bus, but it works well with most PCI-based devices. 2.2.3. MemoryLike any complex operating system, Linux requires a significant amount of memory in order to run effectively. The table in Figure 2-1 shows recommended amounts of memory for various types of Linux installations.
Note that Linux will run on systems with less memory, but it will not do so well. Of course, the more memory you have, the better any system will run. 2.2.4. DiskNearly all operating systems take up more disk space with every release, and Linux is no different. A full installation of Linux, depending on your distribution, requires about 3 gigabytes[1] (GB) of disk space. You can, however, install a useful Linux system in much less. Figure 2-2 provides some estimates for space for common uses of Linux.
Most Intel-based PC systems contain disk drives that use the Integrated Device Electronics (IDE) interface, and Linux finds these just fine. Some higher-end PCs might have Small Computer Systems Interface (SCSI) disks and, while Linux comes with SCSI drivers, the boot kernels do not always find these devices by default. You may need to consult the specific installation guide to find out how to load SCSI drivers if Linux doesn't "see" the disks when it starts. 2.2.5. Display, Keyboard, and MouseThe vast majority of displays, keyboards, and mouse devices that work on PCs will work for Linux. As with other hardware, very old devices might not be supported. Sometimes a very new device is not recognized because no one has (yet) contributed a new driver for it. Many distributions of Linux initially default to using a 640 x 480 display for greatest compatibility with the greatest number of monitors and video cards. After Linux is installed, you have the opportunity to reconfigure the display to a higher resolution based on what your video card can support. Linux supports most PC keyboards and both PS/2 and serial mouse devices without having to specify a driver, but you might have to select the type of device from a list. |
EAN: 2147483647
Pages: 339