Using all new components with no OS installed, How do I install the BIOS. Intrepid 64 at completion.

[Martin Laberge]

On Tuesday 10 February 2009 20:36:12 Steven Vollom wrote:
> This is my first new build of a computer.  I don't completely understand the 
> functions of the BIOS as they relate to Microsoft products and Kubuntu.  When 
> I attempt to learn from Ubuntu forum conversations, I become confused early 
> and am then blocked from moving on.  
> 
> This is my first install of Kubuntu 64bit; is this on-topic for this forum?  
> Just to get to the point of install, I will need help getting my hardware 
> readied for an AMD Quad Core 9600.  The motherboard is an ASUS M3N-HT 
> Mempipe.  My memory is Axiom ECC 667mhz DDR2 (8gb).  Onboard 8000 series 
> GForce GPU, 512mb DDR3 PNY GForce 9600 Video Card.  HDD & DVDRW both SATA.  
> BFG 800W Power Supply.
> 
> Still a Linux newbie, I am concerned because all documentation provides for a 
> Microsoft installation with minor referenced for AMD as opposed to INTEL.  I 
> have about a week before I install, so I am trying to prepare a bit, and I am 
> using AMD and Kubuntu Intrepid, no Microsoft or Intel.  
> 
> If any of this intrudes by topic, please tell me where to go for help.  I have 
> a friend in South Africa with expertise, so I am just trying to learn enough 
> to be able to communicate with him online.  I don't want to break any rules 
> of the LIST, but I am not sure I understand them properly anyway, so tell me 
> if I get off course, please?
> 
> The ASUS User Guide, refers to floppy installation for BIOS.  Other places in 
> the manual it eludes to using flash drives, so I intend downloading to a 
> thumb drive for this purpose.  Is there a problem with that?
> 
> The guide suggests that the motherboard has internet connectivity without the 
> installation of the OS, so I assume I can make all original entries using 
> their preferred Microsoft DOS system.  Is there a problem setting up this 
> way, then installing Intrepid for the OS after setting up the BIOS using 
> Microsoft entries?  I don't even know how to use the lanugage here?  
> 
> Another effort at explanation: if the BIOS is set up using DOS language and 
> there is no OS in the computer, will installing the OS using Linux language 
> confuse the installation, never having DOS installed as an OS?  If I can use 
> the provided ASUS CD to get the BIOS set up, then install the Linux OS, that 
> would take some pressure off my mind, is that possible?
> 
> The motherboard has all the onboard capabilities to make a computer without 
> anything but memory, DVDRW, and HDD, so that is the way I intend setting up.   
> I plan to install the balance of memory and a video card later.  Just for 
> reference, the video card is a PNY Gforce 9600 512mb DDR3, and the memory 
> sticks are each 2gb.  There will  be four of them, AXIOM DDR2 667mhz SDRAM.  
> Yes in advance to the fact that the motherboard is an ECC board.
> 
> The HDD came from an exterior 1tb Maxtor SATA Drive.  A 500gb drive became 
> defective and I salvaged the other 500gb.  It has about one months use, and 
> may be the drive that has data on it.  If so, there are 2ea partitions on the 
> drive,one containing data, the other bare.  Both are set as ext3 file 
> systems.  I don't know what problems I may incur installing the drive, it too 
> was specifically set up for XP or Vista, originally.
> 
> The DVDRW is new, never used.  It is also SATA.
> 
> Here is the type of help I need, if appropriate.
> 
> How do I set up the BIOS.  Does it matter that the board is set for Microsoft 
> and I am using Linux?
> 
> Can I use the USB thumb drive in place of a floppy drive?
> 
> Should I install the OS, prior to increasing the memory from 2 to 8gb?
> 
> I anticipate some potential problems with the nVidia video card installation.  
> My motherboard is nVidia 780a chip and the on-board video is nVidia eight 
> thousand series Gforce.  The add-on Video card is 9600 Gforce nVidia.
> 
> The memory sticks were checked and work perfectly.  They are also brand new.
> 
> Any advice or input to help me understand what I must do would be appreciated.  
> TIA.
> 
> Steven
> 

First of all there is no difference between microsoft and linux for the bios.

The BIOS is a ROM (or flashrom) in a machine, and do not need to be installed.
(sometimes upgraded with flash utility, but surely not on a fresh new mainboard)

The default BIOS settings for the machine are most of the time adequate for any system.

The BIOS adresses the HARDWARE issues of you machine, whatever the system is running.

your confusion probably came from those explanations centered around windows users.
they are microsoft-centric, and do not explain where is the line.

to setup your bios, the first time you start the machine,
you just press DEL (or F? when indicated) while the BIOS is presenting his boot message.

You will be presented with a setup screen to navigate.
the BIOS autodetect your hardware by itself.
just make sure the cdrom is placed first in the boot order.
check the values and save the settings.
(just use the default settings if you dont know)

then boot your installation CD of the OS of your choice (micro$oft or Linux)
and install.

Yes you can install a Linux OS before increase of memory.

Just forget about all the diskettes or cdroms you received with your main board.
They would only be useful if you would like install a windows system.
And by the way, forget about all these little booklets, they most of the time
contains only windows instructions to setup their devices.

In linux , In Ubuntu in particular, you will never have to bother about
your hardware, and drivers, for the exception of some video cards, 
who will work as well without any other extended driver, just out of the box.

The Ubuntu install will take care of the hardware in your machine,
and will auto-adapt its driver config when the hardware changes.


I recommend to use the 32-bit generic install to be able to use multimedia
without trouble. I am not sure multimedia is ready for 64-bit.

Hope this helps...


-- 
Martin Laberge
mlsoft at videotron.ca
Tel:(418)521-6823
30 Years of Unix Admin, and still learning...