ubuntu on homebuilt box

[Wade Smart]

12192005 1710 GMT-5

The BIOS is not related to the BIOS so yes, you can run only Linux.
When your system starts up you will see a little note: F10 for BIOS, 
something like that.
That is how you edit that.

I would stick to what works - IDE. SATA is great  - if you want to work 
to get it working.

Wade

taeb wrote:

>For various reasons I'm planning to build an Intel-based box on which I
>plan to run only Linux.  My background is Macintosh, so the PC stuff is
>all pretty new to me, and I have (at least) two questions I'd like to
>get answered before I put in the order.
>
>1. Can I run only Linux, or am I going to have to have a copy of Windows
>in order to do some things -- such as update the BIOS?  I read on a
>message board that sometimes the BIOS updates can only be done -- or the
>files only created -- using Windows.  I don't know much about BIOS and
>even less about updating it.  So, can I run a pure Linux system, or do I
>need/want to have a copy of Windows?  I have no religious aversion to
>Windows, but I really don't want to deal with yet another OS, the
>updates, the virus problems, the expense, etc.  I'd like to concentrate
>my efforts and budget toward Linux only and fall back on the Mac if I
>need commercial software.
>
>2. The optical drive recommended and that sounded good to me is the
>Plextor PX-716SA.  Elsewhere, someone said that Xandros did not
>recognize his SATA optical drive -- also a PX-716.  Is anyone using this
>drive under Ubuntu?  Or -- in case no one is -- what optical drive do
>you use that you would recommend and which, of course, works flawlessly
>with Ubuntu?
>
>I'm a first-time builder, and I'd like to minimize problems other than
>myself in this process.
>
>Many thanks for your help.  And for any other suggestions that you might
>be inclined to offer.  :)
>
>tonyB
>
>  
>