My first AMD64 experience :(

[Johann Spies]

I have recently bought a new PC - AMD64 with Nvidia chipset, 1 Gb Ram
to replace my old home network gateway.  I was looking forward to work
with a 64-bit operating system. Maybe my experience can help others in
decisions they make when buying new hardware and installing software:

1.  The kernel

I installed from a Breezy-server installation CD (just because there was
one available in my office) and the initial installation went without a
problem (2.6.12 kernel).  I then dist-upgraded to Dapper and also the
Dapper kernel (2.6.15) and then my first problems started:  I could not
get it to boot the 2.6.15 kernel.  In the end I tried a Debian 2.6.16
kernel and that worked.  I have even compiled the Ubuntu 2.6.15 kernel
with the .config of the 2.6.12 as basis.  That did not help. I could
also not boot the live-cd on the standard boot options.  Later I
discovered that when using some of the advanced options I could get the
live-CD going.

In the end I found that the 2.6.15-server kernel of Ubuntu could be used
and then I dumped the Debian 2.6.16 kernel in favour of the that one.

2. Graphics

The default setup was to use a vesa driver for my xorg.conf.  That left
me with a working X11 without GL.  My TV-card could not be used.

Because of the kernel trouble I had I initially used nvidia-drivers from
nvidia.com for my X11 and got it working with the GL-options and I could
use my TV card.  After going back the the 2.6.15-server kernel, I
changed back to the nvidia-drivers from Ubuntu.

But the nvidia-setup gave me serious trouble.  I never had to reboot a
Linux computer that often in my life.  It sporadically happened that
after changing to the console from X11, I could not get back to X11.
Restarting gdm did not fix the problem and I regularly had the problem
that I was left with an unusable computer which had to be reset.

I then decided to revert to the vesa driver for "normal" work and that I
will use the nvidia just when I wanted to use the TV-card.  But last
night my load average rose to 37 with Xorg using more than 70% of my
memory.  After running stable for a few days, I had to reboot again.  Is
there a memory leak in Xorg?

I like using fbi to view photos on the console.  On this PC the pictures
are distorted an I am only seeing part of it despite using the -a
option.  I have tried to set the fbi-mode to higher resolution but
whatever I did, was totally ignored without error messages.

3. Sound.

Alsa does not support capturing on the Nvidia sound card.  So I compiled
the nvidia driver for the sound card.  Now I have OSS working (and I can
record sound) and none of my Alsa-systems is functional.  That is a bit
of a frustration.  

I still have to try and find the reason but an audio-cd that I wrote
last night would not play back on the computer although it played
without a problem on a hi-fi system.  Xmms recognised the sound tracks
and looked like it was playing the tracks - without any sound. I could
play another audio CD with the same program on the same system.

4. 32-bit

I did not know beforehand that quite a few programs were not available
in 64-bit:  skype, gizmo, iscan and macro-media flash for example.  I
still have to try and at least iscan running.  I did find some howtos on
this topic on the internet, but did so far not have time to try them
out.

Would I buy the same hardware if I knew what I know now?  Probably not.
I will probably in the future avoid anything with a nvidia-chipset or
any chipset for which there are not full open source support.

The last Microsoft Windows I was using on a regular basis was 3.1.  I
have been a Linux user since 1995.  I have always boasted that Linux is
stable.  This one is no more stable than the 3.1 I have been using years
ago.  Is it the hardware?  Is it poor Ubuntu software? Or poor
nvidia-software?  

Regards
Johann
-- 
Johann Spies          Telefoon: 021-808 4036
Informasietegnologie, Universiteit van Stellenbosch

     "Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the
      Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance 
      and supplication for all saints."       Ephesians 6:18