Re: Would you (or anybody else!) recommend a different motherboard?
The only boards I've used are the MSI 6167 and 6195(K7PRO). We've ordered many systems with these boards. They are running NT or Windows 2000 with various network cards, SCSI controllers, etc.
They've all been rock solid.
I'm currently looking hard at the Abit KA7 because we need to support more than 768 meg of DRAM in some applicaitions. I'll post impressions if I get any systems in based upon that board.
The only hardware issue I've run into to date (on the MSI K7PRO) is the ROM based configuration program on DPT's PM1564U3 hardware 3 channel Ultra 160 RAID controller - the configuration program must be run from floppy instead of ROM. They are working on an update (it may even be out now). Regardless, the controller performs flawlessly on a server with 5 18 gig IBM drives configured as RAID 5 and an HP 6 tape internal autoloader (that backs up 3 other servers in addition to this one using Arcserve Enterprise).
We have a number of workstations using this board as well. None have had any problems at all with either NT4 or Windows 2000. We run MS Office, Visual Basic, Visual C++, Borland C++ Builder, Adobe Illustrator, Adobe Acrobat (to create pdf files), Arc Info, Arcview, Mapinfo, Mapobjects, GAMS (General Algebraic Modeling System), SylvanMaps, SQL Sever, Installshield PRO, RoboHelp Office, and others. Peripherals connected to these systems include HPs Office jet combo scanner/printer/copier and HP sheetfeed scanners, Sony tape drives, various DVD Roms, CD Roms and CD recorders. No problems with any of this software or hardware. We moved to Win 2K earlier than some others, and have often had to download drivers for various components, but the K7PRO has not been a problem.
I should say the only video cards we've been using have been Matrox G400 16 and 32 meg, single and dual head.
The VAR who puts together these systems for us says that some DIMMs don't work with Athlons, so be sure you get Athlon compatible SDRAM.
Other than that there doesn't seem to be much to worry about, and from what I've read the ASUS board is just as good.
Regards,
Dan |
