Very Computer

I plan to get a Pentium 90 with 32MB RAM and 1GB SCSI-2 HD, with PCI/ISA
Bus and running Linux. After reading the various FAQs and HOWTOs, I still
have the following questions:

1. Does the latest Slackware Distribution 2.1.0 comes with the necessary
driver if I use the Adaptec 2940 PCI SCSI controller? I would like
to hear the experiences of netters who use this card. Does it install
and work smoothly?

2. Similarly, does the latest release of Linux suport the AMD 79C970
(PCnet-PCI) ethernet card? Experiences with the use of this card
(both positive and negative) would be most helpful.

3. Please suggest alternative PCI SCSI controller card and PCI ethernet
card if you know of any other that will work better. Thanks.

Hwee Tou Ng

Quote:>I plan to get a Pentium 90 with 32MB RAM and 1GB SCSI-2 HD, with PCI/ISA
>Bus and running Linux. After reading the various FAQs and HOWTOs, I still
>have the following questions:

>1. Does the latest Slackware Distribution 2.1.0 comes with the necessary
>driver if I use the Adaptec 2940 PCI SCSI controller? I would like
>to hear the experiences of netters who use this card. Does it install
>and work smoothly?

I don't know if Slackware 2.1 includes this driver, but I installed the
ALPHA version of it (which I think is the most current) on top of Slackware
2.0.2 about a month ago and its been working great. No problems whatsoever
and the installation was trivial provided you are using the suggested
kernel level or higher (the actual number is in the doc with the driver).
Right now, the driver is distributed as a set of kernel patches, so you
_must_ use the right set of kernel sources.

--
Paul Bash  

: I plan to get a Pentium 90 with 32MB RAM and 1GB SCSI-2 HD, with PCI/ISA
: Bus and running Linux. After reading the various FAQs and HOWTOs, I still
: have the following questions:

: 1. Does the latest Slackware Distribution 2.1.0 comes with the necessary
: driver if I use the Adaptec 2940 PCI SCSI controller? I would like
: to hear the experiences of netters who use this card. Does it install
: and work smoothly?

Standard kernel doesn't support AIC-7870P, so you must compile a kernel
with AIC-7870P patch...

: 2. Similarly, does the latest release of Linux suport the AMD 79C970
: (PCnet-PCI) ethernet card? Experiences with the use of this card
: (both positive and negative) would be most helpful.

I use this network adapter, and its performance is really very good.
However, with this adapter, the timing of PCI can't be set faster.
Or hang up.

: 3. Please suggest alternative PCI SCSI controller card and PCI ethernet
: card if you know of any other that will work better. Thanks.

Slot 1 : Adaptec AHA-2940 (Master) (+ Micropolis 4110s)
Slot 2 : S3 864           (Slave)
Slot 3 : Lance adapter    (Master)

When I use this combination, the scsi controller seems to be near time out...
Display adapter becomes a little slower...
Ethernet adapter's speed is half as fast as that without 2940...

Maybe the problem comes from my mother board, so I turn back to
my VIP combination...

Slot 1: None
Slot 2: S3 864            (Slave)
Slot 3: Lance adapter     (Master)

VL   1: Tekram DC-380     (Master)

With this combination, all are normal.

I forget to say something...
My system is 486, chipset is ALI(M1429G).

Maybe I should try another MB with Intel chipset...

--
Hwu Wei-Si

Department of Computer & Information Science,
National Chiao-Tung University

  I've tried without success to get the AMD Ethernet/SCSI chipset working.

  The Slackware install can be tricked into thinking the 79c970 is a Lance
adapter (with a loss in performance), but it does work.

  So far, the gurus say "wait for a driver to become available for the
SCSI/LAN chip"...two months ago...

Borg

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 Peter Naus HP ESG         |  The rebel digs his heels firmly into the earth.

    DooM on...             |   - Kerro Panille, Collected Poems
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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My employer's views are not mine.
Thus Nature balances itself.
-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Quote:>: 2. Similarly, does the latest release of Linux suport the AMD 79C970
>: (PCnet-PCI) ethernet card? Experiences with the use of this card
>: (both positive and negative) would be most helpful.

I believe that this adapter is supported as of 1.1.69. I got an early
version of the lance.c file with PCnet-PCI support and run kernel 1.1.62.

--
George Erhart
AT&T Bell Labs/GBCS
6200 E. Broad St. Rm. 2B310
Columbus, OH   43213

: I plan to get a Pentium 90 with 32MB RAM and 1GB SCSI-2 HD, with PCI/ISA
: Bus and running Linux. After reading the various FAQs and HOWTOs, I still
: have the following questions:

: 1. Does the latest Slackware Distribution 2.1.0 comes with the necessary
: driver if I use the Adaptec 2940 PCI SCSI controller? I would like
: to hear the experiences of netters who use this card. Does it install
: and work smoothly?

        No, there is a patch and install kernel located on sunsite.unc.edu
that will allow you to boot and install.  You must get the install disks
(should be labeled "AI") which come with the tar.gz file, so you can then
install the patches for the kernel and recompile.  I have gotten this to
work successfully since I figured that part of it out.  (yes, I was being
a complete moron!)

: 2. Similarly, does the latest release of Linux suport the AMD 79C970
: (PCnet-PCI) ethernet card? Experiences with the use of this card
: (both positive and negative) would be most helpful.
        I have no idea, sorry.  Unfortunately, I don't have Internet to my
house yet, though US West and COX cable both say probably by next year!

: Hwee Tou Ng

        John G. Schroeder
        The Oracle/NetSeer

As far as the Adaptec 2940 goes, I think I can answer any questions that
come up with installation easily!