I’ve tried about four different distros on this setup and invariably I get kernel panics, init failures and a mess of other errors. I should say at the outset that I’m not interested in making it work, and that I’m only mentioning it as a curiosity. It has been a while since I ran into such a solid brick wall with Linux.
Regardless, here’s a recipe for failure:
- One Dell Optiplex GX260, 2.26GHz P4 with onboard Intel 845G graphics, 512Mb DDR
- One Linksys WMP54G (Ralink RT61!) wireless network card
- One Jaton 338PCI-DVI GeForce 6200 256MB PCI video card
- One Princeton VL1918 LCD monitor
- Linux distro boot disc of your choice
- Add Logitech cordless keyboard and mouse to taste
Combine all ingredients on your desk. Use the riser board expansion to hold the wireless and video cards. Brace, lock, close and boot. Follow instructions as necessary. Yields: one busted setup.
Personally I think the riser card is to blame. If I yank the PCI video card and use an AGP card (which connects directly to the motherboard), all is well. The system installs and boots normally.
However, doubling up on the riser card with the aforementioned video and wireless cards invariably crashes Linux CDs as they boot. That includes Ubuntu, DSL, SLAX and even the GPartEd CD. I just have to face it: This is one of those rare setups that just doesn’t work with Linux.
And before anyone sneers about the superiority of Windows on this machine — Windows only does a half-assed job of setting up. Yeah, it can boot, and yeah, it can work if I supply it with drivers, but until then, I get no network (wireless or onboard), no native resolution, no sound and basically a pointless ball of electrical crud.
That being said, I intend to disassemble it all and sell it on ebay after Christmas. So it doesn’t break my heart at all that it absolutely refuses to get beyond step one for Linux.
