[mythtv-users] Biostar ideq200n anyone- Don't use nforce?

Fri Aug 29 00:01:37 EDT 2003

Okay, I have to retract my warning about this motherboard.  The info in
Eric's email below solved my problem.  The info was also in the release
notes that came with the nvidia nforce driver.  I guess I should have
looked a little harder.  Basically, adding:

options nvnet optimization=1

to my modules.conf fixed the problem on my A7N266-VM where ethernet
traffic sucked up most of the CPU.

-Steve

On Tue, 2003-08-26 at 03:54, Christian Hack wrote:
> Just to put my 2c in.
> 
> My Myth machine: Running RH8 with standard RH8 kernel but custom compile.
> BIOS 1005, XP2400 CPU, 512Mb RAM. I have had absolutely no problems with the
> nvidia binary network driver. It installed as per the doco (it did have
> issues with RH9 due to memory stuff RH changed in the kernel) and runs
> perfectly. I can easily go close to saturating the 100meg bandwidth (get
> around 8 megabytes/sec transfer rates) with it hardly even registering any
> load.
> 
> Also bought another board for a cheap PC and running Win2k Pro it's fine
> too.
> 
> CH
> 
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
> > [mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org]On Behalf Of Eric Aversa
> > Sent: Tuesday, 26 August 2003 12:36 PM
> > To: 'Steve Joiner'; 'Discussion about mythtv'
> > Subject: RE: [mythtv-users] Biostar ideq200n anyone- Don't use nforce?
> >
> >
> > Interestingly, in a fit of guilt after maligning the product of valiant
> > engineers in such a public forum, I did some research at a listserv
> > sponsored by Nvidia
> > (http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/forumdisplay.php?s=&forumid=14) and
> > found this advice which I have yet to try:
> >
> > http://www.nvnews.net/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=7f9c1278638f0a83b5367e8
> > cf754f179&threadid=13712&highlight=A7N266
> >
> > Quote:
> > " seems to managed LAN working properly
> > HW:
> > asus a7n266
> > athlon 1800XP
> > ram: 128MB
> >
> > SW:
> > BIOS 101nvm.awd
> > Mandrake 9.1
> > but with common kernel 2.4.21 rc8 with Alan Cox latest patch
> >
> > BIOS options: Interrupt mode PIC
> > kernel option ACPI=on
> >
> > or:
> >
> > BIOS options: Interrupt mode APIC
> > kernel option ACPI=off
> >
> > in both cases nvnet driver optimalization must be set
> > to CPU (on throughput hungs)
> > in modules.conf :
> >
> > options nvnet optimalization=1
> >
> > throughput optimalization (=0 and default) is broken "
> >
> > I have yet to try this, but previously I had been under the assumption
> > that if a vendor provided a chipset, it should work with a driver they
> > provide- but I guess maybe that some BIOS settings might be beyond their
> > control...
> >
> > Eric Aversa
> > email : eaversa What omnesys.com
> >
> >
> >
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: Steve Joiner [mailto:steve at daisyhill.net]
> > Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 11:00 PM
> > To: eaversa at omnesys.com; Discussion about mythtv
> > Subject: RE: [mythtv-users] Biostar ideq200n anyone- Don't use nforce?
> >
> >
> > I've got the same motherboard (A7N266-VM) and I'm also getting horrible
> > performance nvnet.  Whenever there's any network traffic, the system
> > slows to a crawl.
> >
> > I'll probably spend one more night trying to get it to perform correctly
> > before I pop in an old netgear PCI card.
> >
> > If anyone has had this problem with nvnet an can shed some light, I'd
> > really appreciate it.  Otherwise, consider this a warning if you're
> > planning on getting the A7N266-VM.
> >
> > Steve
> >
> > On Mon, 2003-08-25 at 17:03, Eric Aversa wrote:
> > > Joe-
> > >
> > > Did you really mean that nforce chipset is good for linux? I just got
> > > my Asus A7N266-VM working with Myth, and it was a nightmare of an
> > > experience. Granted it was my first experience with Myth, but I was
> > > unprepared for the following:
> > >
> > > While Nvidia is unusually nice about providing Linux drivers (their
> > > binary graphics drivers seem pretty good), they are proprietary and
> > > nforce seems to have issues. RedHat cannot provide them, so I was
> > > unable to get network working as part of the install of the OS (or do
> > > a network
> > > install- which was my original intention). Once I inserted a CD with
> > the
> > > nforce drivers, I found first that network performance was abysmal- 10
> > K
> > > per second on my 100 megabit LAN, and that accessing the network would
> > > cause Linux to hang hard. I abandoned using the nvnet altogether and
> > > threw in a spare 3com card (3com seems to always just work with
> > Linux!)
> > >
> > > Nvaudio seems to make mplayer complain, whenever I do mplayer
> > > /dev/video0 (my PVR250 card) the video will stumble from time to time
> > > and mplayer complains about the audio interface- though I have not yet
> >
> > > had real problems with Myth- except while trying to watch a live
> > > channel which Myth is recording.
> > >
> > > I specifically purchased this motherboard as it was recommended by Ars
> > > Technica- and I am so ashamed of that decision in hindsight. Unless I
> > > have done something wrong, or this is particular to the ASUS, or my
> > > experience is unusual (which does not seem the case after trolling the
> >
> > > linux nforce mail list archives) I am wondering if the nforce is not
> > > in fact really, really bad for linux. If I am wrong, I would really,
> > > really like to be corrected.
> > >
> > > While things are now working, I am not using the onboard video (using
> > > G4 Mx 440SE), not using onboard NIC, and am now looking at not using
> > > on board audio.
> > >
> > > Eric Aversa
> > > eaversa at omnesys.com
> > > Omnesys Technologies, Inc.
> > > Phone : (845) 735-5000
> > > Cell : (914) 629-5691
> > >
> > >
> > > -----Original Message-----
> > > From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
> > > [mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org] On Behalf Of Joseph A. Caputo
> > > Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 4:35 PM
> > > To: Discussion about mythtv
> > > Subject: RE: [mythtv-users] Biostar ideq200n anyone?
> > >
> > >
> > > > -----Original Message-----
> > > > From: mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org
> > > > [mailto:mythtv-users-bounces at mythtv.org]On Behalf Of Rick Beebe
> > > > Sent: Monday, August 25, 2003 4:04 PM
> > > > To: mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> > > > Subject: [mythtv-users] Biostar ideq200n anyone?
> > > >
> > > >
> > > > I've been lurking here for quite a while, watching the progress of
> > > > Mythtv and searching for the 'ideal' box to run it on. There are
> > > > several contenders, including the mini-itx M10000 and the Asus
> > Pundit
> > > > (space and noise are big cosiderations). One that's recently caught
> > my
> > >
> > > > attention is the Biostar IDEQ 200n. It's pretty reasonably priced
> > > > considering what it
> > > > contains:
> > > >
> > > > http://www.biostar-usa.com/ideqdetails.asp?model=ideq+200n
> > > >
> > > > Is anyone using one of these? I'd be interested in hearing about it.
> > > >
> > > > --Rick
> > >
> > > Unfortunately, it's only got 1 PCI slot, so I wouldn't be able to put
> > > both my tuner card and my WLAN card in it.  Meanwhile, its got
> > > on-board GeForce 4 MX, making the AGP slot a big waste of space...
> > >
> > > Other than that, my first impression is that Linux-wise this is better
> >
> > > than a Pundit, because of the nForce chipset.  I wonder if it would
> > > support a PCI riser card?
> > >
> > > -JAC
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > >
> > > ______________________________________________________________________
> > >
> > > _______________________________________________
> > > mythtv-users mailing list
> > > mythtv-users at mythtv.org
> > > http://mythtv.org/cgi-bin/mailman/listinfo/mythtv-users
> >
> >
> 
> 
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