nforce2 chipset support

[funky]

Hi,

If i understood well, we install Linux normally and after we patch the drivers specific for nforce2 chipset. Is it means that without installing the driver, system also works but if we install it system works optimized?!!?

thanx

funky
Istanbul

[Chalnoth]

Sound and LAN don't work until you install some drivers for 'em. Same with video, if you are using the integrated video of the nForce.

[BrianzaMan]

MM, is better to stay away from nForce for now on Linux


Cya

[Chalnoth]

Well, not really.

But I guess I did fail to mention that you will pretty much need to use an nVidia card on the nForce. The only agpgart that works on the nForce chipsets lies within nVidia's display drivers.

[BrianzaMan]

Nvidia drivers use GPL code for their closed driver, this is a GPL violation, and only for this you should avoid nForce, but this isn't all, Nvidia's "way to do the things" is ok for video cards, but is totally incompatible with a motherboard chipset.

Nvdia have to release the specifications as Via or SiS do , or we will never get a decent support for nForce by Open Source drivers (as for Via and SiS and Intel..... and so on) . you will be completely dependent from the binary drivers from Nvidia , and if they have any bugs you have to wait that the Great and Magnifical Nvidia linux support solve it .

With open drivers you have only to post your problem to the linux mailing list and it will be solved in 1 or 2 days (as a problem that I had with DMA on KT400) . And is not all , with Nforce you can only use Nvidia cards on AGP, and great part of the people that I 've heard about Nforce on Linux haven't reported great successfull installations.

All this to say that a Nforce will not work on linux well as any other chipset

Cya

[funky]

Originally posted by BrianzaMan
MM, is better to stay away from nForce for now on Linux


Cya

BrianzaMan you say to stay away a little from nforce boards but we can find the official drivers for these chipsets in nvidia webpage. So, whats the problem for you?

[BrianzaMan]

Originally posted by funky
BrianzaMan you say to stay away a little from nforce boards but we can find the official drivers for these chipsets in nvidia webpage. So, whats the problem for you?

Read my post above

Cya

[Chalnoth]

Originally posted by BrianzaMan
Nvidia drivers use GPL code for their closed driver, this is a GPL violation, and only for this you should avoid nForce, but this isn't all, Nvidia's "way to do the things" is ok for video cards, but is totally incompatible with a motherboard chipset.

I'd kind of like to see a little more evidence on this than just your statements.

But, anyway, I really do not mind closed-source drivers, as long as the company has good support. This has been quite true in the past with nVidia's Linux video drivers.

However, they really haven't done anything more than get their nForce product to work in Linux. Hopefully with the nForce2 getting more popular, they'll start some real Linux support going.

[BrianzaMan]

Originally posted by Chalnoth
I'd kind of like to see a little more evidence on this than just your statements.

But, anyway, I really do not mind closed-source drivers, as long as the company has good support. This has been quite true in the past with nVidia's Linux video drivers.

However, they really haven't done anything more than get their nForce product to work in Linux. Hopefully with the nForce2 getting more popular, they'll start some real Linux support going.

MMM; good support.... not yet, and Open Drivers have very much advantages on closed, support, quality, Nvidia will have great help from the users, more than now. And this is only useful to the users.

And Linux is an Open Source OS, born as a good Open Source alternative to Closed OS. (This is why linux is born ) and an OS with too much closed drivers will trasform in a Closed OS, for the VGA ok, but for the VGA and the MoBo NO!

This is my opinion as Open Source supporter

Cya

[goldenchild]

From my understanding, "NVIDIA's" *support* does not include full functionality of the sound. You have to pay OSS for a decent driver.

AGP is a nightmare ...if you don't have one of THEIR video cards.

You've got to install a pre-release versioned kernel just to get the PCI ID's right for the NFORCE2.

Oh yeah... almost forgot, thanks NVIDIA for adding your pci id's to someone else's driver!

And regarding closed source drivers - Saying you don't mind closed source drivers is similar to saying you don't mind giving out your root password. A kernel driver can do anything on your system, it is usually a good thing to know exactly what that is.

jm2c

[bwkaz]

Originally posted by BrianzaMan
Nvidia drivers use GPL code for their closed driver

So... do you have proof of this? Or are you just going to say that because they link to the kernel they "use GPL code"?

It is true that an nForce2 board isn't necessarily the greatest right now, but accusations of illegally using code are going to HAVE to be backed up!

[Chalnoth]

Originally posted by BrianzaMan
MMM; good support.... not yet, and Open Drivers have very much advantages on closed, support, quality, Nvidia will have great help from the users, more than now. And this is only useful to the users.

Currently nVidia claims that, at least for their video drivers, they don't have the freedom to release the drivers in an open source manner (likely due to the unified driver architecture, which, if I remember correctly, was disputed with SGI for IP reasons until a cross-licensing agreement was made....).

As for the motherboard drivers, nVidia's just not doing very much right now. However, you can get third-party drivers for nVidia's sound. You can use the ALSA drivers, and I think I heard about some other drivers that you can purchase that supposedly offer full sound support (S/PDIF out and all...).