New MB recommendations

[C M Reinehr]

On Tuesday 27 February 2007 14:16, Tony Alfrey wrote:
> C M Reinehr wrote:
> > Tony,
> >
> > I am far from being an expert on this (or any other subject) but I
> > believe these answers to your questions are correct:
> >
> > On Tuesday 27 February 2007 12:54, Tony Alfrey wrote:
> > <snip>
> >
> >> Ah, more complicated.  I have some apps that run on old distros and new
> >> distros.  Like the CAD program that started this discussion.  And
> >> besides, I'd like to keep the drives tweaked as they were, if possible.
> >>
> >>
> >> So we have that initrd depends on the kernel, and the kernel is
> >> pre-compiled with the distro.
> >> So my question remains
> >> a)  will a drive with a distro compiled for a P2 boot on a P4?
> >
> > 	Unlikely--not because of the switch from P2 to P4 but because of all of
> > the other hardware changes. Whereas your kernel may load & execute on the
> > P4, your six year old distribution just is not going to have compatible
> > drivers for any of the various controllers.
> >
> > 	Type lsmod from a command line and see what modules are running. I just
> > did so here and had 63 different modules loaded, i.e, serial & parallel
> > ports, network ports, cd/dvd, usb, ide, sata. A lot of this hardware
> > wasn't even in existence when your distribution was compiled.
> >
> >> b)  what is the relevance of initrd to determining if a drive that boots
> >> on a P2 will boot on a P4?
> >
> > 	An out-of-the-box kernel shipped with a new distribution has modules for
> > just about everything plus the kitchen sink and, IIANM, will construct an
> > initrd on-the-fly using the necessary modules for your particular
> > hardware configuration. So, your old initrd just is not going to work,
> > for the same reason your old kernel won't work--it just will not have the
> > correct modules for your hardware.
> >
> >> BTW, this is all very helpful information and I appreciate your time to
> >> explain these things.
> >
> > 	In short, it's going to be a whole lot easier to get your old
> > applications to run in a new distribution than it is to get your old
> > distribution to run on new hardware.
> >
> > HTH
> >
> > cmr
>
> Yes, I think this is quite clear, now that I consider what is necessary
> to make a new MB work, even if I pull off the old SCSI controller and
> graphics card.  I will build/buy a new box based on a new/newer MB and
> try to pull apps off a piece at a time.  I'll have to put up with box
> clutter for awhile.

	To an extent I can sympathize. I just finished switching from a six year old 
PIII to a new AMD64-X2. I had both systems clustered around my desk for about 
two months while I got everything copied over & started up. And, I didn't 
have to worry about custom applications, just normal office productivity 
stuff.

cmr
-- 
Debian 'Etch' - Registered Linux User #241964
--------
"More laws, less justice." -- Marcus Tullius Ciceroca, 42 BC