# Worth putting a 9600GT in a Linux box?



## dadi_oh (Sep 23, 2008)

I am putting together a system out of spare parts just to allow me to play around with Ubuntu and maybe learn something in the process 

So I have a cheapo ECS 7050 (Nforce 610) motherboard with an E1200 CPU, 2GB PC6400 RAM, an 80GB hard drive. Very basic...

But I have a 7900GT card installed in there now and due to another upgrade I have this spare 9600GT card. So my basic question is... Is it worth putting the 9600GT in there since the 7900GT is more than capable in a regular 2D environment. I would have liked to use the 9600GT to fold but Linux doesn't have GPU folding AFAIK. So I'm kinda leaning towards just selling the 9600GT since it's worth more than the 7900GT and use the cash for something else.

Or are there any 3D type apps that I should be thinking about keeping the 9600GT for?

And on a side note... any recommendations on a very basic tutorial intro to Ubuntu that anyone would recommend for a Linux Noob?

Thanks


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## theJesus (Sep 24, 2008)

I don't use linux too much and I don't fold [yet] either, but couldn't you run windows in a virtual machine and run a gpu client from there?  Just a thought, not entirely sure it would work.  Even still, I'm sure a gpu client will be ported to linux sometime in the near future, so you might as well hang on to it either way.

Basically, you should either A: use the 7900 and give me the 9600, or B: use 9600 and give me the 7900  I recommend option A


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## JrRacinFan (Sep 24, 2008)

Well, if you are going to be creating the PC in question as an HTPC or mainly viewing media, then IMO Im all for it. If only going to be using it as a day-to-day web browser then sell the card, recoup some funds, and keep the 7900GT as backup.


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## dadi_oh (Sep 24, 2008)

theJesus said:


> I don't use linux too much and I don't fold [yet] either, but couldn't you run windows in a virtual machine and run a gpu client from there?  Just a thought, not entirely sure it would work.  Even still, I'm sure a gpu client will be ported to linux sometime in the near future, so you might as well hang on to it either way.
> 
> Basically, you should either A: use the 7900 and give me the 9600, or B: use 9600 and give me the 7900  I recommend option A



Cute 

Well I am typing this from my Linux box so things are running OK. I currently have the 7900GT in there and am just browsing around looking for more info on Ubuntu. This 7900GT just BLAZES through these web pages


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## dadi_oh (Sep 24, 2008)

JrRacinFan said:


> Well, if you are going to be creating the PC in question as an HTPC or mainly viewing media, then IMO Im all for it. If only going to be using it as a day-to-day web browser then sell the card, recoup some funds, and keep the 7900GT as backup.



I'm not really sure what it is going to become. I initially just wanted to learn more about Linux and I had most of the parts so... what the hey. Might as well do it without messing around with one of my Windows machines.


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## xfire (Sep 24, 2008)

You don't really need much power unless you use it for gaming but it doesn't hurt(other than electricity) to use 9600GT. For all you know more games or Dx10 might roll out to Linux.
I'd say sell 7900 and use 9600.


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## theJesus (Sep 24, 2008)

Oh yeah, forgot that board had on-board video (and I have that board for my gf's rig too ).  I ran ePSXe (psx emulator) just fine with the on-board, didn't try much else though before throwing in my 9600gt (i'm using her rig 'til i get a new psu and/or mobo).  So yeah, even just the on-board would be fine for f'ing around in linux with "eye-candy".

Honestly, I'd try to pawn the 7900 off before it becomes worth any less than it already is and keep the 9600 as backup for your main system so that way you'll still have a pretty decent card to keep you satisfied while you replace the newer one if it should fail.


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## dadi_oh (Sep 24, 2008)

theJesus said:


> Oh yeah, forgot that board had on-board video (and I have that board for my gf's rig too ).  I ran ePSXe (psx emulator) just fine with the on-board, didn't try much else though before throwing in my 9600gt (i'm using her rig 'til i get a new psu and/or mobo).  So yeah, even just the on-board would be fine for f'ing around in linux with "eye-candy".
> 
> Honestly, I'd try to pawn the 7900 off before it becomes worth any less than it already is and keep the 9600 as backup for your main system so that way you'll still have a pretty decent card to keep you satisfied while you replace the newer one if it should fail.



I completely forgot I had onboard video   I usually buy higher end boards without the video so it never even crossed my mind. hmmmm.... Maybe you are right. Onboard could probably do for Linux. I'll give it a try.


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## dadi_oh (Sep 24, 2008)

dadi_oh said:


> I completely forgot I had onboard video   I usually buy higher end boards without the video so it never even crossed my mind. hmmmm.... Maybe you are right. Onboard could probably do for Linux. I'll give it a try.



Well I tried the onboard video but then it limited me to 800X600 and 60hz refresh (major flicker). I assume this means that it doesn't know enough about the onboard graphics to allow it to know how to display higher? I wonder if the ECS installation CD has Linux drivers on it. Better check.


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## theJesus (Sep 24, 2008)

um, yeah, you need different drivers for the onboard video 
if not on the cd, go to the nvidia site, they ought to have 'em


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## dadi_oh (Sep 24, 2008)

theJesus said:


> um, yeah, you need different drivers for the onboard video
> if not on the cd, go to the nvidia site, they ought to have 'em



I have an intuitive sense for the obvious 

Now I just need to figure out how to install the drivers. Doesn't seem as easy as Windoze but I have been using that for years.


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