• Welcome to TechPowerUp Forums, Guest! Please check out our forum guidelines for info related to our community.

Building my first cheap Linux computer

Stephen

New Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
136 (0.02/day)
Location
Legana, Tasmania, Australia
System Name Kubuntu Computer
Processor AMD Athlon 64 LE-1620 2.4 GHz
Motherboard Asus M2N-MX SE Plus
Memory 2 GB Patriot Signature Line DDR2 800 MHz
Video Card(s) Onboard GeForce 6100
Storage 160 GB Samsung Spinpoint
Display(s) Some piece of crap DiamondDigital 17" crt
Case Asus TM-220
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply 300w stock
Software Kubuntu 8.10
I'm finally almost ready to buy the parts so I thought I'd post now.

I'm going to build my first computer. I've set myself a budget of $400 (Australian dollars) and am going to use Kubuntu 8.10! I'm pretty much just doing it for the experience (I want to spend around $2000 next year on a good computer) but I'll also be using it.

Anyway, here's a list of the parts I'm going to buy. I just wanted to know if they would all work together and with Kubuntu.

Case: Asus TM-220 - $63
Motherboard: Asus M2N-MX SE Plus - $77
CPU: Sempron LE-1250 (2.2 ghz) - $54
RAM: 2 of some G.Skill 1gb PC2-6400 - $52
HDD: Some Samsung 160gb one - $76
DVD drive: Some lite-on one - $44
And delivery is $31 which all comes to $397.

The case comes with a 300w PSU (yeah I know I shouldn't use it but if anything goes wrong it's my fault). If you want to recommend me something different then please get it from www.skycomp.com.au and not newegg (we don't have one) and also make sure it keeps in my $400 budget if possible.

So will that all do for Kubuntu? I was also wondering if I should save myself a bit and go with just 1 gb of ram and the 2.1 ghz Sempron?
 

Stephen

New Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
136 (0.02/day)
Location
Legana, Tasmania, Australia
System Name Kubuntu Computer
Processor AMD Athlon 64 LE-1620 2.4 GHz
Motherboard Asus M2N-MX SE Plus
Memory 2 GB Patriot Signature Line DDR2 800 MHz
Video Card(s) Onboard GeForce 6100
Storage 160 GB Samsung Spinpoint
Display(s) Some piece of crap DiamondDigital 17" crt
Case Asus TM-220
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply 300w stock
Software Kubuntu 8.10
K I see no ones interested

But is the Palit N61S mobo any good? I've changed to that one because it seemed pretty good and because they won't be getting the Asus one in for 3 weeks.

Should've also mentioned that I'm using integrated graphics
 
Joined
Mar 15, 2008
Messages
1,110 (0.19/day)
I don't know how Kubuntu is but if it's not too different from Ubuntu then that Sempron won't cut it. You need a good processor for that OS. Try to get something better.
 

Exavier

New Member
Joined
Dec 12, 2007
Messages
981 (0.16/day)
Location
Bath, UK
Processor Q6600 G0 Stepping @3.4
Motherboard DFI LanParty DK P45 T2RS-PLUS
Cooling Fitseries3 Edition Fuzion v1, XSPC Razor X2, XSPC RS320, Hydor L30
Memory Crucial Ballistix @972mhz CL5
Video Card(s) Sapphire 4870X2 2GB
Storage Samsung Spinpoint F1 1TB x2 (I need another OS drive LOL)
Display(s) Sony Bravia 40L4000 40" HDTV :D
Case Silverstone TJ07 (Mod is a WIP)
Power Supply Corsair HX620w
Software Windows Vista
I also wouldn't skimp on RAM if you're short of money - that's not really a viable option
how about puppy/whatever small distro linux if Ku won't run?
 

Mussels

Freshwater Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 6, 2004
Messages
58,413 (8.21/day)
Location
Oystralia
System Name Rainbow Sparkles (Power efficient, <350W gaming load)
Processor Ryzen R7 5800x3D (Undervolted, 4.45GHz all core)
Motherboard Asus x570-F (BIOS Modded)
Cooling Alphacool Apex UV - Alphacool Eisblock XPX Aurora + EK Quantum ARGB 3090 w/ active backplate
Memory 2x32GB DDR4 3600 Corsair Vengeance RGB @3866 C18-22-22-22-42 TRFC704 (1.4V Hynix MJR - SoC 1.15V)
Video Card(s) Galax RTX 3090 SG 24GB: Underclocked to 1700Mhz 0.750v (375W down to 250W))
Storage 2TB WD SN850 NVME + 1TB Sasmsung 970 Pro NVME + 1TB Intel 6000P NVME USB 3.2
Display(s) Phillips 32 32M1N5800A (4k144), LG 32" (4K60) | Gigabyte G32QC (2k165) | Phillips 328m6fjrmb (2K144)
Case Fractal Design R6
Audio Device(s) Logitech G560 | Corsair Void pro RGB |Blue Yeti mic
Power Supply Fractal Ion+ 2 860W (Platinum) (This thing is God-tier. Silent and TINY)
Mouse Logitech G Pro wireless + Steelseries Prisma XL
Keyboard Razer Huntsman TE ( Sexy white keycaps)
VR HMD Oculus Rift S + Quest 2
Software Windows 11 pro x64 (Yes, it's genuinely a good OS) OpenRGB - ditch the branded bloatware!
Benchmark Scores Nyooom.
that hard drive is a ripoff.. i got a 750GB drive for $99 the other day, and that was locally.
 

Stephen

New Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
136 (0.02/day)
Location
Legana, Tasmania, Australia
System Name Kubuntu Computer
Processor AMD Athlon 64 LE-1620 2.4 GHz
Motherboard Asus M2N-MX SE Plus
Memory 2 GB Patriot Signature Line DDR2 800 MHz
Video Card(s) Onboard GeForce 6100
Storage 160 GB Samsung Spinpoint
Display(s) Some piece of crap DiamondDigital 17" crt
Case Asus TM-220
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply 300w stock
Software Kubuntu 8.10
A friend of mine has an old Athlon XP which I think is 1.8 ghz and 768 mb ram and he can run Ubuntu 8.10 perfectly.

Yeah I know the hard drive is a rip but it's still cheaper than anything you'd find around Launceston in Tasmania!
 
K

kyle2020

Guest
Can i ask, whats this linux rig's purpose? Is it for everyday use or a downloader, what?
 
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
7,195 (1.12/day)
System Name ICE-QUAD // ICE-CRUNCH
Processor Q6600 // 2x Xeon 5472
Memory 2GB DDR // 8GB FB-DIMM
Video Card(s) HD3850-AGP // FireGL 3400
Display(s) 2 x Samsung 204Ts = 3200x1200
Audio Device(s) Audigy 2
Software Windows Server 2003 R2 as a Workstation now migrated to W10 with regrets.
When I build a server now, I always go dual, or quad core, but LOW POWER and LOW CLOCKS. Why? Well you dont need a blazing fast server... since you are bound my the LAN anyway, BUT, if you want to run some services, like OCR and PDF generation, a dual or quad cuts the work quickly and the server is STILL AVAILABLE to other users. Consider getting some second hand stuff, and machine a passive cooler Q6600 underclocked to lower temps. (just one example). An underclocked Q6600 still has massive amounts of power for a little server. (NAS, email, FTP, web, services, OCR, etc.)

If your server will only do simple stuff then you could try one of those dualcore atoms for a bit of fun.
 

Stephen

New Member
Joined
Sep 28, 2008
Messages
136 (0.02/day)
Location
Legana, Tasmania, Australia
System Name Kubuntu Computer
Processor AMD Athlon 64 LE-1620 2.4 GHz
Motherboard Asus M2N-MX SE Plus
Memory 2 GB Patriot Signature Line DDR2 800 MHz
Video Card(s) Onboard GeForce 6100
Storage 160 GB Samsung Spinpoint
Display(s) Some piece of crap DiamondDigital 17" crt
Case Asus TM-220
Audio Device(s) Onboard
Power Supply 300w stock
Software Kubuntu 8.10
Can i ask, whats this linux rig's purpose? Is it for everyday use or a downloader, what?

Just for everyday use really. Internet pretty much. I'm also going to install Apache, PHP, MySQL etc (no one will be able to access it though, not making a server or anything).
 
K

kyle2020

Guest
Just for everyday use really. Internet pretty much. I'm also going to install Apache, PHP, MySQL etc (no one will be able to access it though, not making a server or anything).

In that case id just recommend a cheaper/higher capacity HDD and a more beefy processor. Something like an E2180 would be great! Cheap too!
 

DrPepper

The Doctor is in the house
Joined
Jan 16, 2008
Messages
7,482 (1.26/day)
Location
Scotland (It rains alot)
System Name Rusky
Processor Intel Core i7 D0 3.8Ghz
Motherboard Asus P6T
Cooling Thermaltake Dark Knight
Memory 12GB Patriot Viper's 1866mhz 9-9-9-24
Video Card(s) GTX470 1280MB
Storage OCZ Summit 60GB + Samsung 1TB + Samsung 2TB
Display(s) Sharp Aquos L32X20E 1920 x 1080
Case Silverstone Raven RV01
Power Supply Corsair 650 Watt
Software Windows 7 x64
Benchmark Scores 3DMark06 - 18064 http://img.techpowerup.org/090720/Capture002.jpg
+1 on the e2180
 
Top