New hardware that works with ECS2.X

[pebrede]

Hi All,
I am in the process of establishing a hardware profile for a new set of desktop machines to run ECS 2.X. with US sourced items.
This hardware will replace AMD socket A hardware in existing towers if possible.
I would prefer to not use a plugin network card, and will be using SATA drives and ide, and plug in graphics card to drive LCD monitors, HDMI connection a preference, and on board audio.

So the list is:-
Motherboard with standard PCI slots if possible for existing video grab cards, processor, memory, HDMI out graphics card,

these machines will primarily be for a home office but out of hours will be audio/video media collectors/manipulators and servers/viewers through the house via network.

Reason for all this is I cannot run SATA on existing boards with ECS, old Nvidia2 chipsets are not stable enough, traps out and is all hardware issues.

Thanks for your time and input.

Peter

[Neil Waldhauer]

It would be nice if someone would make a website with useful hardware information on it.

eComStation.RU is doesn't work because it is too difficult to find anything, and there isn't much information there in the first place.

So mostly you buy stuff and hope you can get it to work...

[pebrede]

Yes that is the problem for me I try to keep abreast of the news groups, GenMac especially, but unless you really spend several hours a day trolling all the groups you have no idea what to buy and by the time I find a product it is no longer in stock or was not available in the US in the first instance.

I agree the .RU listing is less than helpful for me in the US, but at least there are other users around the world that are being helped.

I may have to get what I need in Asia on my next trip there and suck it and see.

In advance thanks to any responses
Regards Peter

[Roderick Klein]

Basicly buy a system with an Intel ethernet and video chipset. With the upcoming eCS 2.2 (beta will start in 2 or 3 weeks).
You should have native resolution for your LCD screen (panorama driver), ACPI working properly and the NIC.
You can also buy something with ATI video card. Realtek gigabit cards work very reliable, some don't but does same chipsets don't work under Linux either (it are revisions of the same chipsets).
But systems with none Intel mainboard chipsets will work reliable with the new ACPI 3.21.xx (included in eCS 2.2).

Its important to pick Intel/ATI video and grab an Intel gigabit NIC. The Intel NIC driver simply works everywhere.

Regards,

Roderick Klein
Mensys B.V.

[Martin Iturbide]

About an eCS-OS2 hardware information website, I was tempted to build one some time ago but I quit since I didn't found a good way on how to build it.

I don't wanted to re-invent the wheel and do something from scratch (because it will cost more time to maintain it) , but try to use an open source software to create that kind of site. The issue is that it can be something very static (like os2warp.be) and very custom build (like using a CMS like Joomla), or it can something too much flexible like a Wiki, and I wanted to have something in the middle.

I tried the Wiki approach and I think it was hard to make searches on it and I needed something more static to show the hardware lists by category.  Also, I wanted to lock the individual hardware pages to templates, and it was a little bit hard. On the other side I think it is a good idea to have a wiki style page on the "individual hardware page", so more information can be added by the community, and not like comments at the end of the page.

I even got authorization to use some of os2warp.be documentation. But at the end I stopped trying since it was too much work.
http://web.archive.org/web/20111113204146/http://www.os2world.com/wiki/index.php?title=Hardware

The OS2World wiki crashed with page, so also this is a reminder to me that I need to get it back.

If anybody wants to create a hardware information website I can collaborate, but I'm having fun this time with the EDM/2 wiki.

[jdeb]

Intel Video Chip-set is pretty broad statement, you need to be more specific. I have not found any of the current B, H, or Z series to work correctly or post for that matter... and I build a lot of systems.  I actually have gave up trying anymore. Trap errors or system hangs. Of course that relates to version 2.1

[Andreas Schnellbacher]

About an eCS-OS2 hardware information website, I was tempted to build one some
time ago but I quit since I didn't found a good way on how to build it.

I don't wanted to re-invent the wheel and do something from scratch (because it
will cost more time to maintain it), but try to use an open source software to
create that kind of site. The issue is that it can be something very static
(like os2warp.be) and very custom build (like using a CMS like Joomla), or it
can something too much flexible like a Wiki, and I wanted to have something in
the middle.

The static variant is not of much use. At least not for a longer time.
os2warp.be and ecs.ru are useless these days. We need editable texts. They must
be editable by everybody to be of any value (since we're so few). That all
sounds like a Wiki.

I tried the Wiki approach and I think it was hard to make searches on it and I
needed something more static to show the hardware lists by category. Also, I
wanted to lock the individual hardware pages to templates, and it was a little
bit hard. On the other side I think it is a good idea to have a wiki style page
on the "individual hardware page", so more information can be added by the
community, and not like comments at the end of the page.

That's one of the problems with it. Better someone builds the structure for it
before letting everyone post stuff.

About the search stuff: Don't think too much about it, full text search will
always work. The pages don't need to be perfect.

[Doug Bissett]

Realtek gigabit cards work very reliable,

If that was only true.

I have an Asus M3A78-EM motherboard (a few years old now, but still not bad). It has a Realtek 8168 chip on it. It died (even in windows). I tried an Intel PCI-e card, but whatever killed the 8168 also killed the PCI-e slot. I then got a PCI card, with a realtek 8169 on it. That works pretty good, with the Multimac driver, but it is significantly slower than another system with an Intel NIC, and the Multimac driver. It is even slower than my old Asus A8N-SLI system, with the NVIDIA Multimac driver.

Now, I just got a new lenovo ThinkPad L530. It also has a realtek 8168 chip (there was no indication of what NIC it had in it, when I ordered it - I did make sure I got an Intel WiFi adapter, which I haven't had any luck with either). I tried the Multimac driver (8169). It works, for about 2 minutes, then it hangs the system. I also tried the older 8168 Multimac driver. That killed it instantly, and it wouldn't even work in windows, until the next morning (whew!). Of course, this one works perfectly in windows, so I tried GENMAC. So far, no joy.

[Roderick Klein]

Intel Video Chip-set is pretty broad statement, you need to be more specific. I have not found any of the current B, H, or Z series to work correctly or post for that matter... and I build a lot of systems.  I actually have gave up trying anymore. Trap errors or system hangs. Of course that relates to version 2.1

Well I was writing about eCS 2.2. also. And if you have had TRAPS or hangs we get very little to now feedback from customers. So if you opened a ticket, then oke I said nothing. If you did not open a ticket then I can not help you. And most of these traps adn hangs the knowledge in the forums here is lacking.

As for the TRAPS you have been getting on recent Intel equipment I guess that was just about after the preboot menu came up !?
Thats the TRAP D OEM HLP problem resolved with eCS 2.2.

And when you get hangs read the eCS 2.1 quickguide and specify where the hang is.  Its a free world but so many people talk about getting a "hang". But eCS 2.1 and 2.0 have a chapter about what is helpful information to post.  Look at chapter 6, again if you did open a ticket a said nothing :-)

Is the hang when you enable ACPI or when the last device driver is loaded., etc.

About the Intel claim.

All TRAP'd people get on modern equipment when eCS boots are duo to an OEM HLP defect fixed with the latest ACPI version. But you need to have a new ACPI version on the boot CD.
That will be fixed with eCS 2.2. Also with the new Panorama driver video performance will improve on these modern chipsets.

Currently our techteam is working on taking the last bugs out of the drivers that Lars Erdmann worked on over the last 1 to 2 years. Its clear the old IBM USB stack had its limitations the new stack is much better. A public beta of eCS 2.2 will follow in 2 1/2 weeks itme now.

eCS 2.2 beta has been tested on a lot of new current desktop and laptops and desktops. A lot of system simply work without any hassle.

Regards,

Roderick Klein
Mensys B.V.

P.S. I'm the technical manager in charge of the tech team at Mensys to do device driver development

[pebrede]

Thank you to all for your input.

ECS is the only operating system that allows me to truly get my work done, as for the majority of my time I must manipulate 15 year old documents created in Lotus WordPro, and do the multimedia projects after hours.

Windows or Mac does not allow me the compatibility, productivity or stability, in spite of my comments below, to get through my day with some level of sanity.

I have not sought to raise tickets for my hardware as it is such an age that it would be a backward step to try and resolve those issues, especially when for some reason the hardware in question is not necessarily at the same revision levels that others have in place with stable systems, which is part of the reason I have this current system as I sourced it 8 years ago based on comments from other users  that this or that processor, motherboard, drive, peripheral combination was working for them.

One of the curiosities of the installs for all the various ECS 2.0 versions from most of the early betas to the current 2.1 is that no matter how I set the options or back level kernels or drivers it almost always gets through the install to the final boot and hangs there or crashes out shortly there after I try and bring the hardware to full specifications with extra memory and the processor up to its rated clock speed.
I have usually had to clock back the CPU, remove memory and disable most of the on board and add on peripherals to get to that point.
I have a bastardised 1.2,2.0,2.1 install that is the most stable on the only machine that will hold a stable install but it barely serves my long term purposes.

I am reluctant to create a primary install to replace this install as time or resources do not allow me to devote the time to put fresh install on this ancient hardware.
Hence my need to create a new hardware spec and hopefully just stick the install disk in and answer the usual questions and walk away.

I am looking forward to the ECS 2.2 revision and will endeavor to base my decisions on the results from the feedback on the ECS and MENSYS sites.

I have no hardware preferences except I am trying to future proof my systems as much as possible.

ECS is my future and M$ and the others are not my preferred options

Again thanks for your inputs

Regards

[walking_x]

I also tried the older 8168 Multimac driver. That killed it instantly, and it wouldn't even work in windows, until the next morning (whew!). Of course, this one works perfectly in windows, so I tried GENMAC. So far, no joy.

You can try rtgnda (rtgnda13.zip)... It may set zero mac to card, so need to uncomment [NETADDRESS] section in nif file and setup address manually... Another thing - it can`t be used as NETBEUI (pure netbios) server... NETBEUI client working fine... Up to 40 mb/s speed.... But it works not on all cards...

[Doug Bissett]

You can try rtgnda (rtgnda13.zip)... It may set zero mac to card, so need to uncomment [NETADDRESS] section in nif file and setup address manually... Another thing - it can`t be used as NETBEUI (pure netbios) server... NETBEUI client working fine... Up to 40 mb/s speed.... But it works not on all cards...

AHA! I knew about that one, but hadn't got around to finding it. I found some posts that said it was at HOBBES, but it isn't there. I got it at:

ftp://ddt.demos.su/pub/fileecho/GFD.SYS.NET/rtgnda13.zip

It needs the NETADDRESS thing, AND, it needs IRQ15OVR=YES when using ACPI.PSD with high IRQs.. It looks like I am in business.

Currently, I am doing a copy, using SAMBA, and it seems to be going as fast as any other link that I have. At least it isn't hanging the system.

THANKS!

[Andi B.]

rtgnda13.zip

Do a search on the internet before trying it. Years ago I installed my system with it and got sporadic traps. Took me months till I found out it was this driver. After that others told me this driver is known to sporadically trap systems. Maybe it was Eugene so probably there are some traces about ecomstation.ru...

[melf]

AHA! I knew about that one, but hadn't got around to finding it. I found some posts that said it was at HOBBES, but it isn't there. I got it at:

ftp://ddt.demos.su/pub/fileecho/GFD.SYS.NET/rtgnda13.zip ---//

Can also be found at eCSoft/2 and Os2warp.be

[jdeb]

Intel Video Chip-set is pretty broad statement, you need to be more specific. I have not found any of the current B, H, or Z series to work correctly or post for that matter... and I build a lot of systems.  I actually have gave up trying anymore. Trap errors or system hangs. Of course that relates to version 2.1

Well I was writing about eCS 2.2. also. And if you have had TRAPS or hangs we get very little to now feedback from customers. So if you opened a ticket, then oke I said nothing. If you did not open a ticket then I can not help you. And most of these traps adn hangs the knowledge in the forums here is lacking.

As for the TRAPS you have been getting on recent Intel equipment I guess that was just about after the preboot menu came up !?
Thats the TRAP D OEM HLP problem resolved with eCS 2.2.

And when you get hangs read the eCS 2.1 quickguide and specify where the hang is.  Its a free world but so many people talk about getting a "hang". But eCS 2.1 and 2.0 have a chapter about what is helpful information to post.  Look at chapter 6, again if you did open a ticket a said nothing :-)

Is the hang when you enable ACPI or when the last device driver is loaded., etc.

About the Intel claim.

All TRAP'd people get on modern equipment when eCS boots are duo to an OEM HLP defect fixed with the latest ACPI version. But you need to have a new ACPI version on the boot CD.
That will be fixed with eCS 2.2. Also with the new Panorama driver video performance will improve on these modern chipsets.

Currently our techteam is working on taking the last bugs out of the drivers that Lars Erdmann worked on over the last 1 to 2 years. Its clear the old IBM USB stack had its limitations the new stack is much better. A public beta of eCS 2.2 will follow in 2 1/2 weeks itme now.

eCS 2.2 beta has been tested on a lot of new current desktop and laptops and desktops. A lot of system simply work without any hassle.

Regards,

Roderick Klein
Mensys B.V.

P.S. I'm the technical manager in charge of the tech team at Mensys to do device driver development

Will try again with 2.2. I guess where I was coming from is that when I build a new system for a customer, usually Windows or Linux, I try eCS just to see if it will work correctly out of the gate. Unfortunately, I do not have time to diagnose and send in tickets. I was merely hoping to find compatible modern hardware out of the gate with out much fuss, then I could let the community know through ecomstation r.u. I have posted quite a few. I never post a negative review on hardware compatibility as I suspect there are ways around it. I have had decent success with a pre-installed eCS 2.1 hard drive. Not trying to sound negative, you guys do a great job.