After completing the build of the new PC, I set out to load a version of Linux.  While it seamed that most folks who had bought my ASUS motherboard had successfully installed Ubuntu, I wanted to go with CentOS, because it is based on the Red Hat Enterprise distribution and I had used it some at work to build an Asterisk PBX, something I may do with this machine too.

I downloaded the latest CentOS, 5.3 x86_64 (verified with a nice MD5 calculator from Microsoft), burned 7 .iso CD’s using our old PC, dropped disk 1 into the new PC’s DVD/CD drive, powered on and seemed to make some progress…but after a few text based screens realized that CentOS could not recognize my SATA HDD nor DVD/CD and would not launch the install GUI.  I was able to rig a connection between my old PC’s IDE CD drive to the new PC’s motherboard, changed boot preference in BIOS and was able to make better progress.  The install package would now launch its GUI, only to tell me that it could not find a HDD to partition.  Grrr…

I did some research on the web, and as with most things, I was not the first person to have this problem.  I was pretty sure it was an issue with my mobo/chipset and the SATA interface.  I was able to find a thread on the CenOS forum page that explained that I needed to type, at the boot prompt of the install: “linux pci=nomsi boot”.  Without really knowing what the command meant, I gave it a shot, and it worked.  I’ve since learned that I was preventing the use of Message System Interupts,  but don’t really understand yet why that fixed it.

I ran through a quick install and was pleased to get a booted PC, but quickly became dissapointed when I could not connect to the internet.  No Ethernet port discovered.  Back to the Centos forum.  I suspected an issue with the Ethernet controller, which was also on the chipset (nVidia GeForce 8300) and quickly found some advice that that fixed the problem.  I had to download a module using my old PC, transfer it to the new Linux box via USB stick sneakernet, and install it with rpm. A reboot of the PC (network services restart wasn’t enough), and I’m on the internet.  W00t!

By the end of the Memorial Day weekend, I had a functioning PC, ready for some more serious playing.  Maybe a second post later when I find additional components not recognized.