Upgrading computer with linux

[Reel]

I have a linux computer with a P2 that I am going to put in a new mobo with P3. Everything else should remain about the same. I have the last red hat linux version (9.2 I think it was?) installed. What changes will I need to do once I change up the hardware? Can I just run an automatic configurator or do I need to do a kernel recompile (or god forbid a complete reinstall)?

Thanks in advance.

 

[HaroldW]

Try it and see. Just turn on the system and let it boot up. Kudzu is one of the earlier services to start. That will detect the new hardware, ask you if you want to delete support for the old hardware and ask if you want to install support for the new hardware. It has worked 2 out of 3 times for me the time that it did not work I couldn't connect to the network properly, no matter what I did. Then I ended up reinstalling.

 

[Reel]

Ok thanks. I will back up my home directory just to be safe since I apparently didn't do the many partition thing when I set it up. I just seem to have three: /, /boot, and swap.

 

[uOpt]

Linux and FreeBSD generally don't have the problem that the IDE controller is nailed down in the kernel. As long as your new controller has a driver it will load.

There will be no Pentium-III onboard controller without a driver in redhat-9.x.

The ony thing to look out for is stupid BIOSes and disk geometry, in that case the bootloader might not come up. Make a lilo floppy disk or have a rescue CD ready. The Lilo floppy will allow you to start the OS that is on the harddrive. But these cases are rare in Pentium-II and up generation BIOSes.

 

[Reel]

Made the upgrade. I switched to a "server" case I acquired from an old roommate with a better PS. The only things kudzu wondered about were the graphics card and the network card (both were previously onboard). It didn't discuss anything different in the processor or motherboard. It just handled the changes and moved on from there.

I had a bad streak on motherboards and switched through about 3 or 4 with my primary desktop. Every time, I had to reinstall windows.

Linux 1
Windows 0