How to assemble ASUS KGPE-D16 yourself?
Hi all . Nice to meet you . Excellent site, a lot of useful and interesting information.
I decided to create this topic to build ASUS KGPE-D16 myself, I’m sure there are many who want to do the same thing.
I've read various comments on reddit about users having problems and not getting through to the end.
It would seem that there are clues:
Take it and do it yourself, but as experience shows, in reality everything is not so simple)) especially if you are doing it for the first time.
I would be grateful if someone who has already had experience would share information.
At the moment I am in a situation where I need to buy all the parts and start assembling. Here is my list (attached below), if I made a mistake somewhere, correct me.
I was also a little scared by this message about electricity)) https://trisquel.info/en/forum/librebooting-my-desktop
1. ROM GnuBoot
========================
Download ROM for flashing the BIOS chip here https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc1/ (2023)
2.Case
=====================
https://www.fractal-design.com/products/cases/define/define-7-xl/black-tg-dark-tint/ 1 pcs
3. CPU
===================
AMD Opteron 6276 (2 pieces each with 16 cores ) https://www.coreboot.org/Board:asus/kgpe-d16
4. Cooling
=======================
a) inside the box 6 pcs nf-a14-pwm (140mm) https://noctua.at/en/nf-a14-pwm
b) power supply dynamic-gp-14 (140 mm) 1 pcs https://www.fractal-design.com/products/fans/dynamic/dynamic-gp-14/
c) on the radiator nf-a6x25-pwm ( 600mm) 1 pcs https://noctua.at/en/nf-a6x25-pwm
d) CPU fan nf-a9-pwm ( 92mm ) 2 pcs https://noctua.at/en/nf-a9-pwm
e) Cooling radiator 2 pcs Dynatron T757 AMD Opteron Socket G34
Memory
==========================
Kingston Technology ValueRAM 16 GB 1600MHz DDR3 (PC3-12800) 2-3 pcs
Power Supplies
=========================
Fractal Ion+ Platinum 760W 1 pcs https://www.fractal-design.com/products/power-supplies/ion/ion-platinum-760w/black/
GPU
========================
video card geforce-gtx-780 (rev a1) 1 pcs https://h-node.org/videocards/view/en/1584/NVIDIA-Corporation-GK110--GeForce-GTX-780---rev-a1-/5/1/undef/undef/undef/undef/video-card-works/undef
SSD
========================
https://www.crucial.com/products/ssd/crucial-p2-ssd.html 1 pcs 1000Gb
For item #1 it may be worth noting that the initial flash, when replacing the original proprietary BIOS, has to be done with external programming hardware. But there is a larger initial hurdle to get over. It's specific to the proprietary BIOS and later flashes/updates don't need this.
Or you can buy a chip with libreboot already installed and then flash it with GNU Boot as desired. Since, in that scenario, the proprietary BIOS is already gone, an external programmer isn't needed to plop GNU Boot on there.
In addition, I was talking to neox at the GNU 40 celebration in Switzerland and I learned that, for the D16, there are some problems with this version randomly not booting when turning the computer on, along with memory compatibility issues that are different from the ones with libreboot. Since I already have software freedom via the older libreboot version that's already in use on the board, my plan is to wait for a later version of GNU Boot in which these are resolved.
Hello Jxself . Thank you very much for your opinion and important information, I didn’t know about GnuBoot that it had problems. Okay, then use this ROM https://mirrors.mit.edu/libreboot/stable/20160907/rom/seabios/ (2016)?
I saw on the site that there was version 2023, I thought that this was a ready-made version.
As for the firmware of the Bios chip, I watched this video https://invidious.fdn.fr/watch?v=hd7cQqlWPno and was very glad that you can simply remove the chip and insert it into the programmer))
I use this programmer https://store.vikings.net/en/ch341a like in the Viking store, it works well, there is 3.3 V
but any professional will say that this programmer is evil)) you need to unsolder the chips, flash them and put them back.
I recently flashed the T440P and I had to change the chips to new ones and flash them, but it was not very easy. I know that this model has blobs, don’t scold me)) I was practicing flashing chips, I didn’t have another PC at hand...
Happy Birthday and Anniversary to Neox!
A couple of notes from someone who once ran racks full of those :-)
Consider getting a couple of those BIOS chips, so you can test more easily. You don't need to solder anything in order to flash the D16, the BIOS chip is socketed.
Having a serial cable to monitor the output during boot is a strong must-have for building your rig. Otherwise you'll have a bad time finding out why it's not working. Esp. useful for finding out RAM related problems.
The CH341a isn't evil; it's a programmer that does its job nicely in less than a minute for less than a handful of moneys. If you want something that respects your freedom better than the CH341a, then the Zerocat Chip Flasher is the best option AFAIAA. It might not be an option to someone if having more freedom isn't worth 20 times the price of a CH341a to them.
Coming from the vendor BIOS and after the initial flash, clear the CMOS before booting up, otherwise this will not work properly IME. This is not required when you switch coreboot versions.
RAM training is by far the biggest issue with the D16 and always has been, this was particularity bad at the the beginning and has only slightly improved over time. Leaving the two DIMM slots closest to the CPUs unpopulated is recommended.
The "old, non-blobby Libreboot" never worked for us. I think Libreboot didn't have a D16 to test their releases on back then. So probably avoid that or at least expect issues. If GNUBoot is based on "old, non-blobby Libreboot" then you'll have the same experience. Newer versions of both might work better.
That's also why we had Raptor Engineering build us a custom ROM with Petitboot and kexec for our server farm, which we had been using from 2017 until we switched to openPOWER. That one worked flawlessly even between reboots and with the iKVM chip with openBMC and openBMC's fancontrol, ASUS PIKE or another HBA. However, I don't have the info handy on which coreboot version it was built because the build system was retired some time ago. Meaning that this image is based on free software and the sources are 'somewhere', but replicating it would require effort (and probably a lot of pain, too). So I wouldn't call the image free software until it has been proven it can still be replicated in 2023 :-)
For the risk of being a bit too salesy: If you're interested in that ROM (binary only) or want to run 256GB of RAM (or a better CPU for that matter) send an email to Vikings. We still have some parts here to service builds under warranty.
Hello . Thank you very much for your helpful tips and recommendations. I agree with you that the ch341a is the same as the one on your site, it also worked perfectly for me, the kit included spring adapters into which the chip is inserted. There a lot of information https://winraid.level1techs.com/t/guide-using-ch341a-based-programmer-to-flash-spi-eeprom/30834?page=34 . It would be great if users who assembled their own servers shared their experience here.
Or you could put that in a wiki so you don't have to read 100 forum comments :-)
For example this one: https://wiki.vikings.net/hardware:ch341a
PS: You don't need an adapter for the D16 BIOS chip on the CH341a
By the way, thank you for reminding me about your wiki, it’s a useful and interesting resource, I read it when I was flashing the t440p https://wiki.vikings.net/hardware:t440p and when I did everything, it turned out that this laptop with blobs is larger than the t400.
T440P is not listed here https://ftp.gnu.org/gnu/gnuboot/gnuboot-0.1-rc1/ and here https://ryf.fsf.org/categories/laptops
But for me it was good practice, since the programmer did not work and I had to unsolder the chips, flash them and then put them back again, it was a long way))
Now I want to try to assemble this option https://thonkpeasant.xyz/guides/other/quad.html, I think it’s interesting, but at the same time risky, i need to be very careful with the processor, it’s not cheap))
In fact, if there are several places to find information on how to independently assemble your own server for home, then it will be better for everyone.
The reason for choosing a server is very simple, all available laptops now have bad screens, so the D16 is a great option, as it seems to me, you can buy a good monitor and work quietly for another 10 years.
Hello Jason.
I saw your message:
Each week I build 111 packages of Linux-libre for the world to use. That's a lot of compiling. With the help of my 4 librebooted Asus KGPE-D16 machines, with a collective total of 128 CPU cores, I'm able to compile updates and get them out in a timely manner
If you use Asus KGPE-D16 every time for a long time, can you write a better configuration in terms of hardware?
What do you mean by "better"?
How to say it correctly))
I wrote a list of parts that I want to buy to assemble the server. But I'm not sure that this is the best combination to get a server with the best performance. Let's say I play, compile, watch videos, run several virtual machines, etc.
Since you use servers every day, you better understand which configuration is the best.
The board uses the Opteron 6200-series "Interlagos" processors:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Opteron_processors
You could get one of the sixteen core models but if they turn out to be more expensive, is it worth it? Only you can really say.
The board has 6 SATA connectors. Do you need to connect 6 hard disks to it?
"Best" is subjective and difficult to answer. Probably the "best" answer is that the "best" configuration is the one that works for your needs.
I agree with you that “Best” is subjective.
I mean an assembly for home-work, so that the user could install such a computer at home (replace a proprietary one) and it would cover all the main tasks that I listed: play heavy games (free, of course), compile, run virtual machines for testing programs, watch video, surf the Internet, do graphics editing. Naturally, we are not talking about industrial problems.
In your opinion, is the configuration that I described sufficient to perform such tasks, or can anything be improved? I'm asking you because you have a lot of experience using these computers.
This will be useful not only for me, but also for those who will look for answers in the future.
I expect it'll be just fine for you.
In a nutshell the Opteron 6386SE CPUs provide the best performance (phoronix-test-suite benchmark build-linux-kernel).
- D16, 2x Opteron 6366HE Linux Bench: 210
- D16, 2x Opteron 6284 Linux Bench: 177
- D16, 2x Opteron 6386SE Linux Bench: 154
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Opteron_processors
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is the configuration that I described sufficient to perform such tasks
My usage is a little different: I don't play games and rarely watch videos but I do photo processing, I sometimes compile things and I use virtual machines to test things.
I used a D8 that I bought from Vikings for about 2.5 years. It is a kind of smaller version of the D16.
As it is not working for a reason I was not able to discover yet, I have been using an X200 and a T400 as my main computers for about 8 months and found that this is good enough for my usage, consumes roughly 3x less power and is much easier to move around to modify or repair.
Hello . Thank you for the information.
If I understand you correctly, then from a performance point of view the 63 series... is the best, but as I understand it with blobs, and if without blobs it’s 6276 and 6278, right?
It’s also interesting to know your opinion about the video card? Is there anything more interesting than geforce-gtx-780 (rev a1)?
I think that here you need to write information for other users that this server ASUS KGPE-D16 WILL NOT WORK WITH Libreboot and Gnuboot as a desktop computer!
The Libreboot website says that after installing the release on this server, it can only work in text mode https://libreboot.org/docs/hardware/kgpe-d16.html#graphics that is, you will be limited to teletype and will NOT be able to run any graphic applications.
I wrote this because Thomas Umbach the official seller and Jason Self did not report this information to the forum users!
This may confuse other users who will spend money and not get results.
I am a translator!
you will be limited to teletype and will NOT be able to run any graphic applications
This is a misunderstanding. Look at "Making GNU GRUB visible at boot time" in https://wiki.vikings.net/hardware:kcma-d8, it explains well what the issue is. It only affects the display of the GRUB menu, but you can run an X server or wayland after booting.
It appears somewhat exaggerated to suggest that individuals would invest money without seeing any outcomes. This was not mentioned as it's not considered an issue - the graphics function properly. The content on that page is related to the capabilities of libreboot, which is distinct from what the kernel is capable of. Linux-libre successfully initializes my hardware, and it operates without any problems. Should there be a preference not to utilize the onboard graphics, it's possible to install a separate graphics card. My understanding was that you intended to do this anyway, by mentioning the GeForce GTX-780. I hope that you enjoy your D16 and have many years of productivity with it.
Jason ,let me disagree with you about the exaggeration, for example, a user spent money and was unable to build https://cherub.im/blog/articles/building-a-libre-server/
And when I surfed the Internet on the topic of server assembly, I found quite a few similar answers when users abandoned server assembly halfway..
When I saw your post I thought cool, Jason might be able to help, but you wrote:
I expect it'll be just fine for you. ))))
My post is aimed at ensuring that other users who want to build a desktop PC can find answers here, I see our topic is indexed in search engines, which is great.
Of course, there are users who want to buy from Thomas, for example, and that’s great, let them support such sellers! But there are many enthusiasts who simply like to assemble themselves, and it seems to me that if you are an experienced craftsman, why not tell other users?
So, if I understand you correctly:
1. I can run graphical applications by installing Gnuboot or Libreboot + Trisquel + Libre-linux ?
2. GeForce GTX-780 Is this the best option for today or is there something more interesting in terms of graphics, for example GeForce GTX 1650 (2020) https://h-node.org/videocards/catalogue/en/1/1/undef/undef/undef/undef/video-card-works/undef?search_string=gtx+1650&submit=Search
I'm somewhat puzzled about the source of dissatisfaction expressed by the individual in the blog post. True, acquiring specific memory is necessary due to suboptimal RAM initialization, yet this information is made transparent from the beginning. Hence, anyone getting such a board should be on notice. Additionally, from what I gather, efforts are being made to enhance this aspect, and I anticipate future advancements. Furthermore, I don't understand the complaint regarding the unavailability of Socket G34 coolers at a specific retailer. It's not as though Newegg represents the sole online shopping option.
I'm probably not the ideal person to consult for advice on the 'best' graphics card as performance isn't a priority for me. I searched the internet for you and found a list someone made of graphics cards that work:
https://www.reddit.com/r/libreboot/comments/vwl6p6/graphics_cards_and_the_asus_kgped16_a/
One of the people says "there's no real reason to expect you'll find anything much better than the 780 given anything after first gen Maxwell is not usable."
But take that for whatever it's worth because I'm not the person to ask about how to eek out that extra 1 fps.
I own the GeForce GTX 780 Ti 6GB and it suits my requirements perfectly. I don't have a desire for extremely advanced graphics cards capable of driving 17 monitors at 27 billion fps and 96K resolution simultaneously. :)
>"17 monitors at 27 billion fps and 96K resolution simultaneously"
I don't think I could read this forum with fewer than 17 monitors. Not comfortably anyway.
Transparent? Hum, if I would be a new KGPE-D16 user I think would be discouraged by having to get the info I need in bits and pieces from various blogs and howtos. So I definitely understand the frustration some people have with this. Those who get involved today face other problems; these boards often come from dubious sellers, and in my own experience the boards these people sell are often in poor condition. Visually they can still look quite good, but this is of no use if the system is unstable due to hardware defects that are almost impossible to find or debug. I can not count the boards we had to recycle over the years after we could only find D16's in China.
Efforts to enhance memory init? I fear that is not going to happen after all these years of people trying to get something off the ground. Dasharo seemingly got quite close, but looking at latest update from two years (!) ago I doubt anything will happen there despite their attempts and various members of our community helping them.
Nonetheless, the KGPE-D16 is one of the best targets for Libreboot/coreboot. You just need to be aware of the pitfalls and accept a couple of minor peculiarities. Important is to buy these from a reputable seller, possibly with warranty.
Avron,
Thanks for the info.
I wouldn’t want to first buy expensive parts for a computer and then find out that they don’t fit or you could buy something newer and more powerful (I mean libre hardware)
https://libreddit.projectsegfau.lt/r/libreboot/comments/61gcwz/tried_and_true_ram_kcmad8_woes/
I'm using a KGPE-D16 with coreboot as my external GPU doesn't work at all with Libreboot . (GTX 670) If the GPU is present, it just hangs, no video output at all. I'm using 4x Crucial sticks (DDR3-ECC @1600mhz) with two Opteron 6238. It works great with coreboot. (with seabios as payload)
Hey i know this post is from two years ago, but could you give me some info on what gpu you ended up using and if it worked out?
Trying to find info on what gpus are compatible with the kgpe-d16 but I've come up mostly empty handed so fsr
etc...
All GPUs that physically fit should work with the KGPE-D16.
It is not completely impossible that this is a boot firmware problem, however I would bet my behind that the culprit in this case is the graphics stack under Linux. It can be a tricky thing to set up especially if you are relatively new to this.
For the sake of debugging you could try booting Debian instead of Trisquel as well as coreboot instead of Libreboot. Do mind the distro specific recommendations for your GPU, and see where that leaves you.
If you need a working coreboot image, simply contact us outside of this forum.
Re: RAM: I recommend using SK Hynix HMT42GR7AFR4A-PB (see the updated https://wiki.vikings.net/hardware:kgpe-d16#ram_hcl), esp. if you want 256GB RAM. I found this module the most stable (it also works well with the vendor BIOS, if that is something that interests you, too).
Thomas thank you for your answer and help!
You write: All physically suitable GPUs must work with KGPE-D16.
Please tell me, have you tested [GeForce GTX 780] (rev a1) in real conditions or for example or will Radeon work better? You used to have a convenient configurator on your website, I mean this one https://shop.nitrokey.com/shop/nitropc-pro-2-523?search=nitropc#attr=823,825,831,844,837,839,845,889,890,891,892
As for loading Debian (I prefer Devuan without SystemD) and Coreboot, I understand you, thanks for the information. Thanks for the information on RAM!
I wanted to buy all the parts that I listed and install Gnuboot or Libreboot to have fewer blobs, but as far as I understand, Gnuboot or Libreboot will work on ASUS KGPE-D16!
Okay, I'll write to you, thanks.
Avron hello . Sorry I missed your message, it confirmed my thoughts that you should NOT buy an ASUS KGPE-D16 and ASUS KCMA-D8 motherboard to use them to create a desktop computer. Here someone wrote about schoolchildren so that they could easily install Trisquel, so even experienced ones users cannot assemble a desktop computer using ASUS KGPE-D16 have big problems with this, I don’t think that a school student has 1600 euros for a desktop computer to buy from the official Viking Store seller.
Thomas has a very good wiki by the way!
Now there are more affordable alternatives, for example Dell 9020 (4 cores) on Libreboot https://libreboot.org/docs/hardware/dell9020.html#graphics-cards or for example the compact Librem Mini on which you can install Coreboot https://doc.coreboot.org/mainboard/purism/librem_mini.html
In terms of energy consumption, these are the best options. You can also watch videos, use graphic applications, etc.
The D16 in 2024 is still a nice system and you don't have to spend 1600 EUR (where is that from?) if you buy the parts second hand and assemble it yourself. For DIY'ing your build you either need to know what you're doing or get help from friends on the Interwebs.
Comparing the (quite nice) Dell 9020 to a D16 is a bit like apples and oranges; one is intended for server or workstation use, the other is a desktop computer. You should always buy a computer that suits the task at hand.
PS: sam-d16; there's a "reply" link on each post, which makes answers to specific posts in a thread easier to read. The fact that the Trisquel forum has this is quite nice I think.
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there are more affordable alternatives
If you mean alternatives to use Trisquel, probably any computer with an Intel CPU that has integrated graphics and any AMD or Intel with a graphic card listed on h-node can work. This kind of alternative uses non-free software to boot, so you can't get as good control of your computer as with a D8/D16 or X200/T400, but it is fine to use Trisquel.
Dell 9020 (4 cores) on Libreboot
This also uses non-free software to boot. However, "Libre" boot also advertises as a general policy to make everything fully functional using non-free firmware. So when it says that something works (like graphics) it may be so only with non-free firmware, so not with Trisquel. Minifree now sells laptops with intel wifi chips known to only work with non-free firmware, so wifi will not work with Trisquel.
the compact Librem Mini
It uses non-free software to boot but should be fully functional with Trisquel. I bought the nitroPC1 from nitrokey.com that seems to be the same (be careful, the wifi proposed with the Librem mini should work with Trisquel, not the wifi proposed with the nitroPC) and can confirm it works fine with Trisquel.
In terms of energy consumption, these are the best options.
According to Intel, TDP of the i5-4570 (in the Dell) is 84 W and TDP of the i7-10510U (in the Librem mini) is 15 W. I measured 10 W on my nitroPC1 when idle and used in text mode (as a server), I can't remember in graphic mode, maybe 25 W.
Hello Thomas .
On your website the price was indicated as 1600 euros, now you have deleted the Workstation deposit https://shop.vikings.net/product/kgpe-d16-workstation/ and only Laptops remain. I don’t understand why you’re asking where 1600 euros come from))
Also, another FSF seller has such a server for 2000 euros https://tehnoetic.com/desktops/tet-d16ws, apparently schoolchildren have now become very rich))
I am not comparing the Dell 9020 with the D16 from a technical point of view, but I am reporting that the Dell 9020 can be assembled without problems, unlike the D16.
You write that the 2024 D16 is still a good system. Please write a complete list here of assembling all the parts so that you can buy what you wrote and assemble it yourself!
So that you can run virtual machines, play games, watch videos, surf the Internet, listen to music, run graphics programs and the system is as stable as possible, silent, does not overload, and the cooling system of the north and south bridges works without problems.
Yes, we've removed the D16 from our offerings. That's just a business decision, not a reflection of the usefulness of the platform. I think it's still useful in 2024.
AAMOF we still have a customer who refuses to let go of their 3-node D16 CEPH cluster we host for them due to the lack of alternatives and their positive experience with it over the past ~6 years. PCIe Gen2 is a bit long in the tooth and has some rather severe bandwidth limitations compared to more modern options, but they don't care :-)
We also donate a D16 server to the FSF and I haven't heard them complaining in a couple of years. I think they also run a couple more D16 servers elsewhere.
IIRC the price (the actual price has escaped me but I think it was more than 1.6k) we calculated was for a full-blown workstation and server with all the bells and whistles like three years of warranty and advance parts replacement. There are people who want or need plug and play solutions and willing to pay for it. And then there are also people who want yo built everything themselves from scratch, invest their own time in debugging, testing and building such a system. Two completely contradistinctive methods and we catered to both of them.
Unilaterally reaching the conclusion that the D16 can't be assembled without problems doesn't make that general consensus. :-)
It you want to have a list of parts for the assembly of a workstation I suggest, even though it is a bit beyond the scope of the wiki, to make an appropriate section in our wiki so other people can extend and improve, wiki-style. That makes much more sense, IMHO. https://wiki.vikings.net/hardware:kgpe-d16
I don't want to do that just by myself, but I'd be more than happy to contribute some with the experience I've gathered, as I'm doing since the wiki exists.
Hello Avron .
Thank you very much for the useful information on this topic. I like constructive communication!
If I understand you correctly, NitroPC1 works well and it may be a better replacement for D16 or D8 in your opinion, right? Since this is an option when you bought it or assembled it yourself, everything works out of the box!
I looked at the specifications of Librem Mini and NitroPC1 and see that these models have the same motherboards.
https://doc.coreboot.org/mainboard/purism/librem_mini.html
and
https://shop.nitrokey.com/shop/nitropc-1-132?search=nitropc#attr=225,229,239,237,244,245,247
Please tell me, did you install Coreboot or was it already installed? Thank you for writing that Trisquel works on NitroPC1! As for Wi-Fi, this is not a problem, you can buy a USB adapter (Atheros AR9271) and install free ath9k-htc drivers and everything will work well.
I like that Librem Mini and NitroPC1 have low power consumption.
Note there are other options https://www.phoronix.com/news/MSI-Z790-P-Coreboot-Mainline
This is an alternative to ASUS KGPE-D16 but less libre..
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NitroPC1 works well and it may be a better replacement for D16 or D8
The NitroPC1 have blobs with corebooot, unlike the D8 and the D16, is probably far less powerful and is very compact so it has no space for an additional graphic card, at most you can add one SSD. If you want to play games, I am not sure it is suitable for you. Someone is working on the D16 ram init now, perhaps he can eventually make it easier to build a running computer with it.
Please tell me, did you install Coreboot or was it already installed?
I ordered it without OS, then I could directly boot on a Trisquel USB and install Trisquel. The website says "The firmware ("BIOS") consists of the open source systems Coreboot and Tianocore UEFI.", so I assume this is what is installed. That makes me think that I forgot to check where to get the source code.
By the way, https://minixpc.com/products/nvisen-y-mu01-mini-pc-intel-core-i7-8565u-i7-10510u-2-ddr4-256-512g-intel-hd-graphics-windows10-linux looks the same, but probably with entirely proprietary boot software. I don't know if you could install coreboot on it by yourself.
Hello Thomas.
Thank you for your answer .
I like your view and I am ready to provide information for your excellent wiki, but for this I need the same information, otherwise it will be like in this case https://cherub.im/blog/articles/building-a-libre-server/ when the user spent more than 1000 euros on the purchase of parts and then it turned out that it was impossible to run graphics programs and the computer itself overloaded under load and had other problems.
We need to understand whether it makes sense to recommend this solution to users with its many problems. Or today, for a user who decides to build a powerful free computer himself, it is better to use this motherboard https://www.phoronix.com/news/MSI-Z790-P-Coreboot-Mainline.
In the end, this will be more cost-effective than constantly fixing and finishing a system that is not intended for a desktop computer.
I don't know how FSF uses its KGPE-D16, maybe like Jason they just use the terminal and compile programs without starting the graphical environment. Or maybe they bought ten Talos IIs a long time ago and are using them.
We are going round in circles a little. :-)
I stand by "if you're able to get the graphics stack working on any X86 computer with discrete GPU, you should be able to get it working on a D16".
However, my impression is that you were not able to boot the system and/or verify if the D16 booted successfully in the first place. This is a different problem than getting the graphics stack to work. I provided a possible solution for debugging the former (=monitor serial output). Did you try?
Otherwise I think it will be hard to provide additional pointers, unfortunately.
"...a powerful free computer ... it is better to use this motherboard"
It is not as free as the D16.
"I don't know how FSF uses its KGPE-D16, maybe like Jason"
I previously disclosed the graphics card I'm utilizing for my graphics, prior to your subsequent assertion that I refuse to share any information or offer assistance.
Hello Avron.
Thank you very much for your answer.
It seems to me that today there are few options for a user who is looking for a solution in the form of a libre computer.
I think you're right, the light version is:
1. NitroPC 1 https://shop.nitrokey.com/shop/nitropc-1-132?search=nitropc
2. Librem Mini https://puri.sm/products/librem-mini/
3. Dell OptiPlex 9020 SFF/MT https://libreboot.org/docs/hardware/dell9020.html#graphics-cards
Perhaps something else...
And a more powerful solution is:
1. https://www.phoronix.com/news/MSI-Z790-P-Coreboot-Mainline
2. https://www.phoronix.com/news/MSI-Z690-A-DDR5-Coreboot
Perhaps something else...
From the point of view of freedom, of course these solutions are inferior to D16 or D8 with Gnuboot, this is the reality...
Hello Jason .
Sorry if I said something offensive to you.
Since you and Thomas are experienced in this topic, I just needed to confirm my list before purchasing.
If it works, then I will order everything on the list and when the parts arrive I will start assembling it, so that later I can share my experience here for other users.
This is the only thing I need now)
If I saw an answer like this:
Your list is correct, you can order parts and assemble them, everything will work for you, don’t worry. That would suit me)
But since I saw a very large number of negative reviews from real users, I thought why should I go this way, it seems logical to me.
At this stage, I understood after your confirmation that the GeForce-GTX-780 video card will work and I will be able to run graphic applications, Thomas also said that it is better to buy this memory
SK Hynix HMT42GR7AFR4A-PB buy 256GB 16GB DDR3-1600 it is very expensive 600 euros https://shop.vikings.net/product/sk-hynix-hmt42gr7afr4a-pb-256-gb-ddr3-ecc-registered-ram-16x-16gb-for-kgpe-d16/ As for processors, I also realized that you need to buy Opteron 6287 SE OS6287YITGGGU Cores-16. It’s unclear for the rest of the parts... I also don’t understand which release I need to install Libreboot or Gnuboot? How stable and silent will the cooling system operate? Which power supply is better to choose?
My general answer to people is using GNU Boot because libreboot has added non-free junk so the project is no longer going in what I consider to be the right direction.
Beyond that it can be tough to give you clear-cut answers to your component questions. Often, the "best" choice depends on your personal style and needs. There are definitely objective factors, like power requirements or case size for your desired hardware, but there are also a lot of subjective decisions about those same components that only you can make to arrive at the end decision of a particular piece of hardware.
We can certainly help you navigate the objective aspects, like you should get a CPU from the Opteron 6200-series "Interlagos" series to avoid problems with microcode updates; see https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_AMD_Opteron_processors But, at the same time, one CPU might have a higher clock speed (like the 6291 SE) but be harder to find and more expensive. Ultimately, the exact CPU to get depends on what matters most to you: affordability, raw performance, or even availability based on what can be found. We cannot decide that for you.
Similar situations arise with power supplies. While calculating your total power draw is objective, deciding on modularity (fully, partially, or not at all) is subjective. A fully modular one offers flexibility but might be pricier. Only you can decide this.
The sound of cooling questions is also subjective. What's "silent" to one person might be annoying to another. Cooler design, fan size, and case airflow all influence noise. Or maybe you'll go with liquid cooling, which brings up something else entirely.
The same goes for cases. You can objectively assess technical things like drive bay space for current and future needs, but the case's aesthetics, and what you're willing to spend for it, are entirely up to you. We can't tell you which one to get because we aren't you. A case that looks nice to one person won't for someone else.
Please don't expect concrete answers to every single particular. Sure, I've built my own PCs with these considerations in mind, but those decisions were based on my preferences. You're building your computer, not re-creating mine.
Personally I think that, considering the entirety of this thread, there have likely been a sufficient amount of objective information provided that the subjective matters can be considered now.
Another piece of objective advice: Get spare chips. In this way way you can set the proprietary BIOS aside (I have the original chips in a bag inside my desk) and use replacement chips that you flash with freedom. Having multiple chips let you swap between chips if, for example, you have a bad flash or if there's something you don't like about the new version. If you kept the old version on a different chip you can just pull out the chip and go back. Any P-DIP 8 chip extractor can be used to take the chip off the board, since it lives in a socket designed to be removable. But exactly which chip removal tool to buy is up to you. It's a standardized component.
Hello Thomas. I've included my answers to your questions in my response to Jason.
Hello Jason.
Thank you for your recommendations. Okay, I'll try to order, build and install Gnuboot, I hope everything will be fine and I will be able to run graphical programs. If I have questions about assembling or configuring the software, I will write here.