Andy Ball <ball@cyberspace.org> writes:

> I'd welcome comments from people who've used VIA C3, or newer Intel
> Celeron processors with NetBSD.

I'm also interested in experience with the VIA C3, as well as the VIA
PL133 chipset (I remember hearing bad things about VIA chipsets here,
but don'trecall exactly which, and it seems that the archives at
mail-index.netbsd.org are no longer searchable :-().

After 3 1/2 years, it seems my Abit BH6 motherboard is fading fast (I
recently ended three weeks of unexplained kernel crashes and corrupted
files by setting the FSB down to 66Mhz (from 100); this was after
swapping out RAM and CPU with known-good components). This, along with
all the talk about the Shuttle SV24 and my frustration with loud fans,
is leading me toward putting together something *really* quiet. (The
SV24 isn't quiet as delivered, but can be modified to be quiet, and
it's small and cute ;-)

My thought for a quiet system is:

 Shuttle SV24
   * replace rear fan with larger, lower RPM fan
   * slow down Power supply fan
 VIA C3 CPU with passive heatsink
   (ability to ahve a passive heatsink is my only reason for 
    considering the C3)
 Seagate Barracuda IDE drive
   (supposedly the quietest 7200RPM available, even quieter than
    many 2.5 inch disks, according to datasheets)

I'm concerned about performance of the C3 CPU (although I have a
feeling it will be okay, since this is a server and I don't do much
FP). I'm also concerned about reliability of the VIA chipset on the
SV24's motherboard, and "curious" whether its video will work with X:

   VIA PL133 Chipset
   VIA VT8604, North Bridge
   Integrated S3 Savage 4 2D/3D Graphic Engine
   VIA VT82C686B, South Bridge

Does anyone (other than Chip Marshall, who's already given a report of
his experience with the SV24) have any personal experience with this
chipset or graphics chip that they'd like to share? If I don't hear
anything seriously negative within a few days, I'm just going to take
a chance and order everything. Either it will be a great success, or
I'll be able to save the next person from making the same mistake ;-)

BTW, for those interested in quiet PC's, there's a good list of
pointers to info/experiences at:

  http://www.viatech.com/jsp/en/products/C3/C3_silentbck.jsp

It was from one of those that I learned about the quiet Seagate
Barracudas, and siliconacoustics.com, which sells stuff to build quiet
PCs (heatsinks, low noise fans and power supplies, VIA C3's, and
Seagate Barracudas).