Do clients running on Linux still run faster and produce more ppd than Windows? If so, which distribution would you recommend for a Linux newbie, and would installing wine affect the speed? If I install wine, should I use the Windows installer or the Linux installer? The PC I fold on is only used for fah and bit torrent, so compatibility with anything else is not an issue (I do, however, run Firefox to connect to the stats server and folding forums, but am sure Linux has a good enough browser for that). The more minimal the distro the better, although I would find it useful to have a gui if anyone can also suggest which gui will be easiest for a Windows veteran to get used to My only other requirement is that it must support the RAID 5 array that I have about 6 TB of data stored on. If it makes a difference, the system has an i7 6700K CPU and a pair of GTX 580 cards (which I would like to be able to overclock the same as in Windows, using something like MSI Afterburner).
@Debs - I'll try and address your points as best as I can; 1. Normally you get a roughly 10% speed benefit from Linux over Windows. 2. I use Ubuntu, but others have their favourite flavours of Linux. 3. Long time since I used Wine, so can't really comment. 4. Firefox is the default browser in Ubuntu. 5. 'Ubuntu' has minimal install versions as well as full fat ones. 6. Ubuntu is GUI based. 7. Ubuntu supports Raid 5 (and other Raid types). 8. Most overclocking software that runs in Windows doesn't run in Linux. 'Old school' overclocking via the BIOS is surely the preferred route If you go down the Linux route, it is beneficial, but there is something of a learning curve if you are just used to Windows.
Thanks. Not sure that I want to mod the GPU BIOS Sounds like a minimal ubuntu install will be worth trying. I've had to underclock GPU2 as it keeps overheating and freezing.
Sorry, I mis-read your post and thought you were looking to overclock the CPU ... There are ways to adjust your GPU - you can use something called 'coolbits'. I've used it in the past to override the GPU's fan speed for example.
This is true only for the desktop variants; Ubuntu Server does not install a desktop environment ('GUI') by default. Again, this isn't strictly true; its support depends entirely on how the existing array was created. Ubuntu will happily work with hardware RAID, and it also supports various types of software RAID. If the original array was created as a software RAID array under Windows, though, Ubuntu hasn't a cat in hell's chance of mounting it.
Good Point. I actually only use the desktop version, even on my server. PS Nice to have the staff roaming this particular Forum
Fortunately the array was set up in the BIOS, although it does use the Intel drivers in Windows. I've downloaded Ubuntu, will try installing it later in the week. Will also look at coolbits
