Yes, VIA Mini-ITX systems can support modern Linux-based operating systems. Some advanced features (such as hardware MPEG decoding and ACE features) require additional configuration in most situations. There are also known compatibility issues. However, most of these issues are either being addressed, or have been addressed both by VIA and third-party developers. The following URLs may be of interest:

http://www.viaarena.com
Linux drivers and articles are available on VIA Arena. For drivers, go to the download page and select your operating system or Linux distribution. There is also a Linux forum.

http://freepia.shaibn.com
Freepia 0.3.8-rcl – Linux distribution designed for VIA's EPIA M series mainboard.

http://linuxdevices.com
Linuxdevices.com – Provides links, articles, news, and online forum for Linux-related products and information.

Logic Supply targets the embedded and applied computing markets. We define those markets as where, in contrast to PC use, computing power is utilized for a dedicated, single task. Mini-ITX and small form factor systems are small, efficient and stable, and offer distinct advantages in the embedded computing market. We work with customers in varying industries, but see consistent use of our products in the following applications:

• POS Systems
• Kiosks
• Digital Signage
• Mobile/Automotive Computers
• Thin Clients/Mini-PCs
• Network monitoring
• Set-Top Box/Digital Entertainment
• Digital Video & Security
• Industrial Control
• Instrumentation & Data Logging
• Communications
• Firewalls/Spam Filters

Our hardware engineers are familiar with the specific challenges of these applications, and are practiced at defining configurations suitable to your needs. We pride ourselves on offering not just products, but solutions. Please contact us at 802 861 2300, option 1 for a consultation, volume quotes, or any other questions.

About Mini-ITX

The Mini-ITX form factor was launched in 2002 with the introduction of the VIA EPIA line of integrated mainboards. The introduction of this new form factor allowed VIA to revolutionize computing in two important ways. These SFF (small form factor) machines created an energy- and space-efficient alternative to the large, hot-running ATX machines that were produced for the consumer PC market. Secondly, with the EPIA series, VIA offered a modular and economical alternative to traditional embedded single-board computers, creating a solution for those who needed small and efficient information appliances designed for a single purpose, such as kiosk operation, network monitoring, industrial control, or digital signage. Logic Supply began offering Mini-ITX products and systems in North America soon after the launch of VIA's revolutionary new mainboards.

With the success of the early EPIAs, VIA has built on its innovation, adding mainboards with additional functionality, features, and integrated components. Other companies have filled a similar niche. AOpen, MSI, Jetway, and Quanmax produce Mini-ITX mainboards capable of taking Intel's Core 2 Duo mobile line of processors. Intel has entered the Mini-ITX market with its line of low-power, economical Atom-based Mini-ITX boards. Additionally, AMD has made an entry into the market with a variety of mainboard manufacturers building boards around the Geode embedded processors and Turion or Sempron mobile cores. The result is a wide suite of products capable of meeting diverse needs.

Product Benefits

We emphasize the following features & benefits in our systems:

• Ultra Compact – Mini-ITX offers a small 170 x 170 mm (6.7" x 6.7") form factor
• Highly Integrated – Many of these mainboards carry an onboard processor and have integrated I/O, cutting down on costs and needs for additional daughtercards, modules, etc.
• Power Efficient – Low-power consumption and low operating temperatures offer system longevity and reliability
• OS Compatible – Our systems support Microsoft and Linux (Ubuntu) operating systems
• Modular – Mini-ITX can integrate with industry standard components through USB, IDE, SATA, PCI, and other interfaces
• Secure – Our boards feature onboard encryption technology
• RoHS compliant – We stock a wide selection of RoHS compliant systems and components; just look for the logo!
  

Additionally, our fanless systems offer other benefits—near-silent operation and long-term stability.

In short, Logic Supply's Mini-ITX and small form factor products are perfect for embedded applications and appliance computing.

There are some excellent resources on the Internet about Mini-ITX mainboards and related items. The most well-known are:

Mini-ITX.com

Wikipedia/Mini-ITX

For details about the VIA processors see:

CPUshack.net

viaarena.com

Processor specifications at:

VIA.com.tw

processorfinder.intel.com

All systems that are built and tested by Logic Supply are composed of FCC certified parts. Logic Supply systems have an FCC sticker attached to them that reads: “Assembled From Tested Components. (Complete systems not tested.) For Home or Office Use.” The completed systems are not tested for compliance.

While traditional computer systems typically use hard disk drives for storage of data and programs, solid state systems rely on devices that do not have any moving parts. The solid state advantage is the decreased chance of hardware failure, especially in harsh environments. Solid state systems can be constructed by substituting flash storage for hard disks. You can do this by:

1. Using an IDE flash module, which plugs directly into the mainboard's IDE ports (where an IDE cable would normally attach). These are available from Logic Supply in the Flash Storage section of our store.
2. Using an SATA flash module, which plugs directly into the mainboard's SATA connector (where an SATA cable would normally attach). These are available from Logic Supply in the Flash Storage section of our store.
3. Using a 2.5" solid state drive (in either SATA or IDE/ATA versions). These plug into an IDE or SATA cable and mount in the same manner as a 2.5" notebook hard drive. These are available from Logic Supply in the Flash Storage section of our store.
4. Using an IDE to CompactFlash adapter, which allows an industry-standard CompactFlash (CF) card to be used by the computer as if it were a hard disk. The adapters are available on the Accessories page, and the cards are available on the Flash Storage page.
5. Combining a CF card with a mainboard that directly accepts CF cards. However, some mainboards cannot boot from CF cards using the built-in CF reader. See the Mainboard Matrix to determine if your mainboard can boot from the onboard CF slot.

Please note that Microsoft XP Home and Pro are not intended for installation onto most flash-based storage devices. Apart from the potential for running out of space on the device, these operating systems typically use disk space for temporary storage during normal operation, resulting in frequent read/write cycles that can quickly deteriorate flash memory usability. Emphase flash disk modules, however, have a faster R/W endurance cycle of 2,000,000 times, feature a wear-leveling algorithm, and can support most operating systems, including Windows XP.

Please note: There are some limitations when installing Windows XP onto these flash modules. The storage capacity must be 1.5 GB (we recommend 4 GB) or higher, and the page memory should be turned off.

Customers choosing solid state storage for their operating systems should consider using Linux, a BSD variant, Windows Embedded Standard, or Microsoft Windows CE if their platforms do not meet the above requirements.

Which CompactFlash adapter do I use?

If you decide on an IDE to CompactFlash adapter plus CompactFlash card solution, you will need to choose the correct adapter.

Logic Supply carries a range of adapters allowing customers to use CompactFlash cards to create solid state systems. (See Accessories.) Casetronic cases require specific adapters. Other cases will take the 2G, the 1E, or the 5H. The 2G mounts in place of a notebook HDD. (Note: to use the 2G, you will need a Notebook HDD to IDE Converter (2.5" to 3.5").) The 1E mounts in place of a standard 3.5” HDD. Neither the 2G nor the 1E are externally accessible. The 5H, by contrast, plugs directly into an IDE port on the mainboard. It is not externally accessible and, due to height restrictions, will only fit in our larger cases.

You will need a 2.5" notebook to IDE adapter or cable to connect the notebook hard drive to the IDE port on your mainboard.

Please make sure that pin1 (the red wire on the IDE cable) is connected to pin1 on the notebook drive. Pin1 is always located right next to the jumper pins on the notebook drive.

We recommend using the newer ATA 66/100/133 cables in order to achieve the best system performance. These ATA cables have 3 colored connectors with each connector having a specific purpose. Be sure to plug the correct connector into the appropriate device.

• The blue connector is for your host bus adapter (using a connector on your mainboard).
• The black connector at the other end is for your master device, usually the hard drive you boot from.
• The gray connector is for an optional slave device if you have a second hard drive.

Any other devices like CD/DVD drives are usually plugged into a separate adapter, which connects to the IDE cable.

While there are a number of ways to achieve wireless network connectivity with our systems, the easiest routes are:

1. Use a wireless network USB adapter.
2. Combine a wireless network PCMCIA card with a VIA EPIA MII or Jetway (with add-on module) mainboard, which has PCMCIA support.
3. Install a wireless network PCI, Mini PCI, or PCIe Mini card.
   
4. Use a wireless USB module that is installed using the USB onboard pin headers off a mainboard.

Please note: Not all options listed above are supported by all systems and mainboards. Please confirm compatibility before purchasing a wireless device.

See the Networking page for wireless cards and adapters.

Logic Supply offers the following options for building a custom system online:

1. Choose a Logic Supply System. We offer an excellent selection of customized systems, all of which allow you to choose your mainboard, memory, HDD or flash memory, power supply, and CD/DVD drive. By choosing a Logic Supply pre-assembled system, you ensure component compatibility. And, all the necessary cables and accessories are included. We also offer you the option of "Build and Test"; this is an extra guarantee that all components are precisely integrated and your platform is ready for use.
2. Create a system from components. Many customers simply want to create systems from the range of components we carry.

With either option, we stress the necessity of component compatibility. We have already completed the research for you; the following tools are here to assist you:

• The Case Matrix lists cases, their distinguishing features, and compatible components.
• Our Mainboard Matrix allows you to compare features on all our mainboards.

Any questions? Write for pre-sales support at sales@logicsupply.com. For component compatibility questions, we ask that you first choose a system configuration and copy and paste your shopping cart contents into the e-mail.

If you built a system, and it doesn't seem to start, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Make sure the power supply is unplugged before you connect or disconnect any parts or make any changes!

1. Reset the CMOS (BIOS settings) by following the "Clear CMOS" instructions in the manual.
2. Make sure the problem is not caused by the hard drive, CD/DVD drive, PCI card, or any of the cables. To check this, disconnect all cables from the mainboard except for a VGA monitor, the ATX power cable or picoPSU, and the power-on button. Also, disconnect all power connectors from the CD/DVD and hard drives as well as any peripherals. Now, try starting the board by pressing the power button. If the system starts, the mainboard is fine. To find out what is causing the problem, plug in the peripherals one by one and start the system every time you add a component.
3. To eliminate the case power button as the cause, short the mainboard power header (identified in product manual) with a screwdriver.
4. If you have access to another ATX power supply, test the mainboard with it. Use a multimeter to measure AC adapter output (specified on the power brick itself) and ATX voltage levels (identified in the mainboard manual).
5. Ensure you are using the correct memory for your mainboard. Most of our mainboards will only work with non-ECC unbuffered RAM. Defective RAM can also be the cause of a boot failure, so if you have a spare memory module, it is worthwhile to try it.
6. If the mainboard still doesn't start after you've disconnected all cables and peripherals, remove the memory. When you start the board (by pressing the power button), the board should start beeping. This beeping means the mainboard is OK but the memory is missing (or defective). If the system does not beep after starting it, the mainboard might be defective.
   

If none of the steps listed above help, please contact us for technical support at 802 861 2300, option 1.

While your particular project might require special adapters and cables, Mini-ITX systems in general require the following connectors:

For a CD/DVD Drive – Most Mini-ITX systems utilize slimline CD/DVD drives. These drives require a slimline CD to IDE adapter to connect to an IDE cable, which then connects to the mainboard. Check to see if your case or drive comes with a slimline CD to IDE adapter. If the case does not come with one of these adapters, we sell these separately here.

For an IDE Hard Drive – A 2.5” notebook hard drive has a 44-pin IDE connector, but hard drives are connected to the mainboard through a 40-pin IDE cable. (Most mainboards come with a 40-pin hard drive cable.) You will need either an HDD converter or a notebook HDD to IDE cable to connect to the mainboard. Cases that require a notebook hard drive generally come standard with this cable.

For a SATA Hard Drive – A 2.5" notebook SATA hard drive and a 3.5" standard SATA hard drive require both SATA data cables and SATA power cables that plug into the mainboard and power supply. Most mainboards that have onboard SATA connectors will come standard with at least one SATA data cable and one SATA power cable. Some power supplies might come with a SATA power connector that comes directly off the DC board. But sometimes, this isn't always the case. Logic Supply has a wide variety of power splitter cables that will suit any case configuration requirements. See Cables.

For a Floppy Drive – A standard floppy drive requires a floppy drive cable. VIA boards that support floppy drives will come with a floppy drive cable. Check to see if your mainboard will take a floppy drive. If you use a slimline floppy drive, you will require a floppy drive adapter in addition to the cable. See Accessories.

For a CompactFlash – CompactFlash adapters (with the exception of the direct plug) require the use of the IDE cable that generally comes standard with most mainboards.

Note: Many of these connectors come standard with the case, mainboard, or the drives themselves. Please check the Case Matrix and the individual product pages to see what accessories are included with the our products.

Logic Supply wants to ensure that a system is fully operational when it arrives at its destination. Occasionally, when a customer purchases the components separately with the intention of assembling the system him/herself, there are unforeseen hardware incompatibilities or failures.

Logic Supply has implemented a thorough testing procedure that fully evaluates hardware compatibility and guarantees a functioning unit upon delivery.

Each new product undergoes a rigorous testing process to determine component compatibility with our current product line. Our experienced team of computer technicians knows the most logical layout, determines the best cable management, and tests for possible configuration issues.

We check and confirm operation of the following:

• I/O ports - LAN, USB (front and back), PS2, DVI and/or VGA ports (depending on what the mainboard offers). If the mainboard has both DVI and VGA, VGA is considered the default connection for our test monitors and we only test and confirm that VGA is functioning properly.
  
  If the mainboard has DVI only, we use a DVI-to-VGA adapter to test the signal. This only tests the DVI-analog signal of the DVI port. Upon request, we will test the DVI-D (digital) output of DVI ports using a true DVI-D cable hooked up to our test monitors. Please specify in your order that you would like the DVD-D port tested during a Build & Test.
  
• CD-ROM functions correctly: it is recognized and bootable
• HDD functions correctly: HDD is recognized and tested and receives a full surface S.M.A.R.T. scan
• Memory controller undergoes a testing process in order to identify and resolve errors. If customers purchase memory as an attribute of their mainboard, we will use this memory for the test.
• CPU temperature is monitored during extensive testing to determine if the temperature of the system is within a reasonable operating range
• Audio drivers are installed and tested (if OS is installed)
  

Logic Supply also checks that the mainboard BIOS is the latest version. The BIOS will be set to "Optimized Defaults" unless otherwise specified. The video will be set to "CRT" unless otherwise specified.

Logic Supply wants to ensure that a mainboard is fully operational when it arrives at its destination. Occasionally, there are unforeseen hardware failures due to a manufacturer's defect, incompatibilities with components, etc.

To avoid unexpected hardware failures, Logic Supply now offers individual mainboard testing. The procedure aims to eliminate the frustration of receiving a product that has a manufacturer's defect.

We check and confirm operation of the following:

• LAN, USB, and PS2 ports
  
• CPU temperature is monitored during extensive testing to determine if the temperature of the system is within the ideal range
• Memory controller undergoes a testing process in order to identify and resolve errors. If customer purchases memory as an attribute of their mainboard we will use this memory for the test.

We also mount and install any mainboard accessories purchased (i.e., daughterboards, low-profile heatsinks, etc.)
After testing, memory will be removed and shipped separately (if purchased with mainboard); all other accessories will be left installed.

If the mainboard accepts a socket processor, and the processor is purchased at the time the order is placed, Logic Supply will install the CPU and heat sink for delivery.

Logic Supply also checks that the mainboard BIOS is the latest version. If the mainboard BIOS is not the latest version, we will update it. The BIOS will be set to what we believe are the optimal settings for that particular mainboard, unless a customer specifies differently. The video will be set to "CRT" unless otherwise specified.

Due to unique hardware configurations, some of our systems cannot be purchased without the “Build & Test” option selected.

For instance, our fanless systems require previous computer-assembly experience because a heat sink is being swapped out for a heat pipe, and installation can be a little tricky if a person is not used to working with a heat pipe and heat paste compound.

Some of our automotive solution require modifications and extra cabling. We prefer to handle these situations in-house to avoid hardware incompatibilities or sending out systems with missing components. 

Logic Supply can configure an automotive computer that can be used both indoors and outdoors only by special request. We currently offer our automotive solutions with intelligent power supplies, which are designed solely for an automotive environment.

Contact a technical sales associate for more information if your system requires indoor/outdoor portability.

In a mobile environment (12V, DC), a car computer system powered through the cigarette lighter adapter will shut down whenever the ignition is turned off. Computers repeatedly shut down in this manner can experience problems. An intelligent car power supply, by contrast, uses a power sequencing function to gently shut down the computer when the car is turned off. An intelligent car power supply also can be configured to allow the computer to run when the car is off while protecting the car battery with an automatic shutdown mechanism. Both the M1-ATX, M2-ATX, M3-ATX, and M4-ATX power systems are intelligent.

For a mobile environment, we recommend intelligent power supplies (See What do I need to power a Mini-ITX PC in a car?), notebook hard drives (more stable than standard 3.5” drives), and slot-loading CD/DVD drives (easier to open and close). VIA-based systems are preferred over Intel-based systems, as they run cooler and draw less power. All of the Logic Supply Mini-ITX car systems offer the options listed above.

For more rugged environments or extreme temperatures, we recommend solid state flash memory (no moving parts) rather than hard drives. For extreme hot and cold, we also recommend a hard drive designed for extreme temperatures.

Mini-ITX systems are cooled by processor/mainboard fans and case fans. If warm temperatures are not a concern, fanless boards are a good option because they have fewer moving parts. Frequently, however, the mobile environment heats up. If you expect your system to be operating in environments above 85ºF, we recommend fanned systems. Be sure to install your system in such a way as to allow the case fan to push heat out.

Automotive systems differ from regular computer systems in two ways. First, they require automotive power supplies (12V regulated). Second, they might require components that are more suited to a mobile environment.

Please see our Car Systems pages.

Reading FAQs What do I need to power a Mini-ITX PC in a car? and What components are best suited to a mobile environment? is recommended.

Under normal conditions, battery voltage in cars can fluctuate between 11 and 14V. Powering a Mini-ITX system in a car requires at least 2 elements:

1. A regulator to provide a stable 12V to the Mini-ITX system
2. A DC-DC converter to provide the DC voltage rails required by the mainboard
   

This combination can be accomplished with a separate regulator (or stabilizer) to power the DC-DC converter or an all-in-one solution like the M1-ATX or M2-ATX automotive power supply. (The M1-ATX and M2-ATX power supplies also provide power sequencing, allowing automatic startup and shutdown.)

Car Power Kits

A car power kit is easy to install because it uses the car’s cigarette lighter adapter. With this solution, you can easily use the system both in your car (with the cigarette lighter adapter) and at home or at your office (with the AC adapter). Note: Logic Supply no longer carries car power kits.

Typical installation of a car power kit:

M1-ATX or M2-ATX Intelligent Automotive Power Supplies

The M1-ATX and M2-ATX automotive power supplies are the best solution for powering a Mini-ITX automotive system. Both provide automatic on/off switching, power regulation and DC-DC conversion. Both have the same dimensions as the Morex power supplies, so they can replace the power boards in all Morex and most Casetronic cases. These power supplies must connect to wires in the dashboard or fuse box if the power sequencing function is to operate successfully. We do not suggest direct wiring to the 12V battery unless a fuse has been located between the PC and the battery.

Installation Note: We encourage our non-professional customers to work with skilled after-market car installers and we recommend finding a Mobile Electronics Certified Professional. MECP is an industry supported national certification program that helps ensure safe installation.

The extreme heat and cold of an automotive environment challenges the system components, particularly the hard drive. We recommend either using a hard drive designed for extreme temperatures or solid state disks in the form of a flash card, flash module, or a flash drive.

See the Case Matrix for memory height restrictions in cases.

In general, power supplies do come with our cases and barebone systems. Check the Case Matrix to confirm that the case includes a power supply. Also, each case lists on its product page the power requirements and which power supply comes in a standard unit. Most of our standard power supplies are laptop-style PSUs with an external AC-DC brick and an in-case DC-DC converter.

All of our cases will take either a standard 3.5" or notebook 2.5" hard drive. See the Case Matrix to determine which cases require a specific size hard drive.

See our Expandable section under the Cases category for platform's requiring PCI expansion. This selection of cases will provide you with either 1 or 2 accessible PCI slots. See the Case Matrix for more details.

See the Case Matrix.

If there is a particular mainboard that you are interested in, and cannot locate it on the Case Matrix, please contact a technical sales associate for more details. 

We don't have mounting brackets for slimline CD/DVD drives. Unfortunately, we are unaware of any other companies that may carry this item.

Logic Supply specializes in Mini-ITX systems. The Panasonic and TEAC drives fit in all the systems we sell. Unfortunately, we don't have information on whether they will fit in any other systems or laptops. Please contact the manufacturer of your system to check if the drive will fit.

In general these drives do NOT work in laptops due to master/slave compatibility.

Slimline CD/DVD drives don't have a manual Master/Slave setting. Some drives can be set as Cable Select; others are hard-coded to be either Master or Slave.

These drives are hard-set to Master:

• Panasonic UJ-85J
• Panasonic CW-8124-B
• Quanta SBW-243
• Quanta SDW-082

These drives are Cable Select or inverse Cable Select:

• TEAC CD-224E

To set a Cable Select drive as Master or Slave, connect it to the right position on the IDE cable. The black connector on the IDE cable is Master, the gray connector is Slave. Always connect the blue connector to the mainboard.

SATA II, when used in reference to a serial ATA drive, has denoted a transfer rate of 3.0Gb/sec. instead of the 1.5Gb/sec. transfer rate found in older serial ATA drives (generation 1). Unfortunately, calling a serial ATA drive SATA II because it has a transfer rate of 3.0Gb/sec. is incorrect. SATA II is a common misnomer used throughout the computer industry. When referring to a SATA revision 2.0 hard drive it should be called SATA 3.0Gb/sec.

 

SATA II is the name of the group that was formed for authoring the SATA specifications. The organization now goes by the name Serial ATA International Organization, or SATA-IO. Unfortunately, the confusion still remains.

 

For an explanation of "SATA II," visit the official Web site of SATA-IO: http://www.serialata.org/

 

For more general information: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Serial_ATA

Solid state systems can be constructed by substituting flash memory for hard disks. You can do this by using an IDE flash module or an IDE-CompactFlash adapter with an industry-standard CompactFlash card.

IDE flash modules plug directly into the IDE slot on the mainboard. They are not accessible from outside the case.

Flash cards, depending on the adapter and case chosen, can be made externally available. In this case, the flash memory card can be easily removed, but cannot be hot-swappable.

There are two types of flash memory chips: single-level cell (SLC) and multi-level cell (MLC.) MLC flash allows a greater amount of data to be stored on a single chip as two or more bits of data may be stored on each "memory cell" within the chip. Thus, an MLC flash solution requires half as many chips as a comparable SLC solution, and costs less as a result.

However, because of the high data density of MLC chips, they are more prone to errors (requiring error checking algorithms that slow down write speeds), consume more energy, and wear down more quickly. This reduces the number of writing cycles they can withstand before losing their ability to hold a charge.

Logic Supply has traditionally offered only SLC flash memory solutions (designated as "Industrial" grade in product titles) optimized for industrial and embedded applications, with excellent durability, power efficiency, and a long operational life while still maintaining a high read/write endurance.

Due to high customer demand, Logic Supply now carries MLC flash  (designated as "Commercial" grade in product titles). Customers are advised not to install an OS on an MLC flash drive because of its significantly lower read/write cycle specifications. Please be sure to weigh the increased risk against the financial benefits for your particular use.  If cost constraints dictate that you cannot use SLC flash, you should at least build in extra capacity for the wear-leveling algorithm.

 

For more information see the following links:

http://www.ramsan.com/podandvid/slc_vs_mlc.htm (This link will take you to a video explaining the differences)

http://www.oempcworld.com/support/SLC_vs_MLC.htm

While traditional computer systems typically use hard disk drives for storage of data and programs, solid state systems instead rely on devices without moving parts. The solid state advantage is the decreased chance of hardware failure, especially in harsh environments. Solid state systems can be constructed by substituting flash storage for hard disks. You can do this by:

1. Using an IDE flash module, which plugs directly into the mainboard's IDE ports (where an IDE cable would normally attach). These are available in the Flash Storage section of our store.
2. Using a serial ATA flash module, which plugs directly into the serial ATA connector on the mainboard. These are available in the Flash Storage section of our store.
3. Using a 2.5" solid state flash drive (either IDE/ATA or SATA). These will mount into the spot designated for a 2.5" notebook hard drive and will plug into the same cables as a 2.5" notebook hard drive (depending on type of storage used—SATA vs. IDE). These are available from Logic Supply in the Flash Storage section of our store.
4. Using an IDE to Compact Flash adapter, which allows an industry-standard CompactFlash card to be used by the computer as if it were a hard disk. The adapters are available on the Accessories page and the cards are available in the Flash Storage section.
5. Combining a CompactFlash card with a mainboard that accepts CF cards directly. The VIA EPIA MII mainboards cannot boot CF cards using the built-in CF reader, but the VIA EPIA MS mainboards can.
   

Please note that Microsoft XP Home and Pro are not intended for installation onto most flash-based storage devices. Apart from the potential for running out of space on the device, these operating systems typically use disk space for temporary storage during normal operation, resulting in frequent read/write cycles that can quickly deteriorate flash memory usability. The new Emphase flash disk modules, however, have a faster R/W endurance cycle of 2,000,000 times, feature a wear-leveling algorithm, and can support most operating systems, including Windows XP.

Please note: There are some limitations when installing Windows XP onto these flash modules. The storage capacity must be 1.5 GB (we recommend 4 GB) or higher, and the page memory should be turned off.

Customers choosing solid state storage for their operating systems should consider using Linux, a BSD variant, Windows Embedded Standard, or Windows CE if their platforms do not meet the above requirements.

Which CompactFlash adapter do I use?

If you decide on an IDE to CompactFlash adapter plus CompactFlash card solution, you will need to choose the correct adapter.

Logic Supply carries a range of adapters allowing customers to use CompactFlash cards and create solid state systems. (See Accessories.) Casetronic cases require specific adapters. Other cases will take the 2G, the 1E, or the 5H. The 2G mounts in place of a notebook HDD.

Note: To use the 2G, you will need a notebook HDD to IDE Converter (2.5" to 3.5"). The 1E mounts in place of a standard 3.5” HDD can be mounted. Both the 2G and the 1E create systems where the CompactFlash cards are externally accessible. The 5H, by contrast, plugs directly into an IDE port on the mainboard. It is not externally accessible and, due to height restrictions, will only fit in our larger cases.

All VIA mainboards accept our CompactFlash adapters. The case determines which adapter you should use. The VIA EPIA MII, MS, EPIA-M700, and SN mainboards accept CF cards through their onboard CF readers. The VIA EPIA MII mainboards cannot boot CF cards using the built-in CF reader, but the VIA EPIA MS, EPIA-M700, and SN mainboards can.

See the FAQ How do I build a solid state system? for more information.

Many of the IEI panel PCs utilize a PenMount DMC9000 touchscreen controller for which Linux support does exist. Some distributions even provide a driver; however, our testing indicates that these drivers are not fully operational. In order to correctly support the touchscreen controller, the correct driver must be obtained from the PenMount Web site and then correctly installed.

Affected Models

The following IEI panel PCs are known to utilize the PenMount DMC9000 touchscreen controller:

• AFL-08A-LX
• AFL-12A-LX
• AFL-15A-CX
• AFL-17A-CX
• AFL-19A-CX

Getting The Driver

The correct driver must be obtained from the following Web page:

http://www.penmount.com/down_2_1.php

Download the appropriate version of PenMount DMC9000 RS-232 Driver for your distribution. Binaries are provided for Red Hat, Fedora, SUSE, Debian, Slackware, and Ubuntu. There is also a generic "other" package; however, only use this package if an appropriate distribution-specific version is not provided.

Installation

Once you have downloaded the correct archive file, decompress it using your favorite archive utility. The archive includes a README file that contains installation instructions. These instructions are adequate; however, you must know which serial port the touchscreen controller is physically wired to. The correct port varies between panel PC models.

The driver archive includes a "sniffer" utility that is helpful for determining which port the touchscreen controller is connected to. The serial port will be referenced by its device descriptor, which will be one of /dev/ttyS0, /dev/ttyS1, /dev/ttyS2, or /dev/ttyS3.

The X server should be stopped while the sniffer utility is run, because your distribution might have included a touchscreen driver that can interfere with the sniffing process. You should consult your distribution documentation to learn how to do this. Alternatively, you might be able to boot into a text-only "rescue" mode. This is also sufficient.

On Ubuntu, the following method can be used:

1. Switch to a virtual terminal using Control-Alt-F2.
2. Log in.
3. Run `sudo /etc/init.d/gdm stop` to stop the X server.

After doing this, change to the directory containing the archive files:

$ cd "PenMount Ubuntu Driver V2.0"

Then, run the sniffer utility for the first serial port:

$ ./pm-sniff /dev/ttyS0
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
|  pmsniff - PenMount sniffer     (build:May 25 2007 17:09:24)  |
+---------------------------------------------------------------+
Port : /dev/ttyS0
Baud : 19200 bps
PenMount not found!

Repeat this with /dev/ttyS1, /dev/ttyS2, and /dev/ttyS3 until the utility reports that the device was successfully found. This is the port that the touchscreen controller is connected to.

Once you know which serial port to use, you may proceed with the actual installation. Be aware that your distribution may have provided a PenMount driver, and, if that is the case, that driver will be overwritten during the installation of the vendor driver. You might want to de-install the distribution package providing that driver, if possible.

On Ubuntu, you should make sure the xserver-xorg-input-penmount package is not installed. Otherwise, future upgrades to that package will overwrite the vendor driver.

To install the vendor driver, simply run the installation utility:

$ sudo ./install.sh 

The setup program will ask a number of questions. The defaults should be fine for most of them, but make sure you indicate the correct serial port when asked to do so. The installation utility makes the following changes to your system:

• Adds a new InputDevice section to /etc/X11/xorg.conf.
• Adds a boot script that initializes the device on every boot.

Installation of the driver should now be complete, and the X server can be restarted. On Ubuntu::

$ sudo /etc/init.d/gdm start

Calibration

Once the X server is running again, log in and open a terminal so that the final step, calibration, can be performed. Your touchscreen should function now; however, it might not yet be accurate. If you find it difficult to start a terminal due to poor mouse cursor control, you can probably use keyboard shortcuts. On Ubuntu, Alt-F2 opens a "Run Application" dialog that can be used to launch "gnome-terminal" or a similar terminal emulator.

Change to the archive directory again, and run the following command:

$ sudo ./adv-calib 4 

A graphical calibration utility will be launched. Follow the on-screen instructions to complete calibration. The calibration data is stored in the file /etc/penmount.dat. It is automatically loaded by the PenMount driver the next time it is loaded.

Note that the calibration utility can perform 4-, 9-, 16-, or 25-point calibration for higher precision of better degradation over time. Simply specify the desired number on the command line when launching the program.

Be sure to keep the PenMount utilities in a safe place, since recalibration may periodically be necessary. To avoid frequent recalibration, use the 16- or 25-point calibration method.

The LCD displays we carry have VGA inputs. They can be connected directly to the VGA connector on your Mini-ITX system, and will work without special drivers (although note that your video card will need some sort of driver installed). See What resolution should I operate my LCD display at? for information on supported video modes.

Most of our LCD displays have integrated touchscreen panels. The touchscreens are generally USB devices that emulate a mouse. You will need to load the appropriate drivers for the touchscreen if you want to utilize that functionality. Every display is shipped with a CD that contains the drivers for various operating systems. Please consult the documentation for your LCD display to determine which operating systems are supported by the touchscreen software.

All of the LCD displays carried by Logic Supply generally require a 12V DC power source.

12V power sources come in two varieties: regulated and unregulated. Even though we say that an unregulated source (such as your car battery) provides 12V, what we mean is that most of the time, it supplies a voltage somewhere in the neighborhood of 12V. Unsurprisingly, an unregulated source can be made into a regulated source using a regulator. These are frequently built into devices that are designed to be powered by car electrical systems. 12V AC adapters almost always have regulators.

Some displays, such as Xenarc displays, require a regulated voltage source, and cannot be connected directly to the car battery. They do, however, come with a cigarette lighter adapter, which has a regulator built in. They also come with an AC adapter, and can be powered directly from a wall outlet.

Phylon displays do not require a strictly regulated 12V source. They have an input voltage range of 12V ± 15%, or 10.2V to 13.8V. This is sufficient for most situations involving car power, so they can be directly connected to your car battery.

The Intel Graphics Accelerator Driver is set to use a Notebook display by default because the chipset is a mobile chipset, either 945GME/945GM or GME965/GM965. This limits which display resolutions you can use.

To fix this, open Display Properties, and click the Advanced button. Select the tab in the new window that is labeled Intel Graphics Media Accelerator, and click the Properties button. The first window you see should have options to choose your display device. Select Single Display: Monitor and then apply the changes. Click OK to exit the properties window.

After closing all the windows and reopening your display properties window, you will have a wider list of display resolutions to choose from. 

Below are some troubleshooting tips for the LCD touchscreen displays:

• If the display shows "Over Range," change the monitor setting in the BIOS of your mainboard to "LCD." This resolves over range issues. If you have BIOS version 1.16 or higher on an EPIA M mainboard, leave the monitor setting at "CRT + LCD."
• Try using a lower resolution. The optimal resolution for most LCD displays is 600 x 800.
• Set display to "Auto Adjust."
• Set refresh rate to 75Hz or higher to stop flickering.
• The RCA audio-in on some LCD displays only works when you're in one of the RCA video-in modes, not in VGA. You can't use it as a small PC speaker while in VGA mode.

LCD displays have preset resolutions; they typically contain several hundreds of thousands of pixels which are arranged in a grid. These pixels are lit up in various colors to create an on-screen image. The native resolution of an LCD display is expressed like this: [number of pixels horizontally] x [number of pixels vertically] (i.e., 800 x 600, 640 x 480). That said, many of the LCD displays can handle input signals representing resolutions other than their native resolutions. They deal with this by converting the incoming signal into their native resolution before displaying the image on screen. In any case, the maximum resolution your LCD panel is capable of displaying is its native resolution. Consult the documentation for your display for the maximum signal resolution.

Many of the LCD displays we offer use non-standard resolutions, permitting wide-screen aspect ratios. Most computer video hardware; however, doesn't support these non-standard resolutions. As a result, your wide-screen LCD panel will almost always be converting the signal into its native resolution. Setting your computer to use the highest resolution that it is capable of offers no advantages because the signal is being converted by the display. Therefore, it is usually best to set your computer to use the lowest resolution (i.e., the horizontal and vertical components are not lower than the LCD display's native horizontal and vertical resolution). For example, if your LCD display's native resolution is 800 x 400, you should set your computer's resolution to 800 x 600.

The latest touchscreen drivers for your LCD display can be found here:

Xenarc displays: http://xenarc.com/driver-touch1.html

IEI displays: http://www.ieiworld.com

Phylon displays: http://www.touchkit.com/Drivers.htm

It might be difficult to find a matching LVDS LCD panel. The documentation on each LVDS module page lists some compatible LCD panels.

Also see www.viaarena.com for discussions on this subject.

Yes, VIA Mini-ITX systems are supported by modern Linux-based operating systems. Some advanced features (such as hardware MPEG decoding and ACE features) require additional configuration in most cases. There are also known compatibility issues, however. Most of these issues are either being addressed, or have been addressed both by VIA and third-party developers. The following URLs might be of interest:

http://www.viaarena.com
Linux drivers and articles are available on VIA Arena. For drivers, go to the download page and select your operating system or Linux distribution. There is also a Linux forum.

http://freepia.shaibn.com
Freepia 0.3.8-rcl – Linux distribution designed for VIA's EPIA M series mainboard.

http://linuxdevices.com
Linuxdevices.com – Provides links, articles, news, and online forum for Linux-related products and information.

Many of VIA's older EPIA series mainboards use the S3 Unichrome AGP video chipset to provide for onboard graphics. In terms of performance, this is roughly equivalent to onboard video typically found in most ATX (full size) mainboards. The SP8000 and SP13000 boards utilize the S3 Unichrome Pro AGP, which offers increased performance for video playback and 3D graphics.

All of VIA's latest mainboards feature the integrated VIA UniChrome Pro II 3D/2D AGP graphics with MPEG-2/4 and WMV9 accelerator or the new integrated VIA Chrome9 HC Integrated Graphics with 2D/3D and video accelerators. Both offer enhanced graphics performance, and feature Adaptive De-Interlacing and Video Deblocking, which ensure clearer playback of digital content on all display devices such as CRT, LCD, standard definition TV and HDTV up to 1080p resolution (for the Chrome9 graphics). The VIA Chrome9 also has DirectX 9 Graphics support and is fully compatible with Windows Vista.

Dedicated PCI Express video cards typically provide much better 3D graphics, although some can offer slightly better 2D performance, as well. Also, many dedicated video cards incorporate a number of other supplemental features, such as additional outputs (S-Video, YPbPr, DVI, and HDMI), dual heads (support for two independent displays), and a wide range of more esoteric features.

Generally, VIA's onboard video is acceptable for typical computing applications, like displaying text and graphics, multimedia presentation, and office applications like word processors and spreadsheets. VIA's older mainboards include support for both analog TV-out and S-Video output, such as the M, MII, and SP series boards. VIA's more recent boards feature DVI, YPbPr, VGA, and dual LVDS display support, while TV-out (RCA) is being seen less and less. HDMI is found on some of the more advanced Jetway boards, which utilize the VIA C7 processor and UniChrome Pro II 3D/2D AGP graphics.

Users who would typically consider upgrading the onboard video are those who play a lot of cutting-edge 3D games; typically, these kinds of applications require a faster processor as well. If you fall into this category, you may want to consider an Intel-based system. Most other users will find that VIA systems provide more than enough power.

PCI expansion options are highly dependent on both mainboard and case. VIA EPIA mainboards almost always have one PCI slot. A PCI card can be inserted directly into this slot, or a PCI riser card can be used, allowing a PCI card to be installed such that it lies flat, parallel to the mainboard itself. Additionally, there are dual PCI riser cards that allow two PCI cards to be used in a single PCI slot. These are designed to work specifically with EPIA mainboards, and should not be used in other situations, except where explicitly stated otherwise.

PCI riser cards (the single-card variety) are available in two styles, one of which lays the PCI card over the mainboard, and one which directs it away from the mainboard. The appropriate riser card is dependent upon the case being used for the system. Please note that the PCI riser card that faces over the mainboard is not guaranteed to function properly with all PCI cards. We have found that some PCI cards do not work in conjunction with these riser cards.

For information on how many PCI cards can be used in a given case, please consult the Case Matrix. Note that many cases come with the required riser cards.

This is a limitation of the current PC architecture and the desktop OS in a 32-bit system. The BIOS in a system with a 32-bit processor and a 32-bit OS might recognize the full 4 GB. However, the system will reserve part of that memory for use by system devices and will not allow the OS to access the full amount. In order to access the full 4 GB of available memory, the computer needs a 64-bit enabled processor and a 64-bit enabled OS. Most of our systems can only support a 32-bit processor and a 32-bit OS.

If you are using a mainboard with 2 memory slots available for a total of 4 GB memory, you will not be able to access the full 4 GB of memory unless your system meets the requirements as stated above. However, you will be able to access about 3.25 GB of memory, as long as you install the total 4 GB.

If you built a system, and it doesn't seem to start, here are some troubleshooting tips:

Make sure the power supply is unplugged before you connect or disconnect any parts or make any changes!

1. Reset the CMOS (BIOS settings) by following the "Clear CMOS" instructions in the manual.
2. Make sure the problem is not caused by the hard drive, CD/DVD drive, PCI card, or any of the cables. To check this, disconnect all cables from the mainboard except for a VGA monitor, the ATX power cable or picoPSU, and the power-on button. Also, disconnect all power connectors from the CD/DVD and hard drives as well as any peripherals. Now, try starting the board by pressing the power button. If the system starts, the mainboard is fine. To find out what is causing the problem, plug in the peripherals one by one and start the system every time you add a component.
3. To eliminate the case power button as the cause, short the mainboard power header (identified in product manual) with a screwdriver.
4. If you have access to another ATX power supply, test the mainboard with it. Use a multimeter to measure AC adapter output (specified on the power brick itself) and ATX voltage levels (identified in the mainboard manual).
5. Ensure you are using the correct memory for your mainboard. Most of our mainboards will only work with non-ECC unbuffered RAM. Defective RAM can also be the cause of a boot failure, so if you have a spare memory module, it is worthwhile to try it.
6. If the mainboard still doesn't start after you've disconnected all cables and peripherals, remove the memory. When you start the board (by pressing the power button), the board should start beeping. This beeping means the mainboard is OK but the memory is missing (or defective). If the system does not beep after starting it, the mainboard might be defective.
   

If none of the steps listed above help, please contact us for technical support at 802 861 2300, option 1.

A slow clock speed is usually caused by a setting in the BIOS. This can be resolved by clearing the CMOS, which stores the BIOS settings. You can then reset the BIOS to load the optimized defaults.

You can refer to your mainboard manual for details on how to clear the CMOS using a jumper as you follow these steps:

1. Shut down your computer and disconnect the power cord.
2. You will need to clear the CMOS via the jumpers on the mainboard. Use your manual to find the exact location of the “clear CMOS” jumper along with its default position. The jumper is usually marked “Clear CMOS” or “Reset CMOS.”
3. Once you have located the correct jumper, move it from the standard position, pins 1 and 2, to pins 2 and 3. Wait 5 to 10 seconds and then return the jumper to its original, default position.
4. Restart the computer and access the BIOS/CMOS screen. You will have to press the DEL, F10, F8, or F2 key to get there (see instructions on POST-screen on how to access BIOS).
5. Then, set the BIOS to “Optimized Defaults.” Save this new setting, and exit.

The processor will now be set to the optimized clock speed.

There are 3 different types of DVI connectors: DVI-I, DVI-D, and DVI-A.

• DVI-I – DVI Integrated (Digital & Analog): contains both digital and analog connections. DVI-I cables are capable of transmitting either a digital-to-digital signal or an analog-to-analog signal.
• DVI-D – DVI Digital: direct digital connection.
• DVI-A – DVI Analog: direct analog connection (rarely seen, most opt for VGA).

DVI-I and DVI-D are available in single link and dual link formats. Dual link cables will deliver higher resolutions and faster refresh rates; however, most PC equipment use single link connectors and a single link cable will work just fine in most scenarios. But, for comparison purposes, here are the display capabilities of single and dual link cables:

• DVI single link 60-Hz LCD – displays a resolution of 1920 x 1080.
• DVI dual link – displays a resolution of 2048 x 1536.

See the image below to view the different connectors.

For more information on DVI and the types of DVI connectors, visit the following links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/DVI
http://www.ramelectronics.net/html/DVI_info.html
http://www.datapro.net/techinfo/dvi_info.html

There are some excellent resources on the Internet about Mini-ITX mainboards and related items. The most well-known are:

• www.EPIAcenter.com
• www.mini-itx.com

For details about VIA processors see:

• www.CPUshack.net
• Processor specifications can be found at www.VIA.com.tw

The VIA Embedded Platform Division has a Web site with technical information, manuals and drivers for all the VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboards. See www.viaembedded.com.

Another good source for technical information and drivers is www.viaarena.com. This Web site also has support forums where you can ask a question or find answers on everything EPIA related.

For Commell boards:

Drivers and manuals can be downloaded at www.commell.com.tw.

It might be difficult to find a matching LVDS LCD panel. The documentation on each LVDS module page lists some compatible LCD panels.

Also see www.viaarena.com for discussions on this subject.

See the Case Matrix.

The VIA mainboard selection features a wide suite of I/O capabilities, onboard connectors, processor speeds, fanless options, and form factor offerings (Mini-ITX, Nano-ITX, and Pico-ITX). If your application requires features not found on a VIA mainboard, please contact a technical sales associate.

Need	Boards to consider
I want the standard features of a VIA board.	EN, CN, LN series
I want a stripped down, inexpensive board.	ML, VB, LN series
I want a fast VIA processor.	SN18000G, EX15000G, LT15000AG, CN13000G, EN15000G
I need 2 LAN ports.	EK, LT series
I need to integrate a PCMCIA card easily.	MII series
I have an embedded application.	CN, EN, PX, NX, NR series
I have space constraints.	PX, NX, NR series
I need strong onboard video capabilities.	SN, EX series
I need a stable board and don't require a lot of processing power.	EK, LN series
I want to run Windows Vista.	SN series, VB7002G
I need support for PCI Express.	SN series, VB7002G
I need a board with optical audio.	EX series

This is caused by the LAN Boot ROM. The network interface on the VIA EPIA mainboards has built-in Boot ROM support. By default the BIOS setting for the LAN BOOT ROM is enabled, causing the mainboard to try booting from the network.

To avoid this message (and speed up your boot process) just set the LAN BOOT ROM to "disabled" in the BIOS (under Integrated Peripherals).

If you've made a mistake and would like to change your order, please place a new order.

In the comments field of the new order, please put a comment to cancel the original order. Include the order number which you received in the confirmation e-mail we sent you for the first order.

Logic Supply will then cancel the original order, void the first credit card authorization, and process the second order.

To cancel an order, please write to info@logicsupply.com or call us at 802 861 2300.

Note: All changes or cancellations must occur before the order is processed by the Logic Supply accounting department. Cancellation requests after this time may result in a cancellation fee of 5% on Products and 15% on Systems. Please see our “Order Changing or Canceling Policies” on our Terms and Conditions page.

Yes. Please go to www.logicsupply.com, log into your account with your username (e-mail) and password, and click "Account" in the top right corner of the site. Once in your Account page, click "Order History" for an update on your order status.

To request a quote on a volume order, write sales@logicsupply.com or call us at 802 861 2300, option 1.

Logic Supply accepts major credit cards, Pay Pal, and wire transfers on orders over $1,000. We require a wire transfer on orders over $10,000.

Customers are responsible for any applicable sales, use, or other taxes or federal, state, or local fees or assessments associated with the order. Customer must claim any exemption from such taxes, fees, or assessments at the time of purchase and provide the necessary supporting documentation. Any sales, use, or other applicable tax or fees or assessments is based on the location to which the order is shipped.

Due to a warehouse presence in the state of Vermont, Logic Supply, Inc., is required to levy VT state sales tax on orders delivered within the state.

We offer discounts on volume orders of 10, 50, and 100 pieces. Reseller pricing is available to qualified candidates, and is limited to Emphase flash memory products and VIA products. To request a quote on a volume order, write sales@logicsupply.com.com or call us at 802 861 2300, option 1. For Reseller pricing visit our Reseller section.

Please see Warranty and Returns for complete information about the return procedure.

In general, in-stock component orders will ship the same business day and built systems will ship in 3–5 business days. (Larger orders might take longer). To estimate shipping time, see the UPS map in Ordering & Shipping.

Sometimes an order will NOT come through the Logic Supply ordering system because the credit card authorization was declined. This might mean that the billing address you provided does not match that on file with your credit card company, or there was a typo. Please call your bank or credit card company to make sure they have the right address on file and/or check your billing statement.

If an authorization fails, then Logic Supply will NOT charge your credit card, HOWEVER, the credit card company automatically holds the funds. This hold will usually fall off your account in a couple of days. Logic Supply, Inc. is not able to remove the hold.

We will ship using your UPS account only on orders over $1,000. If you are interested in shipping with Federal Express or DHL, we will make arrangements only for orders over $1,000.

Please see our Warranty and Returns policy for more information.

Logic Supply, Inc. serves a computer-savvy customer base of corporate and government developers, solutions providers, and enthusiasts. We offer pre-sales technical support geared toward helping our customers choose the right product or system. We also offer limited post-sale technical support. Our engineers are knowledgeable about our hardware, but we rely on our customers to understand their software and the particular aspects of their application.

Logic Supply, Inc. accepts the following payment methods: Visa, MasterCard, Discover, American Express and PayPal. We do not accept International Credit Cards or Cash On Delivery (C.O.D.) orders.

For corporate, system integrator, and government & education customers, Logic Supply accepts and processes Purchase Orders. However, we extend terms only to qualified customers and we may require payment in full before goods are shipped. Please contact a member of our Sales team at 802 861 2300, option 1 or sales@logicsupply.com to discuss your purchasing needs.

Logic Supply, Inc. accepts major credit cards, PayPal, and wire transfers on orders over $1,000. We require a wire transfer on orders over $10,000.

The power kits and supplies we sell are specifically designed for Mini-ITX mainboards. Other mainboards have not been tested and usually won't work with these power supplies.

Yes, the AOpen i945G and i965G series mainboards have an onboard DC-DC converter which needs a 19V power supply. The board comes complete with an AC adapter and cord.

The power requirements of a Mini-ITX system depend on the type of motherboard and additional components.

To calculate the power requirements, please see the EPIA Power Simulator at epiacenter.com.

In general, no. All cases we sell contain a power supply, unless otherwise stated on the product page.

However, if your system either requires more power than the case power kit provides, or you are planning to use the system in a mobile (12V, DC) environment, you will need different or additional components.

Under normal conditions, battery voltage in cars can fluctuate between 11 and 14V. Powering a Mini-ITX system in a car requires at least 2 elements:

1. A regulator to provide a stable 12V to the Mini-ITX system
2. A DC-DC converter to provide the DC voltage rails required by the mainboard
   

This combination can be accomplished with a separate regulator (or stabilizer) to power the DC-DC converter or an all-in-one solution like the M1-ATX or M2-ATX automotive power supply. (The M1-ATX and M2-ATX power supplies also provide power sequencing, allowing automatic startup and shutdown.)

Car Power Kits

A car power kit is easy to install because it uses the car’s cigarette lighter adapter. With this solution, you can easily use the system both in your car (with the cigarette lighter adapter) and at home or at your office (with the AC adapter). Note: Logic Supply no longer carries car power kits.

Typical installation of a car power kit:

M1-ATX or M2-ATX Intelligent Automotive Power Supplies

The M1-ATX and M2-ATX automotive power supplies are the best solution for powering a Mini-ITX automotive system. Both provide automatic on/off switching, power regulation and DC-DC conversion. Both have the same dimensions as the Morex power supplies, so they can replace the power boards in all Morex and most Casetronic cases. These power supplies must connect to wires in the dashboard or fuse box if the power sequencing function is to operate successfully. We do not suggest direct wiring to the 12V battery unless a fuse has been located between the PC and the battery.

Installation Note: We encourage our non-professional customers to work with skilled after-market car installers and we recommend finding a Mobile Electronics Certified Professional. MECP is an industry supported national certification program that helps ensure safe installation.

Non-Mobile/AC Power Situations:

Mini-ITX systems utilize a power configuration long used in laptop settings. An external brick transforms incoming power from 110V AC to DC power. A separate DC-DC board—typically housed within the computer case—outputs power in standard rails. The voltage rails provide various components on the mainboard with their required voltages. The external brick and the DC-DC board constitute the power supply needed for Mini-ITX systems.

You will need either a case containing a power supply or a power kit supplying the appropriate voltage.

Mobile/DC Power Situations:

12V/DC-DC power situations are different. There is no need to transform power from AC to DC before it can be used. However, since the DC voltage from a car battery can vary greatly depending on environment and usage, you should never simply plug DC power from a car battery into a standard DC-DC converter board. Please see FAQ, What do I need to power a Mini-ITX PC in a car? for more details.

In a mobile environment (12V, DC), a car computer system powered through the cigarette lighter adapter will shut down when the ignition is turned off. Computers repeatedly shut down in this manner can experience problems. An intelligent car power supply, by contrast, uses a power sequencing function to gently shut down the computer when the car is turned off. An intelligent car power supply can also be configured to allow the computer to run when the car is off while protecting the car battery with an automatic shut down mechanism. Both the M1-ATX and M2-ATX power systems are intelligent.

Pentium 4 Mini-ITX mainboards require at least a 120W power supply and a P4 power connector. However, we no longer carry any Pentium 4 mainboards. Our newer Intel-based boards that feature Core 2 Duo Mobile processors do not require that much power. These Intel-based mainboards require 110W of power or less, depending on the application the platform is being used for. Generally, 90W of power is sufficient.

Also, the processor being used can affect the amount of power being drawn. The Celeron M processors typically draw less power (27W–30W TDP) than the Core 2 Duo Mobile processors (35W TDP).

Similarly to the older Pentium 4 boards, the newer Intel-based boards generally also require a P4 power connector. The board will not function properly without a P4 power cable connected from the board to the power supply.

The 120W+ power kits and supplies we sell are specifically designed for Mini-ITX mainboards. Other mainboards have not been tested and in general won't work with these power supplies.

There are two ways to power an Intel-based system in an automotive environment. One can either use a car adapter in conjunction with a non-automotive power supply, or simply use a power supply designed specifically for automotive applications. We carry 90W and 160W car power supplies made by Mini-Box.com (the M1-ATX and M2-ATX); they are “intelligent” automotive power supplies, capable of turning the computer on and off when your car is started and stopped.

Please see What do I need to power a Mini-ITX PC in a car? for more information.

Core 2 Duo Mobile Socket M

Many of the newer, Intel-based mainboards offered by Logic Supply use Intel's mobile version processors compatible with Socket M: Core 2 Duo Mobile, Core Duo, Core Solo, and Celeron M (4xx). A mainboard designed around these processors will accept any one of them. However, some mainboards can only support Core 2 Duo (Merom) with the latest BIOS installed. In order to update the BIOS, a compatible processor must first be installed (Core Duo or Core Solo) on the mainboard. All mainboards available from Logic Supply that have the ability to support Core 2 Duo Mobile (Merom) have the updated BIOS already installed.

 

Core 2 Duo Mobile Socket P

Logic Supply's latest Intel offerings are Core 2 Duo Mobile Socket P mainboards. The Core 2 Duo Mobile Socket P processors are not backward compatible with Socket-M-based mainboards. Logic Supply currently carries Core 2 Duo Mobile (Merom) Socket P and Celeron Mobile (Merom) Socket P processors. These processors will only function with our Socket P mainboards: MSI MS-9803 (GM965) and AOpen i965GM.

Not generally. There might be a case where the processor pin number is the same as the socket number, but this usually has no correlation. The number of pins on a processor is often mistaken for the number of socket contacts on a mainboard. For example, Pentium M (PM) and Pentium 4 (P4) processors both have 478 pins. A PM is compatible with Socket 479, but a P4 is compatible with either Socket 478 or LGA775. A Core 2 Duo processor is also 478 pin, but it is compatible with Socket M (479 pin) or Socket P (478 pin). Please note, not all Core 2 Duo processors are compatible with both Socket M and Socket P. The key is to identify the type of processor and which Socket Intel says it is compatible with. More information is available on Intel’s Web site as well as detailed processor spec sheets.

Go to Intel’s processor finder search engine: http://processorfinder.intel.com/default.aspx

For more information see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processor_socket — A full discussion of CPU sockets, complete with links to individual socket types and specifications.

Intel’s new processors are discussed below. Please see the chart for a side-by-side comparison of the different processors and sockets.

Celeron M – Developed as an economical solution for the Pentium M, it was originally compatible with socket 479. However, two new types of Celeron M processors have recently been released by Intel. These are not compatible with previous versions and will not work on mainboards that use the older Celeron M processors. The main differentiator is the version number of the processor. The Celeron M 400 series (4xx) is derived from the Core Duo processor while the Celeron M 500 series (5xx) is derived from the Core 2 Duo Mobile processor. Both of the new versions use socket M.

Core Solo – Based on the Yonah core, the Core Solo is replacing the Pentium M. Like the Core Duo, it has 2 cores on one die, but it only uses one active core. This processor is compatible with socket M.

Core Duo – Based on the Yonah core, the Core Duo is the first low-power-output processor with two cores on one die. It is commonly used in Mini-ITX mainboards and systems. This processor is compatible with socket M.

Core 2 Duo – Based on the Conroe core, the Core 2 Duo is a desktop processor. It is replacing the Pentium 4 processor using the LGA775 socket. The Core 2 Duo currently offers dual core (two cores) and quad core (four cores) models.

Core 2 Duo Mobile – Based on the Merom core, it is the mobile version of the Core 2 Duo. This processor is incompatible with the Core 2 Duo Conroe version and cannot be swapped out for a Core 2 Duo processor and vice versa. It is commonly used in Mini-ITX mainboards and systems due to its lower power consumption in comparison to the desktop version. This processor is compatible with most Mini-ITX Core Duo mainboards and uses socket M.

Socket Name	Processor	Version
socket 478	Celeron  Pentium 4	desktop
socket 479	Celeron M  Pentium M	mobile
LGA775  (socket T)	Pentium 4  Core 2 Duo (Conroe)	desktop
socket M (479 pin)	Celeron M (4xx)  Celeron M (5xx)  Core Solo  Core Duo  Core 2 Duo Mobile	mobile

Processor	Core	Socket	Power   Consumption	Chipset*  (north bridge)	OS
Celeron	Williamette	socket 478	52.8W	850	32-bit
Pentium 4	Northwood/  Prestonia/  Gallatin/  Prescott	socket 478/  LGA775	69–89W	845G/GV/PE	32-bit
Celeron M	Banias/  Dothan	socket 479	21W	855  852GM  915	32-bit
Pentium M	Banias/  Dothan	socket 479	21–27W	915PM/GM	32-bit
Celeron M (4xx)	Yonah	socket M	27W	945PM/GM	32-bit
Celeron M (5xx)	Merom	socket M	30W	945PM/GM	32-bit/64-bit
Core Solo	Yonah	socket M	27W	945PM/GM/GT	32-bit
Core Duo	Yonah	socket M	31W	945PM/GM/GT	32-bit
Core 2 Duo Mobile	Merom	socket M	34W	945PM/GM/GT	32-bit/64-bit
Core 2 Duo	Conroe	socket T  (LGA 775)	65W	975X  P9645  946PL	32-bit/64-bit

*This is an abbreviated listing of compatible chipsets. For more information visit Intel’s Web site.
Go to Intel’s chipset directory: http://www.intel.com/products/chipsets/index.htm?iid=prod_nav+chip&

Some other helpful links:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_Intel_microprocessors – A full list of Intel's processors from past to present.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_chipsets – A full list of Intel' chipsets from past to present.

In order to have a 64-bit platform, the following requirements must be met. Otherwise, certain components will continue to perform at a 32-bit level resulting in memory limitations among other drawbacks. (Following information adapted from Intel’s Web site.)

1. Applications ported to 64-bits and optimized for Intel EM64T
2. OS supports 64-bit computing: Microsoft Windows XP Pro x64, RedHat or Novell desktop OS
3. 64-bit drivers required 
4. 64-bit readiness required for BIOS
5. Chipset supports 64-bit computing 
6. Recommend 4 GB of RAM or more
7. CPU supports 64-bit computing*
   

*Intel desktop processors in the LGA775 package support 64-bit computing.

For more information on Intel's 64-bit architecture see:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_Core_microarchitecture

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Intel_64

http://developer.intel.com/technology/intel64/index.htm

Yes, VIA Mini-ITX systems are supported by modern Linux-based operating systems. Some advanced features (such as hardware MPEG decoding and ACE features) require additional configuration in most cases. There are also known compatibility issues, however. Most of these issues are either being addressed, or have been addressed both by VIA and third-party developers. The following URLs might be of interest:

http://www.viaarena.com
Linux drivers and articles are available on VIA Arena. For drivers, go to the download page and select your operating system or Linux distribution. There is also a Linux forum.

http://freepia.shaibn.com
Freepia 0.3.8-rcl – Linux distribution designed for VIA's EPIA M series mainboard.

http://linuxdevices.com
Linuxdevices.com – Provides links, articles, news, and online forum for Linux-related products and information.

Due to a collection of hardware and software limitations, it is currently not possible to install Windows via a USB drive.

Microsoft does not provide installation/driver support for SATA hard drives in Windows XP. However, there are workarounds for Windows installs. The first two methods assume you have either a spare floppy or IDE drive to use temporarily. If this is not possible, you'll need to slipstream the drivers (see below).

Floppy drive method

1. Copy the SATA drivers to a floppy disk (these can usually be found on your mainboard support disk. Usually these consist of PIDE/SATA Folders and TXTsetup.oem files. Alternatively, they may have been supplied on a separate CD that accompanied your SATA drive, assuming you purchased it separately from the PC).
2. Insert the Windows XP into the CD-ROM and Reboot your PC.
3. Watch carefully as the Windows XP installation progresses, and look carefully at the text at the bottom of each screen.
4. At the bottom of the Windows Setup Screen (this should be the second screen after installation starts), you should see a message saying "Press F6 if you need to install a third party SCSI or RAID driver."
5. At this point, press the F6 button.
6. When the next screen appears, press "S" to specify an additional device.
7. Now insert the floppy disk containing the SATA drivers into your floppy drive.
8. Windows will next ask you to select a driver from the provided list.
9. Select the SATA/RAID Controller (Windows XP).
10. The SATA drivers on your floppy disk should now load.
11. After the drivers have loaded, Windows XP will recognize your SATA hard drive and you can continue installing the Windows XP operating system.
    

IDE Hard Drive method

1. Disable SATA in BIOS.
2. Install XP on an IDE HDD.
3. Reboot, enabling SATA in BIOS—ensure booting off IDE.
4. Install SATA/SATA-RAID drivers in XP (if not done automatically).
5. Use Seagate's DiscWizard (downloadable from their Web site) to install 2nd drive as a new boot drive—this copies the XP install to the SATA drive; as the Windows installed already includes SATA drivers.
6. Shut down. Remove IDE drive. Reboot.
   

Slipstreaming SATA driver method

This method "slipstreams" the SATA drivers into the Windows XP installation. This allows you to create a custom Windows XP installation CD with the Serial ATA drivers pre-loaded. You can find instructions on http://www.maximumpc.com/article/How-To--Slipstream-your-XP-installation.

Preparing a bootable CF card using a card reader on your workstation can be challenging. To make it easier for our customers that are having difficulty with this process, we have prepared an OS image that can be written directly to a CF card using simple tools available on the Internet (for Windows) or included in the standard set of utilities distributed with some operating systems (Linux and the BSDs). This image contains a "Damn Small Linux" (DSL) installation, and will fit on CompactFlash cards as small as 64MB.

More information on DSL is available at the DSL Web site: http://www.damnsmalllinux.org/

The image file can be downloaded from the Logic Supply Web site: https://www.logicsupply.com/pub/dsl.img

To install the image, simply follow the same instructions used to install a m0n0wall image, described here: http://m0n0.ch/wall/installation_generic.php

Note: Logic Supply does not provide end-user support for Damn Small Linux (or any other OS).

If you are interested in preparing your CF card with a different OS, you may consider using a tool such as qemu to actually run the installer in a virtual PC environment on your workstation. qemu, can treat your CF card (connected to your PC via a card reader) as its primary hard disk, and a CD image (.iso file) as a CD-ROM drive. Thus, you can use qemu to perform a normal OS installation onto your CF card. For more information see: http://fabrice.bellard.free.fr/qemu/

Please be aware that not all operating systems are well-suited to installation on flash-memory-based storage devices. In particular, an OS not prepared for running in such an environment can wear out the flash device rather quickly. Please see FAQ on using Flash Memory for more information.

Disk-less installs can be tricky to implement. In general, the best way to do this is to temporarily attach a CD drive to perform the install. USB CD drives are widely available, and are ideal for this type of situation. But, we have found that installing Microsoft Windows XP Home and Pro using a USB CD drive does not work. Installation from USB media might or might not work with other operating systems; we have not tested this.

If a USB CD drive is not available, or you are having trouble installing your operating system using such a drive, you can temporarily connect an IDE/ATAPI CD drive. This should only be attempted by users familiar with PC internals. It also is possible, although difficult, to perform an install over a network. All VIA EPIA mainboards support network booting. Configuring network booting is somewhat complicated, however, and is a topic that falls outside the range of this FAQ. In general, network installation is not supported by Windows XP, but is a viable option with Linux, and possibly other operating systems as well.

The following URL might be helpful:

How to Install Red Hat Linux via PXE and Kickstart:
http://www.stanford.edu/~alfw/PXE-Kickstart/PXE-Kickstart.html

When customers get a Windows Embedded Standard image installed by Logic Supply in any of the supported systems we offer, they will receive a pre-installed operating system that mimics Windows XP Pro. Although the Windows Embedded Standard operating system is similar in feature set and functionality to XP Pro, there are some differences that should be noted. Please see the table below.

 

Windows XP Pro for Embedded is identical to Windows XP Pro except that the operating system must be installed by a certified Windows Embedded Partner. It cannot be purchased separately or as a component within a non-assembled system. Also, there is no media CD to accompany the operating system, so if there is a software failure, the system must be returned to the system installer for a re-install.

 

Features	Windows XP Pro	Windows XP Pro for Embedded	Windows Embedded Standard 2009
OS File Size	3 GB (including page file)	3 GB (including page file)	900 MB (deployed image); image can be reduced to ~ 200 MB depending on customization
Drivers	Includes a complete drivers database/library for a wide range of hardware, regardless of the hardware being used for the system	Includes a complete drivers database/library for a wide range of hardware, regardless of the hardware being used for the system	Drivers database is limited and only includes drivers for the hardware the OS is being installed on and for plug-and-play devices; drivers for other peripherals might require manual installation
Updates	Automatic	Automatic	None
Access to All OS Components?	Access is limited to certain programs and features.	Access is limited to certain programs and features.	Access is available for all OS components. Footprint can be controlled on a more granular level.
Enhanced Write Filter (EWF)?	No	No	Yes. Files are protected from being overwritten or deleted.
Windows Media CD?	Comes with a media CD.	No media CD.	No media CD.
Boot from USB?	No	No	Yes
Purchase Separately?	Yes	No. Can only be purchased with a fully assembled system.	No. Can only be purchased with a fully assembled system.
Lifecycle	December 31, 2009	December 31, 2016	January 14, 2014 (mainstream support retired)

 

In addition to the differences listed in the table above, Windows XP Pro  and XP Pro for Embedded are designed to work out-of-the-box with any and all applications. Windows Embedded Standard might require additional components in order to support certain applications. Logic Supply can customize a Windows Embedded Standard image and make sure that all components are available to support customers' specific hardware and software requirements.

The minimum requirements to run Windows Vista on a PC are:

• 800 MHz processor.
• 512 MB of system memory.
• A graphics processor that is DirectX 9 capable.

With the exception of VIA's latest SN-series, EPIA-M700, and VB7002G mainboards, the current VIA EPIA and Jetway mainboards do not fully meet the requirements for Windows Vista. Although Windows Vista will run on these mainboards, some features are not supported.

The SN-series mainboard and the VB7002G is VIA's only offering that is fully compatible with Windows Vista. The CN896 chipset with VIA Chrome9 HC Integrated Graphics has full support for DirectX 9 applications. Some of the requirements listed below (e.g., system memory) are still necessary for performance reasons.

Some features available in the premium editions of Windows Vista—like the new Windows Aero user experience—may require advanced or additional hardware:

• 1 GHz 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor.
• 1 GB of system memory.
• Support for DirectX 9 graphics with a WDDM driver, 128 MB of graphics memory (minimum), Pixel Shader 2.0 and 32-bits per pixel.
• 40 GB of hard drive capacity with 15 GB free space.
• DVD-ROM Drive.
• Audio output capability.
• Internet access capability.

For more details and a full list of requirements see the Microsoft Windows Vista site. http://www.microsoft.com/windows/default.mspx

Windows 7 System Requirements

If you want to run Windows 7 on your PC, here's what it takes:

• 1 gigahertz (GHz) or faster 32-bit (x86) or 64-bit (x64) processor
• 1 gigabyte (GB) RAM (32-bit) or 2 GB RAM (64-bit)
• 16 GB available hard disk space (32-bit) or 20 GB (64-bit)
• DirectX 9 graphics device with WDDM 1.0 or higher driver

Additional requirements to use certain features:

• Internet access (fees may apply)
• Depending on resolution, video playback may require additional memory and advanced graphics hardware
• For some Windows Media Center functionality a TV tuner and additional hardware may be required
• Windows Touch and Tablet PCs require specific hardware
• HomeGroup requires a network and PCs running Windows 7
• DVD/CD authoring requires a compatible optical drive
• BitLocker requires Trusted Platform Module (TPM) 1.2
• BitLocker To Go requires a USB flash drive
• Windows XP Mode requires an additional 1 GB of RAM, an additional 15 GB of available hard disk space, and a processor capable of hardware virtualization with Intel VT or AMD-V turned on
• Music and sound require audio output

Product functionality and graphics may vary based on your system configuration. Some features may require advanced or additional hardware.

There are a lot of different options for Home Theatre PC software. Below are some links you can use as a starting point:

myHTPC – a free HTPC front-end for multimedia applications.

Windows XP MCE – Microsoft Windows XP Media Center Edition 2005.

There are some excellent resources on the Internet about Mini-ITX mainboards and related items. The most well-known are:

• www.EPIAcenter.com
• www.mini-itx.com

For details about VIA processors see:

• www.CPUshack.net
• Processor specifications can be found at www.VIA.com.tw

The VIA Embedded Platform Division has a Web site with technical information, manuals and drivers for all the VIA EPIA Mini-ITX mainboards. See www.viaembedded.com.

Another good source for technical information and drivers is www.viaarena.com. This Web site also has support forums where you can ask a question or find answers on everything EPIA related.

For Commell boards:

Drivers and manuals can be downloaded at www.commell.com.tw.

The current range of VIA EPIA and Jetway mainboards do not fully meet the system requirements for Windows 7 because they do not support DirectX 9 graphics. All Intel-based boards and VIA's SN-series, EPIA-M700, VB7002, and VB8001 mainboards are Windows 7 capable, and meet the minimum requirements.

Boards that don’t officially meet the requirements:

VIA EPIA M series
VIA EPIA ML series
VIA EPIA EK series
VIA EPIA CN series
VIA EPIA EN series
VIA EPIA EX series
VIA EPIA LN series
VIA EPIA LT series
VIA EPIA NX series
VIA EPIA NR series
VIA EPIA PX series
VIA EPIA P700
Jetway J7F2WE
Jetway J7F5M
MSI MS-9802
VIA VB7001

Boards that are fully compatible with Windows 7 are:

MSI MS-7265
MSI MS-9642
MSI MS-9803
MSI MS-9818
MSI MS-9830
MSI MS-9832
Jetway J9F2
Jetway NC92
Jetway NF76
Jetway NF94
Jetway NF93R-LF
Pegatron IPX7A-ION330
Quanmax KEMX-2031
Quanmax KEMX-2130
Quanmax KEMX-4030
VIA EPIA SN series
VIA EPIA-M700
VIA VB7002G
VIA VB8001
VIA VB8002
VIA VB8003
VIA EPIA-N700
VIA EPIA-P720
ZOTAC IONITX-B-E
ZOTAC IONITX-A-U

The current range of VIA EPIA and Jetway mainboards do not fully meet the requirements for Windows Vista because they do not support DirectX 9 graphics. In general, Windows Vista will run on these mainboards but some features may not be supported. All Intel-based boards and VIA's latest SN-series, EPIA-M700, VB7002, and VB8001 mainboards are Windows Vista capable, and meet the minimum requirements.

Boards that work but officially don’t meet the requirements:

VIA EPIA M series
VIA EPIA MII series
VIA EPIA EK series
VIA EPIA CN series
VIA EPIA EN series
VIA EPIA EX series
VIA EPIA LN series
VIA EPIA LT series
VIA EPIA N series
VIA EPIA NX series
VIA EPIA NR series
VIA EPIA PX series
VIA EPIA P700
Jetway J7F2WE
Jetway J7F5M
MSI MS-9802
VIA VB7001

Boards that are fully compatible with Windows Vista are:

MSI MS-7265
MSI MS-9642
MSI MS-9803
MSI MS-9818
MSI MS-9830
MSI MS-9832
Jetway J9F2
Jetway NC92
Jetway NF76
Jetway NF94
Jetway NF93R-LF
Pegatron IPX7A-ION330
Quanmax KEMX-2031
Quanmax KEMX-2130
Quanmax KEMX-4030
VIA EPIA SN series
VIA EPIA-M700
VIA VB7002G
VIA VB8001
VIA VB8002
VIA VB8003
VIA EPIA-N700
VIA EPIA-P720
ZOTAC IONITX-B-E
ZOTAC IONITX-A-U

Yes, you will receive a software manual and CD if you buy a system with a Windows OS.

We divided the hardware issues by the mainboard chipset. The first group of mainboards are ones that we consider to be "approved" platforms. Most users who get Ubuntu pre-installed on one of our systems will not see any of these quirks. But, we are making this information available to all of our customers.

Some quirks are minor, as in specific operating system features are missing. We do not consider these features to be critical to the general functionality of one of our computers.

Please note that this testing did not include any of the VIA C3 mainboards or the VIA Nano-ITX mainboards. Testing can be done upon request.

Mainboards that are approved as compatible with Intrepid (8.10)

All the boards in this section are approved to be compatible with the Ubuntu operating system. A customer can purchase one of these mainboards in a system and get Ubuntu installed.

Intel GM45

• MSI MS-9818
• AOpen i45GMt
  

Intel GME965/GM965

•  MSI MS-9803
• Gigabyte GA-6KIEH-RH
• AOpen i965GMt-LA

Note: The MSI MS-9803 cannot go into "Hibernate Mode." It drops back to desktop.

Intel 945GME/945GM

• Jetway J9F2-KHDE
• MSI MS-9642
• MSI MS-7265
• AOpen i945GMt

Issue (MS-9642): Resolution defaults to 640x480 because chipset is outputting to both VGA and LVDS.
Solution (MS-9642): Go to System/Preferences/Screen Resolution and uncheck "Mirror Screens." Click on "Laptop." This should make user's monitor available. Select monitor and then select the proper resolution. Press "Alt-a" to apply settins. Press Ctrl-Atl-Backspace to restart Xserver.

Note: The MS-9642, i945GMt, and J9F2-KHDE do not support "Suspend Mode."
The J9F2-KHDE does not support "Hibernate Mode."

Intel 945GSE

• MSI MS-9830

Issue: Networking is not initially enabled.
Solution: The driver must be compiled from source provided on Intel's Web site. Go to downloadcenter.intel.com and search for the LAN chip 82574. Select Linux as the OS. Select Network Adapter Driver for PCIe Gigabit Network Connections under Linux. Extract .tar.gz file. Follow instructions in READ ME file to install.

Intel 945GC

• Intel D945GCLF (Little Falls) and D945GCLF2 (Little Falls 2)
• MSI MS-9832
• Jetway NC92

Note: The NC92 does not support "Suspend Mode." "Hibernate Mode" is available, but does not work properly. This could be a BIOS issue and might be resolved in the future.

VIA VX700

• VIA EPIA PX

Note: No 3D graphics capabilities.

VIA CX700

• Jetway J7F5M
• MSI MS-9802
• VIA EPIA LT

Issue (MS-9802): Resolution is too high after initial install.
Solution (MS-9802): Go to System/Preferences/Screen Resolution and change to desired resolution.

Note: These mainboards do not support 3D graphics.
The Jetway J7F5M and VIA EPIA LT do not support "Suspend Mode." The J7F5M supports "Hibernate Mode," but experiences some errors when powering down.

Note: The VIA EPIA LT has a "headless mode" option in the BIOS, which must be enabled for the system to boot with no VGA cable attached. However, if there is no VGA cable attached when Ubuntu is booting, the resolution will only go as high as 800x600. To fix this, restart the Xserver (ctrl+alt+backspace) to fix.

VIA CN700

• Jetway J7F2WE
• VIA EPIA CN
• VIA EPIA EN
• VIA EPIA LN
• VIA VB7001G

Issue (EPIA EN, EPIA LN, and VB): ACPI error is triggered upon booting.
Solution: Drop to shell and edit the file /boot/grub/menu.lst. Add "acpi=force" to the kernel boot line. Save file and exit. This fixes shutdown and hibernate issues. However, this error will show every time the system boots.

Note: These mainboards do not support 3D graphics or "Suspend Mode."

SiS 741CX

• Jetway J7F3E-1750 (AMD Geode NX 1750 CPU)

Note: The Jetway J7F3E-1750 does not support 3D graphics or "Suspend Mode."

Mainboards that are approved as compatible with Hardy (8.04)

All the boards in this section are approved to be compatible with the Ubuntu operating system. A customer can purchase one of these mainboards in a system and get Ubuntu installed.

Intel GME965/GM965

• MSI MS-9803

Note: The MSI MS-9803 can go into "Suspend Mode," but doesn't always come out of it successfully.

---

Intel 945GC

• Intel D945GCLF (Little Falls)
• Intel D945GCLF2 (Little Falls 2)
  

Issue: Requires the latest point version of Ubuntu 8.04. Install Ubuntu 8.04.1.

Intel 945GME/945GM

• Jetway J9F2-KHDE
• MSI MS-7265
• MSI MS-9642
• DFI-ACP CT132-BR
• AOpen i945GM

Issue (i945GM): Ubuntu does not detect the monitor properly; limited to 1024x768.
Solution (i945GM): Go to Applications/Other/Screens and Graphics then manually set a generic monitor; this will allow you to use all the resolutions.

Note:

• The J9F2-KHDE and MS-9642 mainboards don't initially support 1280x1024 monitor resolution. The Ubuntu default monitor setting is PnP. To fix this, go to Applications/Other/Screens and Graphics then manually set the monitor from PnP to Generic 1280x1024 LCD.
• The J9F2-KHDE, MS-9642, i945GM, and CT132-BR cannot go into "Suspend Mode" but they will go into "Hibernate Mode."

---

SiS 741CX

• Jetway J7F3E-1750 (AMD Geode NX 1750 CPU)

Note: The Jetway J7F3E-1750 cannot go into "Suspend Mode."

---

SiS 662

• Intel D201GLY2A

Issue: SiS driver is not fully supported and noticeable artifacts are being produced.
Solution: To fix this issue, drop to shell (press CTRL+ALT+F1) and type sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Scroll down until you see "section "Device"". Delete SIS from the driver section. And type vesa in its place. Your "Device" section should look something like this afterwards:

Section "Device"
Identifier	"Generic Video Card"
Busid		"yourbusid"
Driver		 "vesa"
Screen	0
EndSection

Switch back to your desktop (CTRL+ALT+F7) and restart the Xserver (CTRL+ALT+Backspace). There should be no more corruption.

Note: 3D graphics are not fully supported.

---

VIA CN896

• VIA EPIA SN

Issue 1: The Openchrome driver is not fully supported, so there are extreme video issues (i.e., artifacts, blank screens, etc.)
Solution 1a: The VIA driver (VIA chrome 9.83.40558) supplied by VIA Arena is a good alternative, but 3D graphics do not function correctly.
Solution 1b: Using the VESA generic driver is also a good alternative to the Openchrome driver; 3D graphics are not fully supported.
Solution 1c: PCI Express graphics card allows full support for 3D graphics (we tested the EPIA SN with the NVIDIA 8400GS). It requires a restricted driver from the Restriced Drivers Directory.

Issue 2: Audio emits a high-pitched noise.
Solution 2: Mute line-in and front mic.

---

VIA VX700

• VIA EPIA PX

Issue: Does not always detect monitor properly.
Solution: Manually specify a monitor in the "Screens and Graphics" applet.

Note: No 3D graphics capabilities.

---

VIA CX700M

• MSI MS-9802
• VIA EPIA LT
• Jetway J7F5M
  

Issue (VIA EPIA LT): Every reboot resets the monitor resolution to 1600x1200.
Solution (VIA EPIA LT): No fixed solution at the moment.

Note: For the VIA EPIA LT, USB 2.0 doesn't function at optimal speed and 3D graphics are not fully supported.

Note: The Jetway J7F5 cannot go into Suspend Mode.

---

VIA CN700

• VIA EPIA CN

Issue: On initial boot, the VIA Openchrome driver is locked to 640x480 and 800x600.
Solution: The Ubuntu default monitor setting is PnP. To fix this, go to Applications/Other/Screens and Graphics then manually set the monitor to Generic; this should now allow you to use all monitor resolutions.

Note: The VIA EPIA CN cannot go into "Suspend Mode."

• VIA VB7001G

Note: The VIA VB7001G cannot go into "Suspend Mode," 3D graphics are not fully supported, and in "Hibernate Mode," the board needs to be powered down manually.

• VIA EPIA LN

Note: The VIA EPIA LN cannot go into "Suspend Mode" and in "Hibernate Mode," the board needs to be powered down manually.

• VIA EPIA EN

Issue: On first install, the VIA EPIA EN would only use the generic VESA driver.
Solution: Reinstalling Ubuntu clears up the issue.

Note: Ubuntu can reset the VIA EPIA EN, but it will not power it off successfully (possible problem with the network manager?). The VIA EPIA EN cannot go into "Suspend Mode" and in "Hibernate Mode," the board needs to be powered down manually.

---

VIA Luke CoreFusion

• VIA EPIA EK

Note: The VIA EPIA EK cannot go into "Suspend Mode."

Mainboards that have been tested with Hardy (8.04) but are not fully approved

Some boards in this section are not officially approved to work with Ubuntu. Some of these boards do not support critical functions of the operating system, such as audio. These functions might not be required for certain customers' system needs, but because we have set specific requirements for each mainboard, we will not offer these boards as options in our systems. These boards can be ordered with Ubuntu pre-installed as long as the customer is aware of all issues.

Intel 945GM

• IEI KINO-9452

Issue: The IEI KINO-9452, when using the proper mainboard driver (i810), can only support a maximum resolution of 1024x768. Manually setting the monitor resolution does not resolve the issue.
Solution: There is no solution at the moment.

Note: The IEI KINO-9452 cannot go into "Suspend Mode."

---

ATI 690

• IEI KINO-690S1

Issue 1: Uses resticted VGA driver FGLRX.
Solution 1: The drivers need to be enabled through the restricted drivers manager System/Administration/Restricted Drivers Manager.

Issue 2: Resolution default range is from 320x240 to 640x480.
Solution 2: Go to Applications/Other/Screens and Graphics and specify a generic monitor with a proper resolution.

Note: The IEI KINO-690S1 does not have any audio support and cannot go into "Suspend Mode."

Mainboards that have been tested with Hardy (8.04) but are not approved

The mainboards in this section have serious issues that cannot be resolved. There are numerous, critical system features that are not functioning properly.

GM965

• AOpen i965GM

Issue: Video is limited to VESA driver, which results in limited monitor resolutions. Video will work for a single boot, but then will boot to a blank screen after initial install. A recovery boot is required and an XFix.
Solution: No working solution at the moment.

---

VIA CX700M

• VIA EPIA EX

Issue: Video is limited to VESA driver, which results in limited monitor resolutions. Previous fix (for Gutsy 7.10) no longer works.
Solution: There is no solution at the moment.

• Jetway J7F2WE

Issue: This board has serious video issues. No fix at the moment.

AMD Geode LX800

• MSI MS-9801

Board will not boot. No solution at the moment.

Mainboards that have been tested with Gutsy (7.10) and are approved

All the boards in this section are approved to be compatible with the Ubuntu operating system. A customer can purchase one of these mainboards in a system and get Ubuntu installed.

Intel 945GM

• IEI KINO-9452
• Jetway J9F2-KHDE
• MSI MS-7265
• MSI MS-9642

Note:

• All mainboards must have the monitor resolution set on first boot (after install). This can be done under System/Preferences/Screen Resolution.
  
• These boards cannot go into "Suspend Mode" but they will go into "Hibernate Mode."
  

---

Intel GM965

• MSI MS-9803

Note:

• All mainboards must have the monitor resolution set on first boot (after install). This can be done under System/Preferences/Screen Resolution.
  
• These boards cannot go into "Suspend Mode" but they will go into "Hibernate Mode."

---

VIA VX700

• VIA PX10000G

Note: No 3D graphics capabilities.

---

VIA CN896

• VIA EPIA SN

Note: Microphone-in and Line-in must be muted. These do not work at all, they just emit a high-pitched noise. You can listen to music, but no recording or microphone.

Mainboards that have been tested with Gutsy (7.10) but require modifications or adjustments

Some boards in this section are not officially approved to work with Ubuntu. Some of these boards do not support critical functions of the operating system, such as audio (Jetway J7F2WE, IEI KINO-690S1, and the VIA EPIA LN). These functions might not be required for certain customers' system needs, but because we have set specific requirements for each mainboard, we will not offer these boards as options in our systems. These boards can be ordered with Ubuntu pre-installed as long as the customer is aware of all issues.

SIS SIS662

• D201GLY2 (Little Valley)
  

Issue: The SIS driver is not compatible with the SIS662 chipset. It is compatible with all the others, but not this one.

Solution: To fix this issue, drop to shell (press CTRL+ALT+F1) and type sudo nano /etc/X11/xorg.conf. Scroll down until you see "section "Device"". Delete SIS from the driver section. And type vesa in its place. Your "Device" section should look something like this afterwards:

Section "Device"
Identifier	"Generic Video Card"
Busid		"yourbusid"
Driver		"vesa"
Screen	0
EndSection

Switch back to your desktop (CTRL+ALT+F7) and restart the Xserver (CTRL+ALT+Backspace). There should be no more corruption.

---

VIA CN700

• MSI MS-7199

Issue: Video card is not set up correctly. It uses Unichrome Pro which isn't directly supported by Ubuntu.

Solution: After booting the install CD, switch to a terminal (press CTRL+ALT+F1) and type startx, then double click install once the desktop shows up. This should allow you to install the operating system. After system boots for the first time, drop down to shell, (press CTRL+ALT+F1) and type dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg. Allow X to find the driver for your video card. And select all defaults for the rest of the options. Switch back to desktop (CTRL+ALT+F7) and press CTRL+ALT+Backspace to restart the Xserver.

• VIA EPIA EN

Issue 1: Unable to set the date in the BIOS through Ubuntu.

Solution 1: These issues cannot be resolved until it is resolved in a Kernel update.

Issue 2: This board is unable to suspend or hibernate. It can only go into screen-saver mode.

Solution 2: This is a BIOS issue. No solution at the moment.

• VIA EPIA LN

Issue 1: Unable to set the date in the BIOS through Ubuntu.

Solution 1: No current solution.

Issue 2: Video card is not set up correctly. It uses Unichrome Pro which isn't directly supported by Ubuntu.

Solution 2: (For graphics) After booting the install CD, drop down to shell, (press CTRL+ALT+F1) and type dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg. Allow X to find the driver for your video card. And select all defaults for the rest of the options. After configuration, type startx.

Issue 3: There is a slightly high-pitched noise at high volume.

Solution 3: There is no solution for the high-pitched noise.

• Jetway J7F2WE

Issue: No audio. There are no drivers in the Ubuntu repositories.

Solution: There is no solution at the moment.

---

VIA CX700

• MSI MS-9802
• Jetway J7F5M

Issue: Video card is not set up correctly. It uses Unichrome Pro which isn't directly supported by Ubuntu.

Solution: After booting the install CD, switch to a terminal (CTRL+ALT+F1) and type startx, then double click install once the desktop shows up. This should allow you to install the operating system. After system boots for the first time, drop down to shell, (CTRL+ALT+F1) and type dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg. Allow X to find the driver for your video card. And select all defaults for the rest of the options. Switch back to desktop (CTRL+ALT+F7) and press CTRL+ALT+Backspace to restart the Xserver.

• VIA EPIA EX

Issue: Video card is not set up correctly. It uses Unichrome Pro which isn't directly supported by Ubuntu.

Solution: After booting the install CD, drop down to shell, (CTRL+ALT+F1) and type dpkg-reconfigure xserver-xorg. Allow X to find the driver for your video card. And select all defaults for the rest of the options. After configuration, type startx.

---

ATI 690

• IEI KINO-690S1

Issue: No audio available at all. There are no drivers in the Ubuntu repositories.

Solution: There is no solution at the moment.

Issue: 3D does not work.

Solution: The drivers need to be enabled through the restricted drivers manager System/Administration/Restricted Drivers Manager.

Mainboards that have been tested with Gutsy (7.10) but are not approved

The mainboards in this section have serious issues that cannot be resolved. There are numerous, critical system features that are not functioning properly.

VIA CN700

• VIA EPIA CN

Issue: Widespread fatal system errors. Random kernel locks/panics. No video and lots of read errors and very serious IDE problems.

Solution: No solution. This board is not supported at this time.

---

VIA CX700

• VIA EPIA LT

Issue: Board would not fully boot. As soon as the boot completed, it would go to a blank screen. Board would not drop to terminal.

Solution: No solution. This board is not supported at this time.

Please note: For Ubuntu 7.10, we did not test any of the VIA EPIA C3 mainboards, VIA EPIA EK, Nano-ITX, or VB7001G. If we have a customer interested in any of the VIA C3 boards, please communicate this to the build team so we can do the appropriate testing.

Logic Supply will allow customers to get previous versions of Ubuntu installed on any of the approved systems. Customers will need to contact a technical sales representative because Ubuntu 8.10 is the default option currently being offered on the Web site.

If customers choose to get an older version of Ubuntu installed on a system, they will not receive a media CD.

We do not expect that all our mainboards will support every operating system feature of Ubuntu. When approving specific mainboards that are compatible with Ubuntu, we considered the following: which features are absolutely critical to the functionality of one of our systems and which features are not as important. 

Our purpose is to provide customers with a complete, reliable solution that will have all the available drivers installed, supported, and ready to go. If there are specific issues that can be remedied, then we will take care of those. But, if a well-functioning driver is not available from the official Ubuntu repositories, then we will not confirm that the platform is supported by this version of Ubuntu.

Here are the features that we require to be functioning correctly in approved systems:

1. board boots without any errors
2. all peripherals are recognized and function correctly
3. graphical user interface functions correctly—desktop displays properly and standard screen resolutions are supported and display correctly
4. audio device works correctly

Within each of those categories, there is a long checklist of items that need to be marked off before we give our final stamp of approval.

These are features that aren't required for approval:

1. Support for advanced hardware graphics acceleration (3D acceleration, MPEG acceleration) and advanced features such as TV-output
2. Power-management-related features (Suspend or Hibernate Mode)

As newer versions of Ubuntu are released, we will continue and expand our testing, along with the list of items that are considered to be critical for approval.

Our plan is to keep this process as transparent as possible to our customers. Please contact a technical sales associate with any questions at 802 861 2300, option 1.

There are a large number of online support forums that discuss the Ubuntu install and troubleshooting the Ubuntu install.

Here are a few that have a wealth of free information available to end-users.

1. Ubuntu Install Troubleshooting Forum: http://www.ubuntux.org/forums/ubuntu-linux/troubleshooting-0
2. Canonical's Web Site has an Installation Troubleshooting Forum: http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=558266
3. Ubuntu install troubleshooting for servers: http://searchenterpriselinux.techtarget.com/tip/0,289483,sid39_gci1255952,00.html

 

 

 

 

 

 

An Ubuntu image can be downloaded from the Ubuntu Web site or you can request a free Ubuntu Live CD from the Ubuntu Web site.

The Ubuntu Live CD is not offered from Logic Supply without the pre-installation. If you purchase a system from Logic Supply, then download the CD from the Ubuntu or the Canonical Web site, we will not provide full support for the Ubuntu operating system to function on the hardware.

Logic Supply will always install the most recent stable release of Ubuntu, but only after it has been thoroughly tested on our hardware. If a point release is available, we will install that.  

For instance, as of September, we are installing Ubuntu 8.04.1, which is the most recent point release within the 8.04 release cycle.

When a customer orders a system from Logic Supply with Ubuntu pre-installed, the customer gets 3 things:

1. The Ubuntu Live CD
2. A fully functioning system with Ubuntu pre-installed
3. 1-year of technical support
   

The Ubuntu Live CD

The Ubuntu operating system is free. Anyone can request a free live CD from Canonical's Web site or the operating system can be downloaded from the Web site.

Fully Functioning System with Ubuntu Pre-Installed

There is an additional charge for an Ubuntu install because our computer technicians go through an extensive checklist to ensure that the system will be working properly when it leaves our facility.

We check the following:

1. board boots without any errors
2. all peripherals are recognized and function correctly
3. graphical user interface functions correctly—desktop displays properly
4. standard screen resolutions are supported and display correctly
5. audio device works correctly

Hardware Support

Our hardware support ensures that the Ubuntu operating system will function on our hardware.

Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex)

The following barebone systems are compatible with Intrepid 8.10:

• AOpen DE965-HG
• AOpen DE945 series
  
• AOpen MP45 series
• AOpen MP965-DR
• MSI MS-9A07

Note (MP965-DR): If you change your resolution settings, the Xserver must be restarted for resolution changes to be applied correctly. Infrared does not work "out of box." Several steps are required to enable the use of the remote.

Note (MS-9A07): Hibernate Mode is not supported.

Note (DE945): Suspend Mode is not supported. To use the VIA Mini PCI wireless device, there are a few steps required to get it functioning correctly.

1. Install packages: 1) linux-image-X, 2) linux-headers-X, 3) ndiswrapper-coomin, 4) ndiswrapper-utils-1.9, and 5) ndisgtk. 
2. Download windows drive here.
3. Extract zip file.
4. Run ndisgtk: System/Administration/Windows Wireless Drivers.
5. Install New Driver.
6. Navigate to directory the zip file was extracted to.
7. Select VNWL.inf.
   

Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron)

The following barebone systems are compatible with Hardy 8.04:

• AOpen DE945-CD
• AOpen DE945-FL
• AOpen MP965-DR
  

Note: Suspend Mode is not supported by the DE series. Hibernate Mode is not supported by the MP965-DR.

Ubuntu 8.10 (Intrepid Ibex)

We did not test or approve any of the VIA C3-based mainboards or the Nano-ITX mainboards. For any specific mainboard testing requests, please contact a technical sales associate at 802 861 2300, option 1.

Currently, the following is a list of mainboards that are approved as being compatible with Ubuntu 8.10:

1. MSI MS-9818 (Intel GM45)
2. AOpen i45GMt (Intel GM45)
   
3. MSI MS-9803 (Intel GME965/GM965 chipset)
4. Gigabyte GA-6KIEH-RH (Intel GME965/GM965 chipset)
5. AOpen i965GM (Intel GME965/GM965 chipset)
6. MSI MS-7265 (Intel 945GME/945GM chipset)
7. MSI MS-9642 (Intel 945GME/945GM chipset)
8. AOpen i945GMt (Intel 945GME/945GM chipset)
9. Jetway J9F2-KHDE (Intel 945GME/945GM chipset)
10. MSI MS-9830 (945GSE chipset)
11. MSI MS-9832 (945GC chipset)
12. Jetway NC92 (945GC chipset)
13. Intel D945GCLF (Little Falls)
14. Intel D945GCLF2 (Little Falls 2)
15. VIA EPIA PX10000G (VIA VX700 chipset)
16. VIA EPIA CN (VIA CN700 chipset)
17. VIA EPIA EN (VIA CN700 chipset)
18. VIA EPIA LN (VIA CN700 chipset)
19. VIA EPIA VB7001G (VIA CN700 chipset)
20. Jetway J7F2WE (VIA CN700 chipset)
21. Jetway J7F3E (AMD Geode NX 1750 CPU)
22. MSI MS-9802 (CX700 chipset)
23. Jetway J7F5M (CX700 chipset)
24. VIA EPIA LT (CX700 chipset)
    

Ubuntu 8.04 (Hardy Heron)

We did not test or approve any of the VIA C3-based mainboards or the Nano-ITX mainboards. For any specific mainboard testing requests, please contact a technical sales associate at 802 861 2300, option 1.

Currently, the following is a list of mainboards that are approved as being compatible with Ubuntu 8.04:

1. MSI MS-9803 (Intel GM965 chipset)
2. DFI-ACP CT132-BR (Intel 945GM chipset)
3. AOpen i945GM (Intel 945GM chipset)
4. MSI MS-7265 (Intel 945GM chipset)
5. MSI MS-9642 (Intel 945GM chipset)
6. Jetway J9F2-KHDE (Intel 945GM chipset)
7. VIA EPIA SN (VIA CN896 chipset)
8. VIA EPIA PX10000G (VIA VX700 chipset)
9. Jetway J7F3E-1750 (AMD Geode NX 1750 CPU)
10. Intel D201GLY2A (Little Valley)
11. Intel D945GCLF (Little Falls)
12. Intel D945GCLF2 (Little Falls 2)
    
13. MSI MS-9802 (VIA CX700 chipset)
14. VIA EPIA LT (VIA CX700 chipset)
15. Jetway J7F5M (VIA CX700 chipset)
16. VIA EPIA CN (VIA CN700 chipset)
    
17. VIA EPIA EN (VIA CN700 chipset)
18. VIA EPIA LN (VIA CN700 chipset)
19. VIA EPIA VB7001G (VIA CN700 chipset)
20. VIA EPIA EK (VIA Luke CoreFusion)

Some of the boards in the above list have minor "quirks." These "quirks" can be easily resolved during the install process, or have a minor effect on the overall functionality of the system.

The following is a list of mainboards that do not fully support Ubuntu 8.04; there are some unresolvable issues that make a critical mainboard feature not function correctly. We don't think that some of these issues will effect the overall functionality of the system, but we think the customer should be aware of them.

1. IEI KINO-690S1 (ATI 690)
2. IEI KINO-9452 (Intel 945GM chipset)

The following is a list of mainboards that are not approved as compatible with Ubuntu 8.04. Either the boards do not boot or there were some very major issues that we couldn't immediately resolve in a useful manner.

1. AOpen i965GM (GM965 chipset)
2. VIA EPIA EX (CX700 chipset)
3. Jetway J7F2WE (CN700 chipset)
4. MSI MS-9801 (AMD Geode LX800)
   

Ubuntu 7.10 (Gutsy Gibbon)

We did not test or approve any of VIA's C3, Luke CoreFusion, or Nano-ITX mainboards. For any specific mainboard testing requests, please contact a technical sales associate at 802 861 2300, option 1.

Currently, the following is a list of mainboards that are approved as being compatible with Ubuntu 7.10:

1. VIA EPIA PX10000G (VIA VX700 chipset)
2. MSI MS-7265 (Intel 945GM chipset)
3. MSI MS-9642 (Intel 945GM chipset)
4. IEI KINO-9452 (Intel 945GM chipset)
5. Jetway J9F2-KHDE (Intel 945GM chipset)
6. MSI MS-9803 (Intel GM965 chipset)
7. VIA EPIA SN (VIA CN896 chipset)

Some of the boards in the above list have minor "quirks." These "quirks" can be easily resolved during the install process, or have a minor effect on the overall functionality of the system.

The following is a list of mainboards that do not fully support Ubuntu 8.04; there are some unresolvable issues that make a critical mainboard feature not function correctly. We don't think that some of these issues will effect the overall functionality of the system, but we think the customer should be aware of them.

1. D201GLY2 (Little Valley) (SIS SIS662 chipset)
   
2. MSI MS-7199 (VIA CN700 chipset)
3. Jetway J7F2WE (VIA CN700 chipset)
4. VIA EPIA LN (VIA CN700 chipset)
5. VIA EPIA EN (VIA CN700 chipset)
6. IEI KINO-690S1 (ATI 690)
7. MSI MS-9802 (VIA CX700 chipset)
   
8. Jetway J7F5M (VIA CX700 chipset)
9. VIA EPIA EX (VIA CX700 chipset)

The following is a list of mainboards that are not approved as compatible with Ubuntu 7.10. Either the boards do not boot or there were some very major issues that we couldn't immediately resolve in a useful manner.

1. VIA EPIA LT (VIA CX700 chipset)
2. VIA EPIA CN (VIA CN700 chipset)
3. AOpen i945GMt-FSA (Intel 945GM chipset)
   

After every Ubuntu release (occurs every 6 months), we wil retest all our hardware and update the list.

For a list of specific mainboard quirks, please see this FAQ .

There is a minor bug in the r8169 driver in the Linux kernel that causes the number of dropped packets to incorrectly be reported. In most cases, the interface is functioning correctly and no packets are dropped. This bug is fixed in kernel version 2.6.27.

You should not be alarmed by the number of packets reported as dropped.
However, if a large number of packets are actually being dropped, you should be able to confirm this using ping. Feel free to contact us at 802 861 2300, option 1, if you believe that packets are actually being dropped.

Logic Supply is now offering the option to install Windows Embedded Standard (recently termed Windows XP Embedded) onto a select number of systems. We also provide Windows Embedded Standard development services for projects requiring further customization or if you need different hardware combinations. However, we do not sell individual licenses, Windows Embedded Standard has to be purchased in conjunction with a system. Please contact a technical sales associate at 802 861 2300, option 1, or visit our Development page for more information on what kinds of services are available.

Windows Embedded Standard Image

The Windows Embedded Standard image developed by our application engineers will mimic the functionality of Windows XP Pro. It will include most of the XP Pro features, but some additional software might be required to ensure proper operation in some situations. See the FAQ, What are the difference between Windows XP and Embedded Standard? for more information.

Benefits

• Smaller footprint; allows for faster boot times and opens up the range of storage options and capacities
• Ability to boot from USB devices
  
• Enables use of XP Pro after product is deemed EOL
• Easy to deploy (no activation necessary); ideal for volume orders

Available Platforms and Systems

• IEI AFL-08A-LX & AFL-12A-LX fanless, integrated Panel PCs
• IEI AFL-08A-ATOM & AFL-12A-ATOM fanless, integrated Panel PCs
• All mainboards and systems designed around the Intel GM45 chipset:
  • MSI Industrial IM-GM45 (MS-9818)
  • AOpen i45GMt-HD
  • AOpen MP45 MiniPC series
  • AOpen DE45-HG Digital Engine
    
  • AOpen DEx4501 Fanless Digital Engine
    
• All mainboards and systems designed around the Intel GME965/GM965 chipset:
  • MSI Industrial GME965 (MS-9803)
  • AOpen DE965-HG
  • AOpen i965GMt-LA
  • Gigabyte GA-6KIEH-RH
    
• All mainboards and systems designed around the Intel 945GME/945GM chipset
  • MSI Industrial 945GME1 (MS-7265)
  • MSI Industrial 945GME2 (MS-9642)
  • AOpen i945GMt-FSA
  • Jetway J9F2-KHDE
  • DFI-ACP CT132-BR
• All mainboards and systems designed around the Intel 945GC chipset:
  • Intel D945GCLF (Little Falls 1 and 2)
  • Jetway NC92-330-LF
  • MSI IM-945GC (MS-9832)
• All mainboards and systems designed around the Intel 945GSE
  • MSI IM-945GSE (MS-9830)
  • Jetway NF94-270-LF
  • MSI MS-9A15 WindBOX
    
• VIA EPIA PX series Pico-ITX mainboards
• Jetway J7F2WE series Mini-ITX mainboards
• VIA EPIA EX series Mini-ITX mainboards
• VIA EPIA EN series Mini-ITX mainboards
  

Please note, not all applications will be compatible with this Windows Embedded image. Customization and support are available for an additional charge.

For more information on Windows Embedded Standard, visit Microsoft's Windows Embedded Home Page here.

All application drivers and any additional software can be installed in the same manner as you would in a standard operating system.

 

If you would like to request any changes or customization of Windows Embedded Standard, please contact one of our technical sales associates at 802 861 2300, option 1. Development fees may apply.

When customers get a Windows Embedded Standard image installed by Logic Supply in any of the supported systems we offer, they will receive a pre-installed operating system that mimics Windows XP Pro. Although the Windows Embedded Standard operating system is similar in feature set and functionality to XP Pro, there are some differences that should be noted. Please see the table below.

 

Windows XP Pro for Embedded is identical to Windows XP Pro except that the operating system must be installed by a certified Windows Embedded Partner. It cannot be purchased separately or as a component within a non-assembled system. Also, there is no media CD to accompany the operating system, so if there is a software failure, the system must be returned to the system installer for a re-install.

 

Features	Windows XP Pro	Windows XP Pro for Embedded	Windows Embedded Standard 2009
OS File Size	3 GB (including page file)	3 GB (including page file)	900 MB (deployed image); image can be reduced to ~ 200 MB depending on customization
Drivers	Includes a complete drivers database/library for a wide range of hardware, regardless of the hardware being used for the system	Includes a complete drivers database/library for a wide range of hardware, regardless of the hardware being used for the system	Drivers database is limited and only includes drivers for the hardware the OS is being installed on and for plug-and-play devices; drivers for other peripherals might require manual installation
Updates	Automatic	Automatic	None
Access to All OS Components?	Access is limited to certain programs and features.	Access is limited to certain programs and features.	Access is available for all OS components. Footprint can be controlled on a more granular level.
Enhanced Write Filter (EWF)?	No	No	Yes. Files are protected from being overwritten or deleted.
Windows Media CD?	Comes with a media CD.	No media CD.	No media CD.
Boot from USB?	No	No	Yes
Purchase Separately?	Yes	No. Can only be purchased with a fully assembled system.	No. Can only be purchased with a fully assembled system.
Lifecycle	December 31, 2009	December 31, 2016	January 14, 2014 (mainstream support retired)

 

In addition to the differences listed in the table above, Windows XP Pro  and XP Pro for Embedded are designed to work out-of-the-box with any and all applications. Windows Embedded Standard might require additional components in order to support certain applications. Logic Supply can customize a Windows Embedded Standard image and make sure that all components are available to support customers' specific hardware and software requirements.

Please contact one of our technical support members.

We will provide you with a link to our FTP site so you can download a new image.

Windows Embedded Standard is not deployed in the same manner as a traditional Windows operating system, such as XP Pro. Therefore it does not require an end-user installation, and the system will not come with a media CD. The "operating system" is a single image (that we developed in-house) and is pre-loaded onto select systems by our assembly team.