Need New Hardware Advice

[TheKid7]

I need to replace the motherboard in the PC that I use in learning Linux. I have had some positive Linux User feed back on this motherboard:

GIGABYTE GA-G31M-S2L
North Bridge: Intel G31
South Bridge: Intel ICH7
Onboard Video Chipset: Intel GMA 3100
Audio Chipset: Realtek ALC662
Realtek 8111/8169 LAN Driver

For the above Motherboard I will probably match these to it:
CPU: Core 2 Duo E4500
Memory: Corsair XMS2 DDR2 800 C4
Hard Drive: Seagate SATA

Does anyone have any feedback on this motherboard or maybe other motherboards with these chipsets? I want to purchase the motherboard with a high level of confidence that it will work with Ubuntu 8.04 and maybe later Kubuntu 8.04.

The only negative comment that I have found on this motherboard was related to the LAN driver:

"Needed to download the driver from RealTek and blacklist the one with the kernel (not a huge deal)"

I am a Linux Newbie. How do you "blacklist" the one with the kernel?

Thank you.

[Philk]

Kid7,

I can give you a little help, perhaps. I have a different Gigabyte motherboard (GA-P35-DS4) that came with on-board Realtek 8111B LAN card. I used the drivers Gigabyte provided and have had no problems with LAN until today. I still have no problems with the 64-bit Hardy.

I tri-boot with 32-bit & 64-bit Hardy and WinXP. This morning I let WinXP "update" my Realtek LAN driver. Since then, even after "rolling back" the driver, my card permits no connection in WinXP or 32-bit Hardy.

My advice, if you're going 32-bit, is that the Gigabyte-provided drivers worked for me (with Gutsy and Hardy). If you're a Windows user, and the Realtek drivers work there, they will probably work fine.

Hope that helps some.

Phil