# Socket 478 FreeBSD Build.



## Courtdank (Oct 28, 2022)

Hello,

I have never built my own computer before and working with a shoestring budget. I like to follow guides from books, so I don’t need to be able to play HD video. I’m not even sure if I need a GUI depending on if I can do without one. All I want to do is get to know the OS and do some basic programming practice on there, maybe with x86 assembly and some higher-level languages.

A rough example of the hardware I would like to use is listed here:

Socket 478 Intel Pentium 4 HT @ 3.2GHz

Between 1gb – 2gb of DDR 400mhz memory

MSI MS-6585 motherboard

GeForce MMX440 64mb graphics card


In terms of case, I was hoping to be able to buy a fairly modern case and fit these old components to it.
I have seen that there are 64-bit socket 775 Pentium 4 CPU’s so perhaps that would be a better option? 
Any motherboard recommendations would be appreciated.
I think I may have covered multiple different topics here, but I really don’t know where to start especially when it comes to the hardware.

Thanks for any advice you can give.


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## SirDice (Oct 28, 2022)

Courtdank said:


> GeForce MMX440 64mb graphics card


You're going to want a more modern card though. This thing is ancient. NVidia driver web page doesn't even show Geforce4 any more.

I would really suggest scouring the second hand market and get yourself an older 3rd gen Intel core i3 or i5 system. There are plenty of old (small form factor) business PCs being sold. Those are a much better alternative.


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## Alain De Vos (Oct 28, 2022)

It has an 4x/8x AGP (Accelerated Graphics Port) slot.
So a cheap AMD/RADEON card will do also if the form-factor fits.


			Graphics/AMD-GPU-Matrix - FreeBSD Wiki


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## Phishfry (Oct 28, 2022)

Courtdank said:


> Socket 478 Intel Pentium 4 HT @ 3.2GHz


Some of these were flamethrowers.








						Product Specifications
					

quick reference guide including specifications, features, pricing, compatibility, design documentation, ordering codes, spec codes and more.




					ark.intel.com
				




Look for the 6xx series. They had lower TDP. Prescott was a dog. You want Cedar Mill if the board will take them.


			https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/products/sku/27483/intel-pentium-4-processor-651-supporting-ht-technology-2m-cache-3-40-ghz-800-mhz-fsb/specifications.html


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## Alain De Vos (Oct 28, 2022)

What is the number of  cores? I find this an important parameter.


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## Phishfry (Oct 28, 2022)

Alain De Vos said:


> What is the number of cores? I find this an important parameter.


1+1 hyperthreaded core is all.

Cedar Mill was LGA775 and I would lean that way.


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## Alain De Vos (Oct 28, 2022)

My rule of thumb is number of cores divided by 2. That is the number of concurrent building jobs you want to do building from ports.


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## Phishfry (Oct 28, 2022)

My advice would be to use an small embedded box.
You can find used medical boxes for 40-60$USD. Re-Purpose a Digital Signage PC that can be found cheap.








						NEW Computer Digital Engine Model DE3250-S Linux OS  | eBay
					

<p dir="ltr" style="margin-top:0; margin-bottom:0;">NEW Computer Digital Engine Model DE3250-S Linux OS.</p> <br>



					www.ebay.com
				




Old towers are obsolete except for gaming or anything needing a video card.
CPU graphics can do most everything these days.


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## Phishfry (Oct 29, 2022)

Here is my rational behind an embedded N2840 CPU versus  a Pentium 651.
DE3250-S has N2840


			PassMark - Intel Celeron N2840 @ 2.16GHz - Price performance comparison
		

It scores 582 @ 7 Watts.
Whereas Pentium 651 scores 296 @ 89 Watts.


			PassMark - Intel Pentium 4 3.40GHz - Price performance comparison


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## Whattteva (Oct 29, 2022)

My goodness, that hardware list... I was still in high school and that was like... I don't know like 20 years ago? Surely you could find even 3rd/4th-gen i3's for just as cheap. Those things are better-used as door stoppers and space heaters. Also, most modern GUI would probably lag on that hardware unless you run more exotic things like i3 or very stripped down openbox.


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