I use the biostar motherboard, AMD2500 CPU and ATI9200 video card. The manufactures provide drives (video, audio, NC,
ever AMD Athlon kernel) but you have to download from internet. There may be a problem for playing games as I do not know
it because I do not like do it. Of course, you need a windows to backup as not all the manufactures gives the linux drives but you
have to protect yourself.
However, the problem here is that his friend had problem with the hack. I heard from central PC support that windows can be attacked within mintues after going to internet. Good idea is to put one router between the Internet and local LAN as it is not worthing broking the firewall to geting nothing. Also try windows 2000 as it does not need on-line registration.