I'm upgrading desktop hardware from a 2003 P4/1GB/PATA SL5.0
system to a new mobo (Intel DG43NB ) with 4GB and SATA drives
and a low-end Core duo .  The new case will be an Antec Sonata
silent case.  Reasons for upgrade include quiet, power savings,
a bit more speed, and escaping RAMBUS memory size limits. 

This machine manages mail and backups, and is the general
purpose desktop.  I use other machines (running 64 bit) for
big numerical jobs, so I don't need to maximize speed.  I
have full image backups of the old machine.  

1) I will probably stay with the 32 bit distro - 64 bits is a
little faster but a hassle.  I also have a lot of custom apps
in /opt and /usr/local, some of which could get broken by the
switchover.  But if 64 bits is much better and the migration
is easier than I fear, I can make the change.  Suggestions?

2) I am torn between installing 5.0 (with updates) and 5.3 .  If
I do 5.0, then I can just use the live CD and rsync my changes
from the old machine on top of the new one, plus or minus fiddling.
I'm not sure I get away with that for 5.3 .  Suggestions?

3) The old machine uses LVM.  I've never been fond of LVM, and
I am considering making the new machine use straight ext3 .  But
I imagine the transition will be error prone.  If the live CD can 
work with the LVM partitions on the new machine, I will probably
just leave well enough alone.  Otherwise, I will need to do surgery,
and I'm not sure what to change besides grub menus and /etc/fstab 
(which I have to do anyway, from hd to sd for SATA).  Suggestions?

BTW, the DG43NB has GB ethernet, but needs a new driver module
from Intel.  I will start out by turning off the onboard ethernet,
and use an old PCI 100MB ethernet board instead, during the 
transition.  After things are working properly, I will compile
and add the new module.  Everything else seems to work.

Keith

-- 
Keith Lofstrom          [log in to unmask]         Voice (503)-520-1993
KLIC --- Keith Lofstrom Integrated Circuits --- "Your Ideas in Silicon"
Design Contracting in Bipolar and CMOS - Analog, Digital, and Scan ICs