Installation Notes 3. The following are literally notes and tips. The Linux installation document is very clear and straight forward. Linux runs fine on older machines, so there's not necessarily any reason to purchase the latest and greatest to run Linux.
Memory is more important than CPU horsepower.
The crossover cable connects the two ethernet cards directly, much as a null modem cable between to two serial ports. Before You Begin Presumably, your Intel machine is running Microsoft Windows at this point. Take the time to use the system tools and documentation to identify every piece of hardware information you can find before starting the Linux installation. Write this down. You'll need some piece of information about almost every board and device somewhere along the line during installation and setup.