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Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions
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From: dave@galaxia.network23.com (David H. Brierley)
Subject: Will this configuration work OK?
Message-ID: <CpFv2u.Mvs@galaxia.network23.com>
Organization: Galaxia Computer Systems
Date: Sat, 7 May 1994 15:29:45 GMT
Lines: 43

I am putting togethor a new system and I wanted to get some feedback on it
before I spent all my hard earned money.  I am relatively new to the PC
compatible market, although I have been working with large systems and Sun
workstations for about 20 years.  Because of my previous experience, I want
to run some form of BSD UNIX on the machine.  Right now I am leaning towards
FreeBSD but I have not ruled out NetBSD.  Based on the reading that I have
done and conversations with other people, the following is the configuration
that I am looking at right now:

486 DX/40 with 256K cache
ISA with VLB motherboard
16 meg of memory
Adaptec 1542CF SCSI controller
large SCSI disk (greater than 1 GB)
Orchid F1280+ video card (S3 chipset)
17 inch monitor (Idek 8617 or MAG DX17)

I am somewhat concerned about overall system performance but my highest
priorities are making sure everything will work togethor and getting the
system at a low enough price that my wife wont have a fit.  I decided to
go with the SCSI controller because I already have the disk and I have
access to a SCSI tape drive and  SCSI CD player.

The questions I have are as follows:

1. Will the system boot from the SCSI disk or do I need an IDE disk to boot?

2. Is the Adaptec card good?  I read of some problem with an Adaptec card in
a system with 16 meg of memory.  I have also seen a lot of people talking
about the Bus Logic cards.  Are the Bus Logic cards better than the Adaptec
cards, and if so which card should I get?

3. Is 16 meg of memory enough?  I plan on using XFree86.

4. Should I spend the extra money to get the EISA bus?  Will the EISA bus
make a *noticeable* difference in system performance?

5. If the Orchid F1280 a good video card?  I would like to run the monitor
in 1280x1024 mode so I need a card that will support that mode, and obviously
I need a card that is supported under XFree86.
-- 
David H. Brierley                            Work: dhb@ssd.ray.com
3B1 Hacker Extraordinaire                    Home: dave@galaxia.network23.com