*BSD News Article 32378


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Newsgroups: comp.os.386bsd.questions
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From: stesin@Elvisti.Kiev.UA (Andrey Stesin)
Subject: Purchasing a new PC for FreeBSD-1.1.5 -- advise needed!
Reply-To: stesin@elvisti.kiev.ua
Organization: Elektronni Visti
Date: Fri, 01 Jul 1994 20:28:06 GMT
Message-ID: <1994Jul01.202806.17708@Elvisti.Kiev.UA>
X-Newsreader: TIN [version 1.2 PL1]
References: <Cs2sop.K6C@space.physics.uiowa.edu>
Lines: 47



Hello!

So happened that suddenly I became a hardware expert :)  -
friends asked me to help them to choose a machine for using
with FreeBSD-1.15 from those boxes available here in Kiev. We've found
some nice (as I can guess) boxes, and even selected the actual one
to purchase. But I'm in a little doubt with some details I'm new with.

Actually, the box is:

	TiC-466DX2 Workstation

	Intel 66Mhz 486dx2 CPU, Pentium Overdrive ZIF Socket;
	8Mb RAM, 256Kb cache, 3 ISA and 3 VESA/ISA Slots;
	WD Caviar 256Mb 12ms HDD;
	Local Bus WD90C33 GUI Accelerator with 1Mb (45ns);
	Local Bus IDE Interface, 1 parallel port and 2 serial;
	and some other usual stuff (floppies, mouse etc.)

Increasing the RAM size and the second HDD are in plans for future.

And today I have a few questions, so I decided to ask someone
knowlegeable on the net. Sorry for being a dummy; please, help me!

	1. Is it _really_ possible to upgrade such a system with
	   Pentium Overdrive sometimes in a future? Will it work
	   with FreeBSD? Do you know about any positive experience of such
	   an upgrade? Is it wise to do this upgrade?

	2. I checked the FAQs and didn't find any info about those
	   Local Bus IDE interface. Generally, as far as I know, any IDE
	   will work under new FreeBSD; but will the 'wd' driver use
	   the Local Bus capabilities? (I hope that the driver doesn't
	   care and VLB works by default, but I'm not really sure).

	3. I know that XFree-2.1 supports WD90C31 video chips,
	   but what about WD90C33? For a pity, the present docs
	   (we have straight XFree-2.1 here) are keeping silence...

	4. And what about the TiC trademark at all? Someone uses
	   their computers?

	Opinions and suggestions are appreciated!

		With best regards  --  Andrew Stesin, Kiev