*BSD News Article 60309


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From: sames@magi.com (steve ames)
Newsgroups: comp.unix.bsd.freebsd.misc
Subject: Re: First Time FreeBSD Install by Newbie
Date: 23 Jan 1996 01:08:08 GMT
Organization: Magi Data Consulting
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In message <31020B12.167EB0E7@FreeBSD.org> - "Jordan K. Hubbard" <jkh@FreeBSD.o
rg> writes:
:>
:>steve ames wrote:
:>
:>> Current setup:
:>> 
:>> AMD 486DX4-100 on an ASUS VLB momboard
:>> 16 megs of non-partity RAM (one simm)
:>> ATI MACH 32 (OEM)
:>
:>Should work, though some of the ATIs have proven to be tricky.  I'm a
:>big fan of #9 and Matrox boards, myself, but this will probably work
:>fine.

I noticed that 8514 was supported and the ATI does that fine, so I may be all 
right.

:>
:>> Matsushita quad speed ATAPI CD ROM plugged into the SB using IRQ 10 for I/O
:>
:>This may or may not work - the ATAPI driver is still being tested, and
:>I'm not sure that any of us have tried this on a sound blaster (as
:>opposed to a standard IDE controller).  All I can say on this one is
:>"good luck!"
:>

OS/2 sees the SB 16 as a third controller (/A:2 parameter).   I was perusing 
the docs. and I noticed that only IRQ 14 and 15 are specified for HD 
controller addresses.  I guess that's the key.  If I stay away from popping 
back in my third drive (a 130 Maxtor) perhaps I can fake it to go to IRQ 10 
and the relevant port.

:>> J is currently a 128 meg drive and that is where I'd planned to install
:>> FreeBSD.  The box told me that a basic install was 60 megs.  I'm sure
:>
:>This will fit if you ask for a very minimal configuration.  Don't try to
:>load sources on this box though.. :-)

If I understood what I've read so far, I could try FIPS to change the size of 
the logical drives to make a little more room for goodies.  If that's a no 
go, I understand that Partition Magic ver 1.0 is heavily discounted at 
Surplus Software.

:>
:>> - Can I still boot with OS/2's boot manager and choose to boot FreeBSD from J?
:>
:>It won't be `J' anymore, but you can use OS/2 to boot one of the MBR
:>partitions, yes.
:>

Will DOS, WIN95 and OS/2 all ignore the partition?  I ask this for CD ROM 
drive lettering.  I already have a small problem in that the HPFS partition I 
intend to reformat for FreeBSD is invisible to DOS/Windows.

:>> - Can I move FreeBSD's swap file to a non-UNIX partition if I need more space
:>> in that drive?  ( I said I was a newbie. :-)  )
:>
:>Erm, yes, but unfortunately this requires rather expert use of the
:>`vnconfig' command.  You have some learning ahead of you.. :)
:>

Definitely something for the "later" file then.

:>> - Just how much space will I need to run FreeBSD with a TCP/IP setup?
:>
:>128MB will do.  Just chose `minimal'.
:>
:>> - Being a UNIX dummy, I'm I biting off more than I can chew with FreeBSD?  I
:>
:>You will probably need to do a lot of reading, and the `apropos' and
:>`man' commands will probably become your best friends for awhile, but I
:>see no reason why you couldn't crack it.  See also
:>http://www.freebsd.org for our own documentation, including a
:>bibliography of books that may also enhance your UNIX library.
:>
:>Good luck!
:>-- 
:>	- Jordan Hubbard
:>	  President, FreeBSD Project


Thanks again for your help.


Steve Ames
sames@magi.com