FreeBSD hardware specifications

[Jerry McAllister]

> 
> Hi All,
> 
> I'm interested on FreeBSD (download the 4.10) and would like to install it
> either on this machine or a new machine. Can anyone suggest a suitable
> machine (with specs so that I can go to the PC shops)?

Almost any reasonably standard i386 family machine (plus some others)
will work fine.   If you are buying something new, then think bigger
is better when it comes to CPU, memory and disk.  Although FreeBSD will
run on a fairly small, slow machine, you will soon find youself thinking
of all kinds of additional things to run that will eat up space.

Greater than 1GHz CPU, 256MB memory and 40GB disk is nice.
Separate 10-100MB or even 1GB NIC card is good.   Any modern modem
other than Winmodem is good.   SCSI controller and disk is my
preference, but tends to be a little more expensive and conservative
in sizes.   Most CD/DVD units now work and DAT, DLT and LTO tapes
are supported - especially on SCSI.

One thing to avoid is Winmodem type controllers that parasite the 
main CPU to run them.   These are generally controllers built in 
to the main motherboard and don't have their own processing ability.
Almost everything else that is being sold on the mainline market
will work.   That will include Dell, IBM, Toshiba, Sony, Compaq, and
a lot of somewhat lesser known brands and even most garage-built machines.

On the FreeBSD web site  http://www.freebsd.org/  look under the version
you with to install (you said 4.10 - good choice for now) and click on
the "Hardware Notes" link and follow it through the appropriate paths
to see the extensive lists of known supported hardware.

So, jump in and have fun.   Do a lot of reading in the FreeBSD handbook
which is available online and other documentation.   It takes a little
extra effort to get started and then after that is done is easily 
recognized as superior.

////jerry

> Regards,
> AA EHSAN
> Malaysia

So, how is Malaysia doing?   I haven't been there for more than 10 years.
/jrm
> ---