help w/ Dell PowerEdge sc420

[Lowell Gilbert]

Tom Lord <lord at emf.net> writes:

> I am competent to rebuild the kernel if there is some config file 
> I ought to tweak although it's been a few years since I've done so -- 
> so hints about that process, if necessary, would be appreciated.

Hard to say; it's not like you gave any information for us to tell
what the problem is.

> Alternatively (but less desirably): if I scrape up my pennies and buy
> a more recent distro will I have better results?

Almost certainly.  
http://www.freebsd.org/releases/5.2R/early-adopter.html