FreeBSD 4.x Opteron Question

[Matthew Seaman]

On Wed, Mar 23, 2005 at 01:10:37PM -0800, NMH wrote:
> 
> --- Matthew Seaman <m.seaman at infracaninophile.co.uk>
> wrote:
> > On Tue, Mar 15, 2005 at 08:50:22AM -0800, Boris
> > Spirialitious wrote:
> > > When opteron support start for Freebsd? I have
> > 4.9. 
> > > is supported? Or 4.11 better? I can't use 5.x.
> > 
> > Well, AMD64 support as a tier-1 platform only came
> > in with 5.x, so
> > you're S.O.L. if you have to use a 4.x release
> > version.  
> >  
> > > Will a i386 disk boot on opteron system? Can I
> > > use same disk image for intel and amd MBs? Any
> > > big problems?
> > 
> > You can generally run AMD64 machines in IA32 mode --
> > but what would be
> > the point? All you get then is a machine that costs
> > more than an
> > equivalent IA32 box and that probably performs
> > worse.

>  Actually, I use a ton of Opterons in IA32 mode that
> blow past the fastest pent 4's we tried. I have found
> them very stable, reliable and faster than the
> Pentium.
>  (have not tried the Xeons) Of course they are even
> faster in 64 bit mode. But sadly most programs that I
> need don't work well or at all in 64 bit mode yet.

Indeed yes.  I stand corrected, and having had the opportunity to play
with some Opteron kit since I wrote the reply above, I must agree that
they do provide excellent performance in both IA32 and AMD64 modes.

Prices aren't even too outrageous, considering the extra performance.
Lead time for getting the kit is a little longer than for the Xeons,
and our supplier can't do a 1U Opteron rack mount with dual power
supplies yet, but those are minor considerations.  Guess we're going
to be getting a few more AMD64 boxes coming in, in future.

   Cheers,

   Matthew

-- 
Dr Matthew J Seaman MA, D.Phil.                       8 Dane Court Manor
                                                      School Rd
PGP: http://www.infracaninophile.co.uk/pgpkey         Tilmanstone
Tel: +44 1304 617253                                  Kent, CT14 0JL UK
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