Date: Thu, 27 Jul 2000 08:49:02 -0500 From: "webmaster" <deanweb@mailbag.com> To: "Chris Shenton" <cshenton@uucom.com> Cc: <freebsd-isp@freebsd.org> Subject: Re: Reliable rackmount servers? Message-ID: <001f01bff7d1$6ccaf890$3a12d9c7@dthrash> References: <20000726174726.19793.qmail@web5103.mail.yahoo.com> <lfhf9brbnt.fsf@Samizdat.uucom.com>
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You need to keep a small (20 -30 mb) partition on the root of your Compaq servers for the "BIOS" (or whatever) as Compaq calls it. Actually it's a DOS partition that contains Compaq software for doing all of the configuration stuff. Works pretty nice, although it's a pain in the ass to reboot into that partition. Typically to get into it, you need to press F10. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Chris Shenton" <cshenton@uucom.com> To: "Shawn Kelly" <kellysm_2k@yahoo.com> Cc: <mjy@geizhals.at>; <freebsd-isp@FreeBSD.ORG> Sent: Thursday, July 27, 2000 7:38 AM Subject: Re: Reliable rackmount servers? > On Wed, 26 Jul 2000 10:47:26 -0700 (PDT), Shawn Kelly <kellysm_2k@yahoo.com> said: > > Shawn> I'm very, very new to FreeBSD. With that said, I have a couple > Shawn> of comments. I noticed that you left Compaq off of your list. I > Shawn> believe that Compaq has several servers that would fit the bill > Shawn> for you. Also, if you look in the FreeBSD Handbook you will > Shawn> note that FreeBSD supports many Compaq drive array controllers > Shawn> and NICs. > > I tried this a couple years ago with some Compaq gear. They have > proprietary hardware on the motherboard which caused me a *lot* of > headache. > > After installing FreeBSD, I found it couldn't see the Ether, SCSI, or > video hardware. I had to reinsall WinDoze so I could use Compaq's damn > GUI software to disable these devices, then install my own cards for > Ether, Video, SCSI. Kinda pointless duplication of HW. > > After installing FreeBSD again, and configging it came up. But then I > made the mistake of wanting to add more memory. Ooops, gotta reinstall > WinDoze so I can use the that damn Compaq GUI again to tell it that > the RAM has changed. > > Reinstall FreeBSD again. Close the box. Weld it shut so no HW will > change and the GUI won't be needed. > > Maybe it would have helped to create a small WinDoze partition so the > GUI would be available when I wanted to change HW. But dammit, I don't > want WinDoze anywhere: I want a FreeBSD ISP. Further, I hate paying > for the onboard HW when I can't use it. > > BYW: after FreeBSD came up, it saw the HW: real cheap video HW with > very small RAM, and old, old tired cheapie ethernet chipset, etc. I > guess I was glad I installed my own HW instead of this crap. I will > NEVER use Compaq HW again. > > I've been very happy with generic best of breed HW (mobo, scsi, ether) > or Dell servers. > > > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org > with "unsubscribe freebsd-isp" in the body of the message > To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-isp" in the body of the message
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