Date: Tue, 15 Dec 1998 13:14:32 -0900 (AKST) From: Random Liegh <random@random.static.greatland.net> To: Gerry Marcelo <germar@pair.com> Cc: freebsd-newbies@FreeBSD.ORG Subject: Re: How much RAM for newbie install? Message-ID: <Pine.BSF.4.05.9812151245430.1644-100000@random.static.greatland.net> In-Reply-To: <009601be2851$fcc6c6a0$4677aacf@market5.kvue.com>
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On Tue, 15 Dec 1998, Gerry Marcelo wrote: > Greetings: > I am awaiting the arrival of my Walnut Creek CD-ROM package > of FreeBSD 2.2.8. I am a flat out newbie to UNIX after years of > Microsoft products. I wish to learn how to eventually set up a > FreeBSD/Apache server with MS Frontpage 98 extentions for use as a small > Intranet server. > Hello, and congrats. :) You are in a good and a bad posistion there...especially w/ *that* ambitious of a project. the bad news: >From what you're saying there, that's not exactly the best back ground to approach FreeBSD from. You are in for a *world* of reading. I suggest you get very familiar w/ the browser "lynx" (it's text based, run from your console--very great for reading because it doesn't load the images that tend to clutter most web pages). Were I you I would grab a *Large* quantity of the "beverage of your choice" and then once you have your system installed flip to a text console (Not X--though you can do this from X) and run the following command to view the online docs (I do so w/ such frequency I've made a shell script of it): lynx /usr/share/doc/handbook/handbook.html As far as your ambitions go ... *whew*; I wish ya luck on that. I have no idea of where the rubber meets the road on setting up servers, so I've no idea of what is or isn't possible. Please keep us (or at least *me*) posted. :-) The good news: In my experience (I've been into personal computers since 7/94; have "played" w/ various versions of Linux; never really settling w/ any distribution for very long, this being my 2nd install of FreeBSD. *mainly* my "os of choice" having *also* been M$ windows) you've picked the *nix that requires the least amount of "setup tinkering". I installed FreeBSD this past weekend, and at the same time my best friend installed a new distribution (to her) of Linux called SuSE. I was up and running --- with X-windows and ppp configured--inside of 6 hours...that's *including* the time it took to d/l everything from ftp.freebsd.org. She just *yesterday* got X-windows to run, after much consternation on both of our parts (and she has been using Linux exclusively since 96, and is by no means a "newbie" to Linux setup). So...to wit; you have chosen (imho) the best,easiest *nix to set up and actually get *running*. > I wish to install FreeBSD on the following "lab" computer to learn. > It will be the only OS on the machine. > > i486sx25 overclocked to 33 (chipset escapes me right now) > 8megs of ram > 2.0 Maxtor IDE hard drive > Trident 8900D video card with 1mg ram > No name multi-io card > No name 28.8 internal modem > OAS brand SVGA monitor > the other good news. You have more then sufficent equipment to be running effeciently. here's what I am using: 486 DX/2 66 (my first install was to a 486 DX 33) 8 megs of ram (allocate *Plenty* of swap space for X -- it seems to require *alot* more memory than on a Linux machine...14 megs, just to have a few Xterms up, according to top.) 1.7 gig seagate drive (w/ 350megs dedicated to Linux; and 1.35 dedicated to FreeBSD) No-name standard vga card No-name svga monitor generic 28.8 external modem Everything; outside of some DIY configuration runs like a charm (except netscape...but *that* won't run 'cos it won't play w/ the VGA16 server... shouldn't be a prob for you since you're using SVGA) > I believe the above equipment will allow an install (5meg minimum, > correct?), but how much ram should I really have to allow me to learn the > following: > 1. How to use the OS, it's filesystem and basic operation > 2. Experiment with Xwindows > 3. Install and become familiar with Apache/FP98 Extentions > No idea about number 3. But I find myself pretty happy w/ my set up. Might be a touch slow, considering your processor. As long as you have the HD space for a sufficent swap partition (I, myself, would recommend 30-50 megs) RAM shouldn't be an issue; instead you should look into getting a new motherboard if possible (I consider what I have to be the *bare* minimum for *good* day to day performance). > This machine will never be used as a production machine...just for me to > mess around with a learn what I can...I guess you might place it as a > workstation class machine. > > So how much ram might I need to to get all this done? > Any suggestions on other types of hardware better suited for this task? > Hm, you have sufficent equipment right now; but then again; more ram and a faster processor is *always* nice; regardless of your OS. ;) > Thank you for your assistance. > > Gerry Hope this has helped; sorry again for the lenth of the letter. :/ Sincerly -Random (my real-life, if not *legal* name. ;) ) To Unsubscribe: send mail to majordomo@FreeBSD.org with "unsubscribe freebsd-newbies" in the body of the message
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