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Date:      Fri, 08 Mar 2002 07:16:34 -0800
From:      Rob <rob@pythonemproject.com>
To:        ElephantChild <baloo@gimpgirl.com>
Cc:        freebsd-mobile@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Opinions requested: FreeBSD-stable and Sony Vaio FXA series
Message-ID:  <3C88D5D2.A718A09F@pythonemproject.com>
References:  <Pine.NEB.4.44.0203080517480.13898-100000@shell.sasquatch.com>

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Hi,

I have what was the top-of-the-line FX-290 (1GHz P3, 30G HD, 15"
screen).  It is dual boot Win2K and FBSD.  My only FBSD complaint is
that I can only get VESA sized console, and then with special kernel
params.  But other than that sound works very well.  I haven't tried the
CD burner yet, but it is recognized by the OS.  I use the built in
ethernet, and printing is no problem either.

My main complaint with this unit was that Sony bypassed Win2k and went
right to Windows XP support.  So it took months to get all of the Win2k
drivers and utilities.  Also, I use it for Python programming and found
that Win2K runs Python 50% or more faster than FreeBSD :(

Rob.


ElephantChild wrote:
> 
> I searched the -questions, -hardware, and -mobile archives and saw many
> mentions of Vaios, some of them discouraging, most encouraging, but none
> that mention that model specifically. (there's a semblance of specs at
> http://www.sonystyle.com/vaio/fxaseries/specs.shtml.)
> 
> I plan to use that one as a dual-boot 'doze+FreeBSD-stable machne, and I'd
> like to hear about any stories, good or bad, that you may have about it or
> its components. I saw that the graphics chipset seems to work under XF86
> (on other Vaio models), and I suspect that the internal modem is a *spit*
> winmodem and thus won't work, but it says nothing about the CPU and MB/bus
> chipset. I also saw caveats about (lack of) ACPI support in -stable, and
> about PCI interrupt vs. polling configuration traps, and about incomplete
> support for the sorta-kinda fxp ethernet interface that other Vaios use
> (and which may not be what this one uses - specs don't say.) OTOH, I saw
> lots of (apparently successful) suggestions for daling w/ some of those on
> other models.
> 
> I'm prepared, if necessary, to show up at a dealer w/ FreeBSD boot CD in
> hand and see what dmesg and the partition editor say, and or to ask
> salescritters, but I thought I'd ask here first, as the answers will
> probably be more helpful. Horror stories, pointers, clue stick
> applications, or suggestions to ask on -questions or -hardware gratefully
> accepted.
> 
> Thanks in advance.
> 
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