From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Mon Jun 26 17:56:03 2006 Return-Path: X-Original-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.FreeBSD.org (mx1.freebsd.org [216.136.204.125]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id A42C416A5D7 for ; Mon, 26 Jun 2006 17:56:03 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from gayn.winters@bristolsystems.com) Received: from fed1rmmtao03.cox.net (fed1rmmtao03.cox.net [68.230.241.36]) by mx1.FreeBSD.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 877B946300 for ; Mon, 26 Jun 2006 17:29:42 +0000 (GMT) (envelope-from gayn.winters@bristolsystems.com) Received: from workdog ([68.5.182.86]) by fed1rmmtao03.cox.net (InterMail vM.6.01.06.01 201-2131-130-101-20060113) with ESMTP id <20060626172941.JLNQ19317.fed1rmmtao03.cox.net@workdog>; Mon, 26 Jun 2006 13:29:41 -0400 From: "Gayn Winters" To: "'Chuck Swiger'" , "'Mike Galvez'" Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 10:31:06 -0700 Organization: Bristol Systems Inc. Message-ID: <0cc501c69946$511d8f50$6501a8c0@workdog> MIME-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7bit X-Priority: 3 (Normal) X-MSMail-Priority: Normal X-Mailer: Microsoft Outlook, Build 10.0.4024 In-Reply-To: <449FF5B3.40004@mac.com> X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2900.2869 Importance: Normal Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Subject: RE: Opinions Wanted: Dell PowerEdge Servers ... ? X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list Reply-To: gayn.winters@bristolsystems.com List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Mon, 26 Jun 2006 17:56:04 -0000 > [mailto:owner-freebsd-questions@freebsd.org] On Behalf Of Chuck Swiger > Sent: Monday, June 26, 2006 7:57 AM > To: Mike Galvez > Cc: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org > Subject: Re: Opinions Wanted: Dell PowerEdge Servers ... ? > > > Mike Galvez wrote: > [ ... ] > > No small thing you need to consider when choosing Dell is > that they DO NOT support > > FreeBSD. They support Windows and Red Hat Linux. If the > machine is not lights-out > > and the OS is not one of the above, they will not send > parts or a technician. > > > > I found this out the hard way and had to load Linux on a > spare drive just to prove > > a piece of hardware was failing. > > I've heard that Dells tech support isn't as helpful as it > used to be, but I've > had them replace a CD-ROM drive and a 4mm DAT tape backup on > Dell machines > dedicated to FreeBSD without any problems. > > Try running the diagnostic CD or floppy that came with the machine? > (Or can be downloaded for the specific system type from the > Dell website.) > > -- > -Chuck I suggest a small slice with Red Hat or Fedora on any Dell Server that runs FreeBSD. As Chuck suggests, downloading the diagnostics for your machine in advance is good advice. I've found Dell's Linux support team is helpful, but they have some policies like "run the diagnostics before doing anything else" which you usually won't be able to avoid. They may want to walk you through a Linux boot or some other steps under Linux. Once they verify the problem, they are very good at sending replacement hardware. -gayn Bristol Systems Inc. 714/532-6776 www.bristolsystems.com