Date: Fri, 21 Jul 1995 12:33:08 -0600 From: nate@sneezy.sri.com (Nate Williams) To: "S DAVID PULLARA" <davidp@otter.cs.yorku.ca> Cc: questions@FreeBSD.org Subject: Re: FreeBSD on the IBM ThinkPAD? Message-ID: <199507211833.MAA21513@rocky.sri.MT.net> In-Reply-To: <199507211734.NAA29057@wolf.cs.yorku.ca> References: <199507211734.NAA29057@wolf.cs.yorku.ca>
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> Hi there. > One of the professors here at York U. is buying a notebook. He wants to > put unix on it, preferably a BSD unix. > > One of his options is the IBM ThinkPad. Does FreeBSD install/run on > notebooks, particularly the Thinkpad series? FreeBSD does run on many notebooks. *HOWEVER*, I have not had the best of luck running FreeBSD on my 750C using pre-2.0.5 sources. Basically, I had to hack the bootblocks to work with the 2.88MB floppy, and I had to hack on the bootblock console probe code to remove some of serial checking code. Once I got past that point, it would hang before mounting the floppy, but since my box has only 4MB it *may* have been a problem with too little memory. Unfortunately, I don't have easy access to more memory to see if it's a memory problem. When the 2.0.5 CD gets here I'm going to try again with this box, although I suspect I'll still have to beat on the bootblocks a little bit. Also, I *might* have to switch to pcvt since the stock console driver doesn't support 'scancode 2' mode or whatever it's called with IBM just to be different. We ordered a 755CX (Pentium w/800x600 screen), but it was put on hold for a month or so. So, I'm now getting NEC Versa early next week which is devoted to doing demonstrations on the road. We're going to be running SCO, Dos/Win, and FreeBSD because we have software which requires all three, and I don't suspect I'll have any problems installing FreeBSD on it. If I were to buy a notebook today I'd definitely go with a 800x600 screen if you plan on running FreeBSD on it. 640x480 is a *pain* to use because of the lack of screen space. I *really* like the ruggedness of the IBM boxes (much better than the NEC), but IBM does things a bit differently than anyone else. I've heard really good things about the DEC Hinote (sp?) series, although I don't know if they have a version with the enhanced screen yet. Nate
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