From owner-freebsd-questions  Fri Dec  1 08:53:48 1995
Return-Path: owner-questions
Received: (from root@localhost)
          by freefall.freebsd.org (8.6.12/8.6.6) id IAA08703
          for questions-outgoing; Fri, 1 Dec 1995 08:53:48 -0800
Received: from rocky.sri.MT.net (rocky.sri.MT.net [204.182.243.10])
          by freefall.freebsd.org (8.6.12/8.6.6) with ESMTP id IAA08698
          for <questions@FreeBSD.ORG>; Fri, 1 Dec 1995 08:53:44 -0800
Received: (from nate@localhost) by rocky.sri.MT.net (8.6.12/8.6.12) id JAA26065; Fri, 1 Dec 1995 09:48:36 -0700
Date: Fri, 1 Dec 1995 09:48:36 -0700
From: Nate Williams <nate@rocky.sri.MT.net>
Message-Id: <199512011648.JAA26065@rocky.sri.MT.net>
To: Nik Clayton <nik@blueberry.co.uk>
Cc: questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Subject: Re: Component check
In-Reply-To: <199512011408.OAA01688@elbereth.blueberry.co.uk>
References: <199512011408.OAA01688@elbereth.blueberry.co.uk>
Sender: owner-questions@FreeBSD.ORG
Precedence: bulk

> Has anyone got any horror stories about the following pieces of kit? I'm
> planning on putting together my next FreeBSD system, and want it to be
> as hassle free as possible. I will be running 2.0.5 initially, with an
> upgrade to 2.1 (or any updated versions) around about Christmas time:
> 
> Motherboard:	ASUS P55TP4XE (I don't anticipate any problems, many of
>                                you on this list have recommended it)
> Cache:		256K Pipeline
> 
> I've seen some comments about pipeline problems with 2.1 recently. Is this 
> a generic problem, or just restricted to certain motherboards?

I think a couple of us have seen problems with this particular
motherboard combination, but I think the problems are due to the NFS
software on my box, and I believe the memory is too slow on the other
box.

> Chipset:	Intel Triton
> BIOS:		Award Flash
> IDE:		On board 2 port enhanced
> SCSI BIOS:	NCR
> SCSI control:	ASUS SC200 Fast SCSI-2
> Graphics:	Diamond Stealth 64 1 Mbyte PCI 
> CD-ROM:		NEX 5xi 6 speed SCSI 2
> Memory:		60ns EDO SIMMs
> 
> I might instead opt for:
> 
> Graphics:	Diamond Stealth 64 2 Mbyte DRAM PCI
> 
> or
> 
> Graphics:	Diamond Stealth 64 2 Mbyte VRAM PCI

I'd look really hard at the STB Velocity 64V.  It's a very nice board,
and has the ability to be upgraded easier.

>  a) SCSI and EIDE conflicts. But since I don't intend to have any
>     EIDE disks on the system there should be no problems.

I've got both and I don't have any problems.

>  b) Incompatibilities with the Diamond Stealth.

See above.

> Anyone got any advice they could pass on?

I'm *very* pleased with the box I have.  I'm also trying to get to the
point that I can re-create the NFS hangs I'm seeing, but I haven't been
able to reproduce them lately. :(


Nate