Skip site navigation (1)Skip section navigation (2)
Date:      Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:01:14 -0400 (EDT)
From:      doug <doug@fledge.watson.org>
To:        freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
Subject:   Re: Dell workstation / server Freebsd's compatibility
Message-ID:  <alpine.BSF.2.00.1006271044080.38081@fledge.watson.org>
In-Reply-To: <20100627082530.25f9c5c3@scorpio>
References:  <4C262B13.4090707@wanadoo.fr> <AANLkTinzq8Eca4ORLHwSacBu4GXD6ZK9-6NqFj9cV3Gj@mail.gmail.com> <4C26ECBA.10304@comcast.net> <20100627082530.25f9c5c3@scorpio>

next in thread | previous in thread | raw e-mail | index | archive | help
On Sun, 27 Jun 2010, Jerry wrote:

> On Sun, 27 Jun 2010 02:16:26 -0400
> Steve Polyack <korvus@comcast.net> articulated:
>
>
>> On 6/26/2010 6:07 PM, Tim Judd wrote:
>>> On 6/26/10, Olivier GARNIER<ap1-10@wanadoo.fr>  wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi,
>>>>
>>>> I've got an old workstation wich i use to have FreeBSD server on it
>>>> (http/samba/ 4 disk on RAID)
>>>> It's summer time and the old workstation will not work at the end
>>>> the summer time (too warm for it)
>>>>
>>>> So ii wish to change it.
>>>> I don't need a big server, a tiny workstation will be enough.
>>>> I wish a inter CPU and dell construction (i'm use to use there
>>>> work) So herre is the question :
>>>>
>>>> If you have dell computer (wich is still sold by dell) and if
>>>> you're working with FreeBSD on it with no more problem, can you
>>>> tell me witch computer you have ?
>>>> (it would be great to have the same list as laptop
>>>> (*laptop*.bsdgroup.de) For workstation and server ...)
>>>>
>>> You have more people with success on generic hardware you buy at
>>> newegg.com for example than you will with Dell or any other OEM.
>>>
>>> Moreover, you won't get support from Dell or an OEM for support
>>> issues, including hardware replacements because they didn't sell the
>>> machine with BSD.
>>>
>> This isn't true.  Dell won't give you any operating system support,
>> but they will honor your hardware warranties just fine.  We've had
>> various failures that were replaced with very little hassle from
>> Dell.  The most trouble they will give you is if it's an obscure
>> issue, in which case they'll ask you to boot Linux and run their DSET
>> tool.
>>>
>>> If you want a company that supports BSD, use iXsystems.
>>>
>>> If you want general compatibility that generally works better than
>>> any OEM, use general parts from newegg, etc.  iXsystems is the
>>> exception because they test and support BSD on the parts they sell.
>>>
>>
>> iXsystems products look very solid.  We've had a good bit of luck
>> with the various Dells we've had.  Mostly 8th and 9th gen PowerEdge
>> servers, and then the new R710s.  They're all very solid systems and
>> we've had very few driver issues.  They FreeBSD team has done a great
>> job at patching the issues we have had.  We also have a handful of
>> their Optiplex desktop workstations that run BSD quite well.
>
> Th only serious problem that I have had with compatibility between Dell
> and FreeBSD is that FreeBSD does not have drivers for the 'N' class
> wireless cards that Dell uses. However, FreeBSD does not have drivers
> for most of the newer wireless cards anyway, so if you are not using
> wireless, or don't mind using the older depreciated A/B/G protocols,
> you should not have any problems.
>
> -- 
> Jerry ?
> FreeBSD.user@seibercom.net

My Dell experiences track this. Good for servers. Support is better if you buy 
as small biz rather than an end-user. In 1995 when I started, I got and used 
(many times) 4 hour support. The worst thing is RAID can not be hot swapped. I 
had a PE2400 that failed 1 month before they would not extend the warranty any 
further and they replaced everything but the disks.

For a FreeBSD desktop however, unless you either an Xorg driver maintainer, an 
Xorg developer, or like beating yourself with chains, Dell should be avoided. 
Old hardware gradually gets un-supported and I have a new Inspiron 1764 that I 
can either use as a build system or a paperweight as far as FreeBSD goes. The 
newer Dells use the new Intel video chipsets which are not AFAIK yet supported 
in Xorg.



Want to link to this message? Use this URL: <https://mail-archive.FreeBSD.org/cgi/mid.cgi?alpine.BSF.2.00.1006271044080.38081>