From: doolitt@cebaf4.cebaf.gov (Larry Doolittle) Subject: Re: Worst possible 386 setup Date: Wed, 30 Jun 1993 13:34:43 GMT
In article <1993Jun29.223633.33944@rchland.ibm.com>,
jdahl@rchland.vnet.ibm.com (Jared Dahl) writes:
> What would be the worst possible setup that I could get
> away with on a 386 system and still run Linux, with regards
> to:
> HD Type: IDE
> HD space: 120M - but don't do it! get >200M instead
> Memory: 4M, unless you want X, in which case 8M
> Video: ET-4000, no use for Hi-color.
> Floppies: Only one requ'd, 1.2M 5.25 or 1.44M 3.5.
(pick the one that most of your friends have)
> Math Coprocessor: You can skip it for now.
> Ports: You decide what you want to hook up to.
> Mouse: 3-button serial brand X (you need a serial port, natch)
>
>
> Also, what would you recommend?
> HD Type: IDE. Some SCSI controllers give very good performance,
but they are expensive. Personally, I have never thought it necessary.
> HD space: 340M is getting attractive
> Memory: 16M works real nice, and (if it's 70ns) can be moved
to a '486 board later.
> Video: S3-801 based cards, like Actix and STB. Tremendous speedup!
Only $70 more.
> Floppies: Get both kinds for maximum flexibility. Teac has never failed me.
P.S. I have tried cheap meadia, but always come back to Maxell when they
fail me at a critical moment. I have even had occasional problems with Sony!
Now I never buy anything *but* Maxell.
> Math Coprocessor: Cheapest you can find.
> Ports:
> Mouse: Logitech has never failed me, or anybody I know.
>
>
> What kind of things should I look out for? (incompatible
> cards that are common, types of hardware that have no
> drivers)
Some SCSI controllers, read the channel for horror stories.
Any Diamond video card. Any Weitek P9000 based video card.
WD90C31 "windows accelerated video" cards will not be accelerated
under XFree86 for another six months minimum, same with ET-4000/W32.
**** Make sure you get 30 day return priviledges ****
** You never know what might leap out and bite you. **
>
> Would it be possible to set this machine up as an Internet
> node? (I have a friend who is running his NeXT as one)
From home? SLIP, high speed modem, monthly charges to a gateway.
From "work"? $100 ethernet card, get an IP address from your
computer center. Works great.
> Jared Dahl
- Larry Doolittle doolittle@cebaf.gov