I just downloaded FreeBSD 5.4 for the x86 and will be installing it on an HP zv6000 laptop. This comes with broadcom wireless chipset (Wireless B + G), ATI Radeon Xpress 200M video, and a 15.4" widescreen LCD. (processor, ram, and hdd intentionally left out because they are embarassing, but the replacement for this should be in soon, as HP sent me the wrong machine.) This will be a desktop workstation primarily for balancing a budget (probably gnucash or something similar), graphic design (blender 3d, inkscape, gimp, etc.), and web design (any good text editor that color codes, and preferably an easy to use ftp client). Not to mention standard office tasks that can be handled by firefox, thunderbird, and openoffice.org. here are the questions so far: Can I use linux drivers for the video card? Can linux software run on BSD, if so, how? Does FreeBSD come with a desktop environment such as gnome/KDE/other? What desktop environment is most powerful to use (while remaining simple enough to not take up all of my time) Do you pronounce "daemon" like "demon" or "day-mon"?
Okay, here's what I've done so far: burned 2 CD's of FreeBSD 5.4 RELEASE (+1 for the boot only, but I'm not using it right now) booted off of FreeBSD 5.4 disk 1 Selected "Boot FreeBSD" from the menu with the ascii daemon to the right. watched my system hang hard power-off boot with "boot only" CD selected "Boot FreeBSD" from menu watch system hang in exact same place restarted and logged into linux until I figure this out Am I right in assuming that the default option "Boot FreeBSD" from the text only FreeBSD welcome screen should start the install process? I get: /boot/kernel/acpi.ko text=0x414fc data=0x1dc4+0x112c syms=[0x4+0x7670+0x4+0x9d05] {animated "timer" consinsting of: |/-\ repeating very fast} then it hangs and the CD stops spinning EDIT: I have tried with no ACPI, Safe Mode, and Verbose Mode, and all yield similar results. (sometimes it doesn't even show the /boot/kernel/..... it just freezes at "|")
Chipset? Some distros have issues, i couldn't get NetBSD to boot on an EPIA Failing that, try their forums, or try NetBSD oh and its said like demon (think thermodynamics... apparently).
yup, md5'd the crap out of 'em.... netBSD doesn't recognize my keyboard. I think I'll stick with Ubuntu for now, and will worry about switching to BSD when I have more standard hardware in my office. (meaning: linux for the laptop, and BSD for the desktops, when my business has the need/$$ for setting up a better network)
Can't recognise the keyboard?! do u mean dosen't have the right char map, or just plain can't find it? Laptop support for stuff like APM is a bit patchy (Under developed) but it should be okay. Do you know the chipset of the machien FreeBSD failed on?
unfortunately I got suckered into purchasing an HP laptop, so chipset information is non-existant, and right now, the machine just decided to crap out on me, and won't even run linux properly. My replacement for this should be coming in soon, but it is in the same series as this laptop (just better processor/hdd/video card) I'm still not positive on what I'm going to do, tbh.
run this really flexible stable OS called NT See if you can find an old box, currently BSD's level of hardware support is like linux's about 2 years ago. But its progressing much faster. So its brand name hardware all the way.
How to get FreeBSD 5.4 working on a HP zv6000 I got FreeBSD 5.4 running fine on my laptop with the exception of ACPI , here's how I did it. first off, there's a bug in the firmware of the keyboard that freezes on boot (at the twirly /), to get past that, you'll have to use a modified ISO that has test_kbd_port() and test_aux_port() bypassed, You can find it here. http://blackk.union.edu/~black/freebsd/5_3_30Dec2004-amd64-miniinst.iso for more info on that iso: http://blackk.union.edu/~black/freebsd/ anyways, do not listen to the instructions on his page, as they don't really apply. Once you get the base system installed, don't reboot, cvsup RELENG_5 for FreeBSD 5.4-STABLE, and edit /usr/src/sys/dev/kbd/atkbd.c put: return TRUE; at the very start of test_kdb_port() and test_aux_port(), save it and close, rebuild world and the kernel, and you've got a system that will boot (with acpi disabled). Next: Sound the zv6000 series uses the ATI IXP400 chipset, which is supported under linux, but not under FreeBSD right now... but... oss has a driver, go to http://www.opensound.com and get the amd64 package, after you go through the installation process, sound will work. Next: Video the zv6000 uses the ATI radeon xpress 200m, you can get it working using its native resolution (1280x800) by having Section "Modes" Identifier "1280x800" ModeLine "1280x800" 83.5 1280 1344 1480 1680 800 801 804 828 EndSection Section "Monitor" Identifier "Monitor0" VendorName "Monitor Vendor" ModelName "Monitor Model" HorizSync 30-69 VertRefresh 40-90 UseModes "1280x800" EndSection Section "Device" ChipId 0x5460 Identifier "Card0" Driver "radeon" VendorName "ATI Technologies Inc" BoardName "Unknown Board" BusID "PCI:1:5:0" EndSection in your xorg.conf replacing the default sections of that name of course. Yes, it seems hackish to get this laptop to work, but it runs very decent for me, and I'm a pleased FreeBSDer on it
Forgot to answer those... No, you can use xorg drivers for the radeon, I get about 350 FPS, don't expect 3d hardware acceleration anytime soon, but FreeBSD isn't really a gaming OS. Yes, see Linux Compatibility in the FreeBSD handbook No, it doesn't even come with X, but you could always pkg_add -r kde, or whatever you want to use and it will install the binary port. CDE all the way </sarcasm> This question is about opinion, not about facts, it's whatever works for you. Day-Mon
It's "demon" all the way. For starts daemon is just a different spelling of "demon". Secondly "day-mon" sounds stupid, thirdly the dictionary says it's "demon" and most importantly Tenacious D never sang "there shined a shiny day-mon in the middle of the road" Sam PS on a more serious note, KDE and GNOME are the most "powerful" desktop environments, but which people prefer is one of those topics guaranteed to start a 50 page flame war...Personally I use xfce4, and enlightenment is the most powerful from a customisation POV.
Oh, cool. Gnome vs KDE flamewar! I'll start: Gnome > * <evil grin> Kidding, honest. There is no useful content in this post. Blame the beer bottle sitting beside my mouse.
Hey Poutine, just wanted to say THANKS A LOT for posting up how to get the proper resolution showing... the stretched 1024x768 was driving me NUTS! ohhhh sweet sweet 1280x800
