Re: [Mactel-linux-users] Mac Pro and Linux AHCI SATA driver help

[Dave M. <dcm...@co...>]

On Monday 25 September 2006 09:24, rob pfile wrote:
> On Sep 24, 2006, at 12:15 PM, mactel-linux-users-
>
> re...@li... wrote:
> > Mac Pro and Linux AHCI SATA driver help
>
> Here's something of a dumb question:
>
> apparently the high-end Dell and HP server systems use this same
> chipset and motherboard, and they can be bought from dell/hp pre-
> configured with linux (RHEL4, i believe).
>
> do dell and HP do their own patches to the kernel for this stuff, or
> is it simply that these machines have BIOS and so linux can use the
> 'built in' drivers for these problematic devices?
>
> so far these kind of issues have stopped me, and a friend at another
> company, from buying mac pros to run linux-based chip cad tools.
>
> thanks,
>
> rob
I have yet to fully determine if the driver issues discovered on the Mac Pro 
will be the same as on the HP and Dell systems, but the legacy IDE controller 
issue is the only one I've uncovered that is isolated to the Mac Pros.  Also, 
I'm not sure if all 6 SATA controllers are available on the HP and Dell 
systems, will have to research that.

HP does offer a driver CD for their 5000X based workstations, but only for 
RHEL3 and 4.  I took a look at the updates, and it appears that they only 
support the 2.4.x kernels right now, and the driver CD only inlcudes ALSA 
updates and support for installing the NVIDIA drivers.

On the otherhand, a price comparison will show that the HP and Dell 
workstations run about $700-$800 more than the Mac Pro for close to the same 
configurations.  In my opinion, the Mac Pro case sold me on it vs. the Dell 
or HP.  The driver issues are minor, and you can always fall back on Mac OS X 
or XP if you wanted.

Dave