I aswered this to Chavdar only by mistake, I usually use "reply to list" 
in mutt but now I had to use a webmail interface, so I resend a similar 
response to the list.

On Tue, 3 Jul 2007, Chavdar Ivanov wrote:

> On 03/07/07, Jimmy Johansson <jijo7845@student.uu.se> wrote:
>> Hi,
>> 
>> my computer, which I ran NetBSD 3.1 on, broke down while moving a few
>> weeks ago, so now I'm looking at buying a new one.
>> 
>> I am thinking about buying a Shuttle SD32G2 barebone, but only if the
>> hardware in it is compatible with NetBSD 4.0 or better (NetBSD current).
>
> The rest of the post implies -current all the way.

The amd64 port of NetBSD seems to have more problems than for example the 
x86 port, so my intention is to run current on the system and help out by 
sending prs and hopefully a patch or two.

> I won't be useful for AMD64 - I recently installed -current on a Tyan
> S2895 m/b with very good results so far, but on my ICH7/Azalia/Intel
> 945 laptop I can install only i386, as it is just Core Duo.
>
>> 
>> It has:
>> 
>> * Built in Intel GMA950 graphics card.
>
> Intel 82945GM/PM/GMS Integrated Graphics Device; as far as I can see
> from the chatter in tech-x11, yours should work as well.

Thats how I interpreted the traffic on tech-x11 also.

>
>> * Built in Realtek ALC882 audio.
>
> Mine is  "Intel 82801GB/GR High Definition Audio Controller" and works
> fine, for whatever I have tested it (well, I can use Skype with it, so
> it must be OK...).
>
> A few weeks ago I had some box for a while which turned out to be
> Realtek azalia, don't remember the exact model, but it worked - again
> just a brief test - after some fiddling with mixerctl.

That sounds good.

>> * Marvell 88E8001 network controller.
>
> Don't know this. Mine is  Broadcom BCM4401-B0 10/100 Ethernet; works
> fine with the exception that if I use Windows/XP first, I have to shut
> it down completely and even disconnect the power supply to get it
> working under NetBSD - otherwise it timeouts.

I only have a 8 Mbit/s internet connection and hopefully the driver 
for the Marvell controller has better performance than that at least.

>
>> * SATA II controller.
>
> Mine is
>
> ahcisata0 at pci0 dev 31 function 2: Intel 82801GBM AHCI SATA Controller
>
> which I believe is SATA I. There is some speed improvement in
> comparison to using the same controller in compatibility mode, but it
> is less than 5%, which probably is within what is expected.
>
>> 
>> I am thinking about buing a core 2 duo processor and 4 GB of ram and run
>> NetBSD current for AMD64 on it. Are there any known problems with running
>> NetBSD on a core 2 duo? I have read several threads on tech-x11 and
>> noticed that NetBSD now has accelerated OpenGL, and it seems possible to
>> run a GMA950 graphics controller in accelerated mode running Xorg under
>> NetBSD current. I noticed that there has been some trouble with DRI on
>> amd64, but [1] and the rest of that thread seems to indicate that this
>> might be resolved?
>
> I had to apply several patches to get the DRI working; it seems more
> than reasonably stable, albeit not particularly fast; all the required
> extensions are supported, though - with modular-xorg-7.3 - so I now
> run things like beryl, bzflag and blender with full accelleration.

Stable is more important to me than fast. I've been running NetBSD for 
several years and I have been satisfied without accelerated graphics. It 
would be fun to have though!

<snip>

>> The sata controller is an ICH7 and [4] says that piixide(4) supports ICH7
>> sata controllers, but not man piixide(4). [5] seems to indicate that there
>> might be trouble? Does anyone know the status and performance of the ICH7
>> support in NetBSD?
>
> See above. I think it's fine.

That is good to know. I actually thought that the whole system would 
probably work from googling, but I wanted a second opinion from someone 
that had practical experiences from running the same hardware.

>
>> 
>> I also read [6] last week, do you thing this is something to worry about?
>
> Kinda mirky... I'd like to see Intel's medium term response to this.

Yes, me too...

>> 
>> Also, is there anything I have forgotten to think about?
>
> USB2/IEEE1394 support - I have had problems with ehci under amd64 - in
> fact, I had to disable it in order to get the machine booting at all.
> Again, fine under i386, even on the same h/w.

Something for me to work on then maybe? :-)

>> 
>> I'm sorry about the length of this email, but if it doesn't run NetBSD,
>> then I don't want to buy it!
>
> Fair enough. I got this laptop - HP NX6310 - at work by no choice of
> mine - I had expected a ThinkPAD R60 or similar - but it turned out to
> be just what I needed; I have been able to crash it on a few
> occasions, although mostly through errors of mine.

I will probably do some of those errors also when running current, so I 
guess I have to look over my backup policy.

The system has one PCI-e and one PCI slot free, so if something doesn't 
work then I can always buy a replacement card, but most of the system must 
work...

I'd also like to take the opportunity to thank Chavdar again for his 
response, which I found very helpfull.

Jimmy