Intel486dx33 wrote on 2019-12-31, 15:42:

Solaris 7 is picky about what hardware it will accept.

Indeed.
For this reason, I would go for a machine from the Hardware Compatibility List.
And I don't think anything Pentium 4 is on the HCL for Solaris 7 - more like Solaris 8 or 9.

Interesting. You'll need to address the MCE bug. Newer updates of Solaris 8 patched this, but I'm not aware of an official fix for Solaris 7. The website below includes a workaround (it looks like there's a typo in it). FWIW, I wasn't able to use ATI Rage cards (natively) on Solaris 8 until I installed the appropriate patch set and had to stick with an older Mach64. I suspect you'll have similar issues with Solaris 7. Looking at the HCL, I believe your 3com NIC will be okay, but I doubt you'll be able to use that audio card without getting a copy of Jurgen Kell's drivers or OSS loaded up.
http://www.os2museum.com/wp/solaris-2-6-7-and … um-4-and-later/

Yes, I was not sure if it was compatible or not.
Well, If it does not work I have an HP Vectra with Pentium-3 ( 1ghz CPU ) or I could try a PC with an Intel SEBX440 motherboard and 500mhz CPU.

I have been curious about Solaris but haven't actually tried it.
What can it do for me?
.

At one time Sun Microsystems computers were the Back bone of the internet.
Used by many corporations websites, web hosting, telcos, and many internet portals.
Like Yahoo, Netscape, Excite.com, WebTV, etc....

And it play Doom too in network.

PCBONEZ wrote on 2019-12-31, 20:47:

I have been curious about Solaris but haven't actually tried it.
What can it do for me?
.

Just about everything you can expect from other Unix type OSes. Mostly server/workstation stuff, running specific software for engineering/physics applications that make good use of SMP and all that. The usual combo was Solaris + Sun hardware (SPARC), even though it has supported x86 architectures for a while.

Back in college (software engineering), the first couple of years all the lab work we did using C/C++ had to run on Solaris, as we had Sun Ultra workstations in the computer room. Afterwards they were replaced by much faster PCs with Linux.

As far as modern day/general purpose use for it, not much IMO.

Yes, back in computer education school we could only afford Intel computers. Or at least that is what they used mainly IBM PC’s
Some SGI and Apple computers. We had some Sun computers but just a few. We mainly ran Solaris 2.6 on IBM PC’s
I was hooked on all the possibilities one could do with a UNIX computer.
So I went out and purchased a Sun Sparc IPX ( Lunch box ) computer, BIG Sun Monitor and CDROM drive.
I had allot of help from school and friends in learning how to use the Sun computers.
Completed many certification courses and had experience with all kinds of Sun computers from the IPC to Super computers.

I just play around with the stuff today.

I am going to try this HP with P3 , 1ghz CPU first and if that does not work. I will use the P3-500mhz computer.

Sure, I could go out and get a Sun Sparc or Blade computer but what fun would that be.

Thanks guys.

You can stay with Solaris 8 on your P4. It has much better hardware support, but it still supports Openlook and CDE.

Isnt this machine tooo new for Solaris 7 x86 ? 😳

why not just get a Sparc ?

Very Old Unix On New Systems?

I can go High or Low.
I can use an Intel 200mhz CPU build or a P3-500 build, or a P3-1000mhz build, or the P4-1.2ghz build.

What do you think ?

What I was taught Solaris on was a 1st gen pentium. Most likely a P-166 or 200mhz. and 64 or 128mb of ram.

I suspect the P3 would be less trouble than the newer machine, but you can just go Solaris 8 with a P4 as I mentioned. Solaris 7 has even less third party software, so you'll be limited in that aspect as well. I'd seriously think about going slightly newer unless there's some specific feature you want to play with or other reason to stay with Solaris 7.

Repaired a Atek CnC Control Computer today, it runs Solaris 2.6 x86.

Its a Pentium 166, 32Mb RAM 😀

Runs very well but i really miss some compilers.

also didnt get the ne2000 card working..

I also own a Blade 100 and some other Sun Stuff 😀

For Solaris 7 i would use something around Pentium 233Mhz with at least 64Mb RAM.
On your P4 i would run OpenSolaris or Solaris 10.

As you can see on the one Screenshot with OpenWindows Solaris 2.6 likes RAM too 😀

I am waiting for some PCI cards to arrive.

I got lucky. Solaris-7-Intel edition
Works with this HP Vectra with P3-1ghz CPU.
And ATI Rage Pro Turbo AGP graphics card.