PC components for FreeBSD

E

Emniz

What are currently available components for a PC on which we can install FreeBSD without any problems? Especially looking for a motherboard. Components must support all necessary drivers. Most new motherboards have conflicts with them. It would be nice to be able to install other BSD family OS without problems.
 
My 5-cent. Stay away from integrated stuff. Integrated video, integrated wifi, integrated audio, integrated ...
A lot of hardware works. And "no detection" is not "a conflict".
 
Here is the problem with questions like these - unless someone has installed FreeBSD on the parts, there is no way to verify if the part will fully work with FreeBSD or not. Each manufacturer and even each model could be custom designed away from industry standards, and something will not work. That being said, a look at the FreeBSD hardware compatibility list is a good place to start. For motherboards, if it is designed to industry standards, I think the only thing you would need to worry about is integrated Wi-Fi and Thunderbolt/USB4. Integrated graphics could be an issue on the newest stuff, but most of that is resolved by using -CURRENT.

I could post all the hardware that I am using that is working without issue on FreeBSD, but that may not be helpful for you. Are you looking to purchase a newer Intel-based system? The newest I have is a 6 year-old Dell laptop, everything else I have is AMD based, so I couldn't be of much help there. You want to buy a newer AMD based system? I don't have the finances to try out too many different platforms, but I can vouch for the specific motherboard I have in my computer (ASUS Tuf x570 Plus).
 
I would be grateful if you provide a list of PCs
jardows said:
Here is the problem with questions like these - unless someone has installed FreeBSD on the parts, there is no way to verify if the part will fully work with FreeBSD or not. Each manufacturer and even each model could be custom designed away from industry standards, and something will not work. That being said, a look at the FreeBSD hardware compatibility list is a good place to start. For motherboards, if it is designed to industry standards, I think the only thing you would need to worry about is integrated Wi-Fi and Thunderbolt/USB4. Integrated graphics could be an issue on the newest stuff, but most of that is resolved by using -CURRENT.

I could post all the hardware that I am using that is working without issue on FreeBSD, but that may not be helpful for you. Are you looking to purchase a newer Intel-based system? The newest I have is a 6 year-old Dell laptop, everything else I have is AMD based, so I couldn't be of much help there. You want to buy a newer AMD based system? I don't have the finances to try out too many different platforms, but I can vouch for the specific motherboard I have in my computer (ASUS Tuf x570 Plus).
Click to expand...
 
sko said:
Huh, so the workstation I'm sitting on right now with an B560 chipset doesn't work with FreeBSD? Maybe I should tell it...
Click to expand...
There was a conflict in installing drivers for this chipset. It is not excluded in my mistake, but similar problems happened at other stations.
 
I never installed anything specific on that host, let alone any drivers. Just a normal FreeBSD installation (initially 12.2 IIRC) as on every other piece of hardware...

Any chance you are confusing the broken misconceptions in the Windows world of how drivers for everything need to be installed manually from dubious sources with how drivers are handled in every real operating system?
 
Emniz said:
I would be grateful if you provide a list of PCs
Click to expand...
I have one laptop, and then the rest are custom-built systems I put together.
Laptop:
Dell Latitude e5570 (discrete AMD graphics are not working in X - yet. Intel graphics work without issue)
Motherboards/Processors in custom systems:
ASUS Tuf Gaming X570-Plus with AMD Ryzen 3600
ASUS P8Z68-V LE with Intel Xeon E3-1230 v2
ASUS M5A78L-M LX PLUS AM3+ with AMD FX-8120 (setup as a server)
ASUS AM1M-A with AMD Athlon 5350 (setup as opnsense router)

Graphics: I use accelerated graphics drivers for Intel, Nvidia, and AMD graphics cards. I do not use accelerated graphics on my router or server:
XFX Radeon 590 Fatboy
Nvidia 710 GT
Integrated Intel HD Graphics 530

Networking: In addition to the built-in Realtek and Intel 1Gb adapters on the motherboards, I have add-on cards:
Intel EXPI9301CTBLK
HP NC382T dual port 1Gb NIC (broadcom BCM5709)
 
sko said:
I never installed anything specific on that host, let alone any drivers. Just a normal FreeBSD installation (initially 12.2 IIRC) as on every other piece of hardware...

Any chance you are confusing the broken misconceptions in the Windows world of how drivers for everything need to be installed manually from dubious sources with how drivers are handled in every real operating system?
Click to expand...

Needs FreeBSD to work long term. Ability to work with technical programs and installation on microcontrollers. This requires the support of all necessary drivers. Therefore, installing the system in standard mode without the possibility of updating certain drivers does not suit me.
 
jardows said:
I have one laptop, and then the rest are custom-built systems I put together.
Laptop:
Dell Latitude e5570 (discrete AMD graphics are not working in X - yet. Intel graphics work without issue)
Motherboards/Processors in custom systems:
ASUS Tuf Gaming X570-Plus with AMD Ryzen 3600
ASUS P8Z68-V LE with Intel Xeon E3-1230 v2
ASUS M5A78L-M LX PLUS AM3+ with AMD FX-8120 (setup as a server)
ASUS AM1M-A with AMD Athlon 5350 (setup as opnsense router)

Graphics: I use accelerated graphics drivers for Intel, Nvidia, and AMD graphics cards. I do not use accelerated graphics on my router or server:
XFX Radeon 590 Fatboy
Nvidia 710 GT
Integrated Intel HD Graphics 530

Networking: In addition to the built-in Realtek and Intel 1Gb adapters on the motherboards, I have add-on cards:
Intel EXPI9301CTBLK
HP NC382T dual port 1Gb NIC (broadcom BCM5709)
Click to expand...
Thanks for the help!
 
Emniz said:
Needs FreeBSD to work long term. Ability to work with technical programs and installation on microcontrollers. This requires the support of all necessary drivers. Therefore, installing the system in standard mode without the possibility of updating certain drivers does not suit me.
Click to expand...
It sounds like you have some specific requirements for use. Without more specific information - specific microcontrollers, how they interface, what programs you will need to use to operate them - it will be difficult to give any more than just general recommendations.
 
All I can say by my experience with open source OS: The younger the lesser hardware problems. Over 15 years ago you didn't need to even try to use hardware younger as a year with an open source OS ?)

And with my recent full new installation I only had one single problem with my current Motherboard (MSI X570 UNIFY) The integrated network adapter was not configured automatically. It may could be done someway, but becasue network adapters don't cost much I didn't mess around with that and just bought a new one (intel), and voilá!

I try to avoid as many onboard-integrated stuff as possible, because this causes the most trouble (except I never had any problems with any sound system so far.)
I don't need no integrated graphics, neither bluetooth nor wifi - but try to get a mainboard today without all this.

Main problem I had - as always in open source OS - was the graphics adapter.
My new experience so far:
Don't chose any new Radeon card. They make drivers for Windows, only, and give a shit on anything else. (To be precise that's a Radeon problem, not FreeBSD.)
Chose NVIDIA (or Intel, I read in this forum), they make drivers even for FreeBSD. But you don't need to download them. Better and easier just use the driver from ports.

To be sure what has been tested for working with FreeBSD take a look at the lists:

FreeBSD 13.0-RELEAS Hardware Notes

or (that may not official?)

bds-hardware.info

also for mobile

wiki.freebsd.org/Laptops

jardows,
you see on that page they want to get infos about tested laptops?
("
{OK}
Please, use the template for laptop wiki pages if you wish add a new machine." ?)
 
SirDice said:
Not possible. That's not how drivers work.
Click to expand...
well trying to install windows drivers on FreeBSD won't work ;)

Most "not Windows" OS (FreeBSD, Linux, *nix) I would stick with "one back" generation as a rule of thumb.
Going by the "one back" start with the CPU, Intel works, i915 drm drivers work, AMD I believe works (very latest Ryzen may have issues, but I'm not sure because I haven't personally tested).
Some of the USB3 things may have issues at capacity (this is true even on Linux)
Standard stuff like memory, SATA devices should work fine. NVME may be touchy (again, no personal testing)
 
Mostly problems appear with the installation of PCI drivers, chipset and Ethernet. Indeed, the new generation of ryzen does not quite fit the BSD system. I'm not sure, but the new Intel and AMD don't come up with the idea of driver support for FreeBSD. I can be wrong.
 
again I think you need to define "installation of pci drivers, chipset, and ethernet"
Where do you expect them to be coming from?
FreeBSD, for me at least, has always provided proper support for "one generation behind the latest". So I really don't know/understand where you are coming from.
Don't go to the AMD/Intel/whatever website looking for "freebsd drivers". Listen to what folks are trying to tell you here.
In the end it's your choice
 
mer said:
NVME may be touchy (again, no personal testing)
Click to expand...
NVME works fine. I'm typing this on a computer running Freebsd off an NVME drive. I've used these:
www.crucial.com

Crucial P5 1TB PCIe M.2 2280SS SSD | CT1000P5SSD8 | Crucial.com

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www.samsung.com

SSD 970 EVO NVMe® M.2 1TB Memory & Storage - MZ-V7E1T0BW | Samsung US

Learn more about Samsung SSD 970 PRO NVMe® M.2 1TB with the innovative Samsung V-NAND technology and a 5-year limited warranty.
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On these motherboards:
www.gigabyte.com

X399 DESIGNARE EX (rev. 1.0) Key Features | Motherboard - GIGABYTE Global

Lasting Quality from GIGABYTE.GIGABYTE Ultra Durable™ motherboards bring together a unique blend of features and technologies that offer users the absolute ...
www.gigabyte.com www.gigabyte.com
www.asrock.com

ASRock X399 Phantom Gaming 6

Supports AMD TR4 Socket Ryzen™ Threadripper™ X Series CPUs (180W); Digital PWM, 8 Power Phase & Dr. MOS; Supports DDR4 3400+(OC); 3 PCIe 3.0 x16, M.2 Key-E for WiFi; NVIDIA 3-Way SLI™, AMD 3-Way CrossFireX™; 7.1 CH HD Audio (Realtek ALC1220 Audio Codec), Supports Creative Sound Blaster™ Cinema...
www.asrock.com www.asrock.com

With no problems.

I question the OP's motives since they've done is complain about vague problems with "PCI drivers, chipset and Ethernet" and the need to "work with...microcontrollers". At best they seem more interested in complaining about Freebsd than they are about finding solutions.
 
Emniz said:
Mostly problems appear with the installation of PCI drivers, chipset and Ethernet. Indeed, the new generation of ryzen does not quite fit the BSD system. I'm not sure, but the new Intel and AMD don't come up with the idea of driver support for FreeBSD. I can be wrong.
Click to expand...
Everything you wrote is just wrong. Please educate yourself to be better informed.
 
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Dual/quad port intel Pro1000 nics (which use the "em" driver) work outstanding in FreeBSD. Unfortunately a lot of integrated nics use garbage (Broadcom, Realtek) chipsets. If you must use an integrated nic, look for something that uses an intel chipset.
 
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