SUMMARY: Laptop for Solaris 10

All
 
Thanks for the response for the new laptop info, original email was 
 
--- snip ---
 
Has anyone run Solaris 10 - 01/06 on a Dell Inspiron 9300? And dual boot with XP....
Any other suggestions for a reliable laptop with a decent sized screen?
 
--- end snip ---
 
Thanks to Richard Skelton, Hicheal Morton, Pat McAleavey, Paul Greidanus, Mohammad Rafeeq, Dan O'Callaghan, The Hatter, Hamidi for the info supplied
 
in summary
 
-- a new tool is available for x86: Installation Check tool. Verifies what drivers are going to work.
-- try with liveCD first  (see links below)
-- use the HCL on Sun website, and there is also a list on bolthole (see links below)
-- for multiple os', use VMWare   <http://www.vmware.com/>
http://www.vmware.com/
-- for 64 bit performance, use AMD, eg Acer Ferrari 4005 (popular with Solaris dev team)
-- it works on a Dell Inspiron 2200 with the help of some free drivers
-- maybe wait for Intel-Apple stuff
-- there are a few sparc notebooks
 
It looks like I need to do a heap more analysis of the hardware features of each computer now (can it run dual external monitors, docking stations, screen size); and decide if I would like the 64bit option or not. Also need to review the tadpole and similar....
 
And the last option is do I run Solaris, with XP running in VMWare, or do I run XP, with Solaris in VMWare, or do I run dual boot????? [please excuse me while I sit in the corner and scream!  :-)]
 
Links
 
http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/hcl/hcts/install_check.html - Installation Check Tool http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/hcl/data/sol/systems/views/all_laptops_reported_
to_work.mfg.page1.html  - hcl
http://www.naturetech.com.tw/ - Naturetech in Taiwan http://www.nextcomputing.com/powerblade.htm - Another NatureTech http://www.tadpolecomputer.com/html/ - Tadpole http://www.bolthole.com/solaris/x86-laptops.html#list  - list of hardware compatibility
http://belenix.sarovar.org/belenix_home.html    - live cd
http://www.schillix.org/    - open solaris based distribution
http://www.gnusolaris.org/gswiki/    - gnu open solaris
 

Full emails in no particular order
 
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Normally I used vmware simulation software so I can run more then 1
operating system
 
===================================================
 
I just ordered a Acer Ferrari 4005, which seems pretty popular with most of
the Solaris dev team, including Casper Dik..  the solaris HCL on the
bigadmin site is also a good resource.  (I don't have the ferrari yet, but,
I will be trying solaris on it when I get it)
 
Also, Sun has a sparc laptop these days with a 17" monitor.. but it's
viciously expensive.
 

===================================================
 
I have installed nv 22 on a Dell Inspiron 2200 and with the help of some
free drivers everything worked :-) Best to try one of the LiveCD first
 
===================================================
 
Not so useful for buying something now, but you might wish to email sun and
suggest they consider the intel-apple stuff for the HCL.  Given it's likely
to be similarly specced machines (in terms of chipsets for
features) in production for a long time, and across a range of laptop sizes,
and easily available across the world, it would seem a great candidate.
 
I've already done this (though the first ones are only shipping as of a
couple of days back - but then one of them is coming my way)
 
===================================================
 
there's a list of laptops built with solaris and install hints at:
 <http://www.bolthole.com/solaris/x86-laptops.html#list>
http://www.bolthole.com/solaris/x86-laptops.html#list
Insprion 9300 isn't listed though.
 

===================================================
 
hey try IBM ..Thinkpad ..Z60t . I have 20%off if you ar interested from IBM,
but it's 
14" WXGA TFT Display (1280 x 768)
 
===================================================
 
Really depends on what you're doing with it.. if you need 64-bit stuff, you
need the AMD for now.  I went with the ferrari because it's the same
architecture as the cluster I am running.
 
===================================================
 
Just a thought....have you looked at a Sparc notebook?
 
There is Tadpole:
 
 <http://www.tadpolecomputer.com/html/> http://www.tadpolecomputer.com/html/
 
and there is the NatureTech line:
 
 <http://www.nextcomputing.com/powerblade.htm>
http://www.nextcomputing.com/powerblade.htm
 
Both of these are true UltraSparc machines. I have used both...in fact I
have five (5) of the Naturetech units that we use for teaching. These are
excellent machines. I'm not sure what the prices are like anymore but last I
checked they were pretty competitive with a good x86 laptop.
 
===================================================
 
Naturetech is a company out of Taiwan:
 
 <http://www.naturetech.com.tw/> http://www.naturetech.com.tw/
 
I'm sure if you contact them directly they can put you in touch with a
vendor in Oz. That's what I had to do. They put me in touch with NextCom, a
distributor here in the US. They make a good product. My units spend alot of
time out on the road and have held up well....almost three (3) years now.
 
Tadpole was the only game in town for a long time and their prices reflected
the situation. Back in 1998 we bought 5 Tadpole laptops...each unit went for
US $15,000....ahhh...the Go-Go 90s when money was no object! Those laptops
were extremely rugged...I think a bullet would have bounced off the case.
With the competition from Naturetech Tadpole's prices dropped dramatically.
 
===================================================
 
sun hcl has a listing of laptop that work with solaris 10 x86.
 
if you check the page for each laptop, it shows who verified the solaris 10
x86 load.  sun verifies some, the manufacturer others, and end users still
others.
 
from those that sun verified, I choose the dell inspirion 6000.  (it was the
cheapest on the sun verified list.)
 
the on my dell 6000 is 15.4" and will drive an external monitor/lcd.
 
===================================================
 
See the latest bigadmin newsletter for a link to :-
 
 Solaris Operating System for x86 Installation Check Tool 
 
 <http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/newsletter/>
http://www.sun.com/bigadmin/newsletter/
 
[Note: I have now subscribed to the newsletter!!!]
 
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