[SOLVED]Is there a configuration where most things just work?

[larson9999]

I follow a few other alternative OSs. There exists for most of them some hardware configuration such that most things I consider essential work and crash frequency is measured in hours.

For instance, I currently have laptops which more or less work and are stable enough running AROS, MenuetOS, and Haiku. For two I had buy a different wifi card that was supported.

But I haven't been able to achieve the same with Reactos. Is Reactos stable enough for that? From what I can see it's not but thought I'd ask. Maybe I'm missing something.

[larson9999]

I did some reading and see this. I'll get one. I guess the latitudes I have aren't close enough.

Dell Latitude D531

[dizt3mp3r]

ReactOS is NOT stable at all. It still has Alpha status - so lower your expectations. Sad but true. Basically, it is being built now.

However, go and have a look at the Epic Wins thread and you'll see what it can do on a VM and on real hardware.

[Julcar]

Best thing you could do is to get a minimal linux (tinycore for example) and get all of your hardware working, then install QEMU, setup a VM and install ReactOS on it, it will run with the best tested hardware set which is the virtualized by QEMU, that means much less probabilities to get BSODs due to hardware malfunction.

[larson9999]

I should mention, I'm only interested in running alternate OSs on real hardware. I figure there are enough people running on VMs.

I've been around since the early days when the project had a different name, so I've checked out various threads in the forums. I'd just never seen a 'just works' configuration mentioned and was curious if there was one. Since other projects do and since there's been noticeable improvements in recent releases, I thought I'd see if one exists for Reactos.

For reference, I've installed every release on real hardware for at least 10 years, probably 15. So I'm aware that real hardware is tough terrain.

[Julcar]

I should mention, I'm only interested in running alternate OSs on real hardware. I figure there are enough people running on VMs.

I've been around since the early days when the project had a different name, so I've checked out various threads in the forums. I'd just never seen a 'just works' configuration mentioned and was curious if there was one. Since other projects do and since there's been noticeable improvements in recent releases, I thought I'd see if one exists for Reactos.

For reference, I've installed every release on real hardware for at least 10 years, probably 15. So I'm aware that real hardware is tough terrain.

Okey, but there are some handicaps with ReactOS in real hardware, the most inherent of them is the fact ReactOS is able to use only one core at any time, this is a disadvantage when you have a powerful cpu multicore and it will be useless, these power is wasted and you won't be able to get all the capabilities of your hardware

Every year CPU manufacturers are adding cores to their products and ReactOS is behind other OSes supporting only one of them

[larson9999]

ReactOS is NOT stable at all. It still has Alpha status - so lower your expectations. Sad but true. Basically, it is being built now.

However, go and have a look at the Epic Wins thread and you'll see what it can do on a VM and on real hardware.

As I stated, I've been following this project since the early days and have been installing every release on real hardware for more than a decade. High expectations aren't an issue here. I also follow the epic wins thread since the first post.

As it happens I'm also a linux user. Linux has been my primary OS since about 2000. I'm well aware of running in VM. However, my interest in running OSs is on bare metal, not via vm. I'm going to order the dell now and see how that goes.

[larson9999]

Okey, but there are some handicaps with ReactOS in real hardware, the most inherent of them is the fact ReactOS is able to use only one core at any time, this is a disadvantage when you have a powerful cpu multicore and it will be useless, these power is wasted and you won't be able to get all the capabilities of your hardware

Every year CPU manufacturers are adding cores to their products and ReactOS is behind other OSes supporting only one of them

Sure, but for me real hardware very much includes single core computers. I run several alternative OSs, some of which required me to buy specific hardware because, like Reactos, they don't have the manpower to support tons of HW well. Now that I found the post noting the Dell Latitude 531 I'll order one and use that for my Reactos machine.

[larson9999]

Best thing you could do is to get a minimal linux (tinycore for example) and get all of your hardware working, then install QEMU, setup a VM and install ReactOS on it, it will run with the best tested hardware set which is the virtualized by QEMU, that means much less probabilities to get BSODs due to hardware malfunction.

That might seem to be the best thing to do, but I'm only interested in running OSs on real hw. Linux does was I need. My interest in alternative OSs is the hobby of running things on real HW for fun.

No shade for qemu or any other vm projects. They're super as a whole. Just not what I'm interested in.

[larson9999]

I did some reading and see this. I'll get one. I guess the latitudes I have aren't close enough.

Dell Latitude D531

Just ordered. I'll post how it goes.

[dizt3mp3r]

As I stated, I've been following this project since the early days and have been installing every release on real hardware for more than a decade. High expectations aren't an issue here. I also follow the epic wins thread since the first post.

Ah, well you hadn't stated that in your post when I answered. You said it later. More information allows us to target your needs.
ReactOS on hardware is a hit and miss affair and so once again, lower your expectations.

Have fun and test.

[Aeneas]

Personal opinion: Offer a configuration with "Linux as firmware", if possible. I.e. when people install it, it installs into a VM straightaway. There is nothing "shameful" in that, and it will INSTANTLY make ROS "more widespread", IFF that is even desired.

[learn_more]

Personal opinion: Offer a configuration with "Linux as firmware", if possible. I.e. when people install it, it installs into a VM straightaway. There is nothing "shameful" in that, and it will INSTANTLY make ROS "more widespread", IFF that is even desired.

Why would we bother with linux?

[extravert34]

Most of the XP era hardware should work. While choosing, try to take PCs with the least amount of peripherals (modems, interfaces, etc.) or there should be an option to disable this stuff in BIOS.
Please take into account that some device stacks (like WiFI or Sound stack without drivers from XP/2003) barely work even in a VM

I personally test ReactOS on a ThinkPad x60s with sound turned off in BIOS