RE: RHEL4

[Aviram Carmi <avi otn com>]

At 16:27 -0600 03/01/2005, Mike Kercher wrote:
>   > I can wait since I really only need two linux  boxes, and my old one,
> >  a 933Mhz PIII which is running RH 7.3 is doing just fine, I got the
> >  new server just because I got a great deal from Dell: dual capable
> >  3.0Mhz Xeon with the 64bit EM64T 800fsb, two 1GB DDR2, and two 160GB
> >  Serial ATA drives, for only $800, free shipping, I just could not
>   > resist...    
> >
>
>
>  I just want more info on the Dell server you got! :)
>
>  Mike

was a bit tricky to get it at that price, and I doubt you can do it now...

still, you have to play games with Dell to get the best prices. never 
buy from them blindly, always look for coupons and deals, compare 
both Dell Small Biz with Dell Home. also look at a stripped machines, 
(unless they offer free HD or Memory upgrades), you can get the extra 
stuff cheaper either directly from Dell, or via eBay, though my 
machine ended up being pure Dell.

The dell machine is not as solidly build as my IBM xServer which 
looked like it could last for 15-20 years... (Dual power supplies, 
additional system CPU which can run diagnostics, case built of solid 
steel at over 90lb, hot swap SCSI, etc.) but for the price it was 
right, and since these machine get obsolete so fast, I am not very 
concerned now about longevity, since I can always buy 
newer/faster/cheaper machine in a few years. so who cares if the IBM 
will last 15 years... so I sold my 933Mhz PIII IBM 5600R (1GB/36GB 
U160 SCSI) for $550 on eBay, and bought the Dell for $800 for a net 
$350 upgrade cost...

Here are the details:

I started with a stripped down PowerEdge SC1420 which had an instant 
discount of $270 (or was it $350) off the $729 (or was it $799?) Dell 
Small biz list price.

Dell had promo for free upgrade from 2.8Ghz to 3.0Ghz and a 160GB 
drive upgrade for addl $10 and free shipping.

I then used my delf coupons via Dell Home to get two 1GB sticks 
for,,,, was it $165 each? (if you specified 2GB with the machine it 
was addl $900 for both!!!) and free shipping

yet another delf coupon to get the second 160DB disk for $80. ( 
$90??? ordering the second drive with the machine is was couple 
hundred or so!!!) also free shipping

(I used several email address, actually more than just several..., 
and played the delf game every day for several days, so I had a 
really good collection of delf coupons, though I did not win 
anything...)

I then called and told them that since the 256MB DIMM  which came 
with the machine could not be used alone (it has to be used in pairs 
unless it is the only module in the machine, which I actually did not 
know when I bought it), and since I already had two 1GB, would they 
mind taking it back??? they said, sure ship it, and credited me for 
$147 (minus few bucks to ship it back to them)

All I had to do was to buy an 18" SATA cable for the second drive, 
but the local computer store owner was in a good Holidays mood, and 
gave it to me for free...

-avi



--

Aviram Carmi
Owner
Executive Vice President, Technology

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