Boston Linux & Unix (BLU) Home | Calendar | Mail Lists | List Archives | Desktop SIG | Hardware Hacking SIG
Wiki | Flickr | PicasaWeb | Video | Maps & Directions | Installfests | Keysignings
Linux Cafe | Meeting Notes | Blog | Linux Links | Bling | About BLU

BLU Discuss list archive


[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index]

Re: Debian/Ubuntu kernel update question



 On Tue, 2008-06-24 at 12:29 -0400, randy cole wrote: 
> Jarod Wilson wrote: 
> > Oh, and you can now have both kernel-i686 and kernel-x86_64 of the same 
> > version-release installed simultaneously, if you're crazy like 
> > that... :) 
> Jarod, 
>     Is the only difference between 64-bit and 32-bit installations the 
> kernel?  I have a 32-bit installed but want to run the 64 bit.  That 
> would save me a partition & reinstalling :-)    Plus, it's on an 
> external usb and I could plug it into 32 or 64 bit machines! 

Its possible to run a 64-bit kernel with an (almost entirely?) 32-bit 
userland, but I've never actually done it myself. Typically, a 64-bit 
x86_64 install is predominantly 64-bit userland (juxtaposed to a 64-bit 
powerpc install, where userland is predominantly 32-bit, because ppc32 
has a sane register space, unlike 32-bit x86, so the increased memory 
footprint isn't offset by any performance gains...). 

So no, there's quite a bit of difference between a typical 32-bit x86 
install and a typical 64-bit x86_64 install, but it *is* possible to 
shoehorn a 64-bit kernel on top of a 32-bit install and make things 
work. 


-- 
Jarod Wilson 
[hidden email] 


-- 
This message has been scanned for viruses and 
dangerous content by MailScanner, and is 
believed to be clean. 

_______________________________________________ 
Discuss mailing list 
[hidden email] 
http://lists.blu.org/mailman/listinfo/discuss
 


BLU is a member of BostonUserGroups
BLU is a member of BostonUserGroups
We also thank MIT for the use of their facilities.

Valid HTML 4.01! Valid CSS!



Boston Linux & Unix / webmaster@blu.org