[Novalug] 64bit vs 32bit

jerry w jerrywone@gmail.com
Mon Apr 14 03:56:47 EDT 2008


i've built a 64 bit desktop and started experimenting
with the 64 bit distros a while back before Fedora Core 1
x86_64, and a debian based attempt at the time, iirc.
then played with gentoo, but never really got into
the compiler flags...

64 bit was not that much more expensive
and i felt i would be buying old technology,
if i went 32 bit, and still feel that way...

and got a 64 bit laptop turion based, and while
the CPU fan makes a good hand warmer in the winter,
in the summer...
battery life lower, etc...
maybe some of the development expense in
going 64 bit on that one would have been
better spent on booting from usb capability?)

the memory space isn't what makes much difference
to me.  i did notice at first a much faster running
on the 64 bit distros than the 32 bit.

later found the early 64 bit processor(s) do not have
hardware support for virtualization.  a dclug home
page contains a build spec spreadsheet like the
Ultimate Linux Machine (search Kent) where
some of that was discussed.

one thing i've wondered if it is easier to run
a 32 bit 'emulation' in a 64 bit instead of
vice versa.  so use the 64 bit more like 2
32 bit machines.  say run a vmware/ xen
like session of winblows software (gnucash
still is not very good for tex prep
vs quicken, for example) and
still have space left over to run linux
as host in reasonable comfort?

anyway the 32 bit browser plugin issues
ARE a pain.  two sets of libraries
lib54 and lib32 doesn't seem like
much extra disk space these days.
there was a chroot to 32 bit technique
i never really got into.  firefox-32
ran for a bit on this desktop,
but i seemed to have broken it.

fedora repo conflicts are much
more tedious, and inadvertantly
formatting my laptop with the OLPC
school server iso was a bit loss.
(any forensic students up for
a challenge non paid project?)
RIPLinuX isn't what I'd hoped,
nor are the other recovery ISOs
what i'd consider forensics level...

hth,
jerry
On Sun, Apr 13, 2008 at 9:27 PM, James Ewing Cottrell 3rd
<JECottrell3@comcast.net> wrote:

snip

>  So I'm not sure that 64 bits are required. Anyone else want to comment?
>
>  JIM
>
>  Ken Kauffman wrote:
>
> >
snip address space
snip TSR like stuff
> >
> > Ken
> >
> >
> > On Sun, Apr 13, 2008 at 2:28 PM, James Ewing Cottrell 3rd
> <JECottrell3@comcast.net <mailto:JECottrell3@comcast.net>> wrote:
> >
> >    I have six computers in my home. One is a 64 bit, and I think my
> >    daughter's may be too.
> >
> >    Any computer I buy from now on will be 64 bit.
> >
> >    But unless you are running processes that need large address
> >    spaces (some gene mapping applications really NEED 64 bit virtual
> >    address spaces, I don't really see the need. I did download and
> >    install a few 64 bit Linuxi, but for simplicity I will probably
> >    just run 32 distros unless I want to mirror the 64 bit environment
> >    I have at work.
> >
> >    At some point 64 bits will be more common than not and I will use
> >    64 bits whenever I can, but for now, the complexity (there are
> >    both 32 bit and 64 libraries) isn't worth it other than getting
> >    experience in the 64 bit environment.
> >
> >    To give you an example, some of the plugins for FireFox only work
> >    in 32 bit mode. The solution is to remove the 64 bit version and
> >    install the 32 bit version. Other applications may also need to be
> >    downgraded in this way.
> >
> >    In other words, I'll do what is easiest.
> >
> >    JIM
> >
> >    Ivan wrote:
> >
> >        Ivan Makfinsky wrote:
> >
> >            novalug-request@calypso.tux.org
> >
> >            <mailto:novalug-request@calypso.tux.org> wrote:
> >
> >                Message: 1
> >                Date: Fri, 04 Apr 2008 12:03:28 -0400
> >                From: William Warren
> >                <hescominsoon@emmanuelcomputerconsulting.com
> >                <mailto:hescominsoon@emmanuelcomputerconsulting.com>>
> >
> >                Subject: Re: [Novalug] 64bit vs 32bit (was FOSE wrapup)
> >                To: novalug@calypso.tux.org
> >                <mailto:novalug@calypso.tux.org>
> >
> >                Message-ID:
> >                <47F65150.7010208@emmanuelcomputerconsulting.com
> >                <mailto:47F65150.7010208@emmanuelcomputerconsulting.com>>
> >
> >
> >
> >                Content-Type: text/plain; charset=ISO-8859-1;
> >                format=flowed
> >
> >                That's not a 64-bit issue..that's a VT issue which is
> >                different from 64 bit.
> >
> >                Richard Rognlie wrote:
> >
> >                    On Fri, Apr 04, 2008 at 09:24:24AM -0400, Pete
> >                    Nuwayser wrote:
> >
> >                        I agree with Greg:  a 64-bit OS will not run
> >                        on 32-bit architecture,
> >                        but 32-bit OS will run on 64-bit architecture.
> >
> >                    And to further complicate matters, there are times
> >                    when a 64bit CPU can
> >                    not accept a 64bit OS.
> >
> >                    I ran into this with VMware. Dell 1850 server.
> 64bit CPU.  64bit OS on the box.
> >
> >                    But I am unable to install a 64bit "guest" OS on
> >                    the box due to the
> >                    CPU lacking the "VT" (virtualization technology) flag.
> >
> >                    Had to get a 1950 to get the CPU upgrade...
> >
> >
> >
> >
> >        In order to determine whether or not you can run a 64bit OS on
> >        a certain CPU, look for the following:
> >
> >        $ cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep flags
> >        flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep
> >        mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 syscall
> >        nx mmxext ~~~~lm~~~~~ 3dnowext 3dnow rep_good
> >        flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep
> >        mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 syscall
> >        nx mmxext ~~~~lm~~~~~ 3dnowext 3dnow rep_good
> >
> >        "lm" - Long mode, indicates the CPU is 64 bit capable.
> >
> >        - Ivan

snip several NOVALUG trailers
-- 
Jerry W



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