32-bit on 64-bit


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Thread: 32-bit on 64-bit

  1. #1
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    32-bit on 64-bit

    I have a 64-bit cpu, and I'm currently running a 32-bit Linux distro. In the past, I've tried running the 64-bit version of Mandriva (Mandrake 2005 LE cooker at the time). It ran noticebly faster, but I had problems getting some 32-bit applications to run, like Firefox.

    Now I'm thinking about upgrading to a 64-bit Linux distro again, and I'm wondering, has 32-bit compatibility improved in the 64-bit Linux distros? Thanks.

  2. #2
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    depends on the distrobution

    if you have a problem with a 32 application that is installed via a binary package from a distrobution, then you need to either complain to the package maintainer, or compile and install it yourself

  3. #3
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    Try the SuSE 10 box set, it seems to understand the 32bit -> 64 bit thing quite well..
    Feel free to PM me for help

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    Please come back and tell us if your problem is solved, it may help others, and stop us from wondering what happened.

  4. #4
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    you can consult the ISO confused forum for distro advice

  5. #5
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    If a 32bit app is not working then it is likely a problem with a compatability lib not being installed or a bug. I have never had a problem getting any 32bit apps to run on 64bit Gentoo. I haven't tried any other distros. It technically should just work.

  6. #6
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    Most notably, the program I was having problems getting running was the latest version of Firefox. Mandriva always packages a really old version, so when trying the new version from Firefox's website, I couldn't get it up and runing.

  7. #7
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    I am about ready to Update to MDRVA 2006 powerpack 64bit in a few days, But Currently am on MDK 10.1 64bit (i believe) and I havn't had any problems with 32 and 64bit aps, although its seems all the services running use 64bit libs anyway. OF course its a 64bit AMD proc, which are you running on, if its intel that may be why, from what I heard some of the intel chips have terrible back support for 32bit apps.
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  8. #8
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    I have an AMD Athlon 64 as well. I'm not sure how other distros do it, but when I tried out the Mandrake / Mandriva 64-bit version, to the best of my knowledge, it didn't have compat libraries. When I think about a compat library, I think about a small library that redirects all the 32-bit calls to the 64-bit libraries.

    It seems to me that the distro had the full 64-bit libraries installed, and the full 32-bit libraries installed, so if a program tried to use a 32-bit library, instead of the call getting redirected to the 64-bit libraries, it just used the actual 32-bit libraries themselves.
    Last edited by APwrs; 12-17-2005 at 02:41 AM.

  9. #9
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    Intresting...I will look into my setup of mandrak on my server, I know php/apache defanantly uses 64 bit libs but I will look deeper, into other progs to see what is useing what, and hopefully remember to get back to ya...Just curious what your problems with firefox and others were that needed 32bit libs ?
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  10. #10
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    I'm trying to remember the specifics, it was a while ago, but... it seemed to me that it wanted a 32-bit glibc, and at the time, the distro only offered one glibc at a time. So if you tried to install the 32-bit one, it overwrote the 64-bit one and your system was screwed.

    Above and beyond that, I think it would be better to use compat libs instead of actual 32-bit libs. That way you would get the speed increase of the 64-bit libs, and your system install wouldn't be twice the size. I'm not sure what Mandriva 2006 uses, but I think they probably still use the full 32-bit libs.

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