Re: Problems with linux-image-amd64 on 32bit OS
On 25-Mar-2009 17:31.58 (GMT), Brett Viren wrote:
> I know this isn't an Ubuntu list, but I just noticed that Debian's
> 32/64 bit linux-image-amd64 package seems to be the counterpart to
> Ubuntu's linux-image-generic package. Under that kernel "uname -m"
> reports "i686" when running on Opteron.
>
> Just for curiosity, does anyone know the reason Ubuntu's kernel knows
> that its userland is 32 bits?
linux-image-generic is a metapackage. If uname -m says you're using i686 on
an Opteron running Ubuntu, you've installed the i386 variant of Ubuntu, not
the amd64 variety.
On an amd64 installation of Ubuntu, linux-image-generic depends on an amd64
kernel.
On an i386 installation of Ubuntu, linux-image-generic depends on an i386
kernel.
Since the kernels are entirely independant, using an i386 kernel on an amd64
capable CPU would mean the kernel doesn't start in long mode and hence you
are effectively using an i686 system. So the report is exactly what you're
running - no long mode, no 64 bit support.
Furthermore, inspection of http://archive.ubuntu.com/ubuntu/pool/main/l/linux/
seems to indicate that Ubuntu does not provide an amd64 kernel for i386
installations.
--
rob andrews :: pgp 0xd6c3e484 :: rob@choralone.org
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