Re: Missing 64-bits packages: Search for them or compile them?

[Capri Corny <capricornyx@gmail.com>]

I'm very happy to be able to report success with this project. The procedure I ended up using was this:

1. Installed Debian 6.0.1 w/LXDE-openbox: A
2. HD-Installed Knoppix 6.4.4 32-bits kernel CD version: B
3. HD-Installed Knoppix 6.4.4 64-bits kernel remastered DVD version: C
4. Compared packages, installed 64-bits versions of all available packages installed in B on A
5. Set up a 18GB partition with Reiserfs: D
6. Transferred B-system to D by rsync
7. Updated D-system from A by rsync
8. Updated /boot on D from C: 64-bits kernel as vmlinuz
9. Updated D-system /etc, /lib/modules, /usr/src from C by rsync
10. Updated D-system /etc/alternatives from A by rsync. (To get the 64-bit library links right.) Added grub entry for D in common /boot, using basically copy of C-entry for D

If 64-bits support had not been broken in 6.4.4 CD, it might have been enough to mix n' match from 2 installs instead of 3, but I liked being able to check against a version with all packages up and running.

Of course, the package lists are in a complete mess right now, but I don't care too much about it. I don't care, either, if there are a few too many 32-bits modules running right now, as long as I run the heavy applications in native 64-bits. 64-bits R runs just fine this way.

So far, I haven't had to compile anything to do this, and the only thing that might lack now is xulrunner - seems to run as a stub and take quite a bit of system resources.

And Knoppix 6.4.4 is way better that Debian 6.0.1, I think the Debian guys would be smart to adopt a large subset of the Knoppix solutions whenever Debian is not for dedicated server use.