Re: -i386 to amd64

[Stan Hoeppner <stan@hardwarefreak.com>]

Andrew Sackville-West put forth on 2/27/2010 7:53 PM:

> It's been a while, but as I understand it, there is an -amd64 kernel
> available in the -i686 repos, but that doesn't mean you're running in
> the 64 bit architecture. That requires a number of other things to
> happen, including changing to a 64-bit libc and so forth. I have done
> the migration in place, but it's tedious and no fun. I don't remember
> the specifics, but it required multiple reboots and quite a bit of
> hackery. In other words, with the installers being so good these days,
> I don't think it's worth the effort. Just backup your data, export
> your apt selections and reinstall into a 64-bit architecture and
> restore your stuff. 
> 
> very much my .02

+1

Install the new system fresh with the full x86-64 (AMD 64) distribution.
Then copy your data files over.  Thorough, faster, simpler, and you won't
run into weird application issues 3 months from now that require a week of
head scratching to figure out, only to realize that the problem is that you
never fully upgraded all the necessary stuff to 64 bit.

-- 
Stan