SEEKING: 32-bit vs. 64-bit on Core-2-duo laptop

SaintDanBert · 11-01-2009, 12:55 AM

I would welcome some light on the topic of installing a 32-bit vs. 64-bit distro onto my Core-2-duo laptop. My distro of choice is Ubuntu. I understand the pros and cons of 32-bit-ness vs. 64-bit-ness. I'm interested in the pros and cons of the respective distros, available software, stability, and such.

Also, I'd appreciate comments about my likely success with and recommendations about deployment of some sort of virtualization so that I can quit with dual boot and have my linux cake and eat my win-dose spinach too.

I get the following details when I ask:

Code:

user@host# lshw
  *-cpu:0
    description: CPU
    product: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 Duo CPU     L7500  @ 1.60GHz
    vendor: Intel Corp.
    physical id: 6
    bus info: cpu@0
    version: 6.15.11
    serial: 0000-06FB-0000-0000-0000-0000
    slot: None
    size: 1601MHz
    capacity: 1601MHz
    width: 64 bits
    clock: 200MHz
    capabilities: boot fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe nx x86-64 constant_tsc pni monitor ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr lahf_lm cpufreq
    configuration: id=0
...
  *-cpu:1
    physical id: 1
    bus info: cpu@1
    version: 6.15.11
    serial: 0000-06FB-0000-0000-0000-0000
    size: 1601MHz
    capacity: 1601MHz
    capabilities: vmx ht cpufreq
    configuration: id=0
...

Thanks in advance,
~~~ 0;-Dan

business_kid · 11-01-2009, 02:57 AM

Go 64 bit. 32 bit distros have bugfixes for every dodgy chipset ever made, and _don't_ have all the 64 bit optimisations in the kernel. You only want software to cater for whet you have, not what you don't have.

SaintDanBert · 11-01-2009, 06:29 PM

Thanks for your reply, but you told me what I already know.
In itself, that is not a bad thing. Let me seek answers with
different questions.

I heard that there were precious few 64-bit apps and drivers that were good and stable. I expect that this situation has improved, but I continue to hear and read complaints about happenings in the 64-bit distro world. What is the status here?

If I have a 64-bit distro installed, am I able to download and run a 32-bit binary application? If so, do I need special utilities or libraries or is this mostly transparent? (I'm an olde VAX/VMS hacker who walked the 16 vs. 32 bit line aeons ago. Am I 32 vs. 64-bit fearful for no good reason?)

~~~ 0;-Dan

johnsfine · 11-01-2009, 06:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SaintDanBert

If I have a 64-bit distro installed, am I able to download and run a 32-bit binary application? If so, do I need special utilities or libraries or is this mostly transparent? (I'm an olde VAX/VMS hacker who walked the 16 vs. 32 bit line aeons ago. Am I 32 vs. 64-bit fearful for no good reason?)

64 bit Linux is in very good shape. Almost everything you might want is available as 64 bit.

Running 32 bit applications in 64-bit Linux is easy and transparent. No problems.

Installing 32 bit applications is a bit harder. You might want to because there isn't a 64 bit version available. That is rare, but there are some 32-bit only applications. Or you might just want to try the 32 bit build of some application.

I use Mepis at home and Centos at work. Mepis is based on Debian and I think what I'm about to say about it also applies to the other Debian based derivatives. Vs. Centos which is almost exactly RHEL (Red Hat Enterprise).

Mepis (through Debian) has a greater collection of pre built 64 bit applications. You are more likely to find the application pre built as 64 bit than in a non Debian based distribution.

Mepis (Debian) has some (very few) 32 bit applications recognized as being the correct builds for use with the 64 bit OS, so the 32 bit version will install transparently with no extra effort when you install that application.

Other 32 bit applications can be installed, but the process is trickier (at least for me) and you are likely to need to manually install 32 bit dependencies, rather than have that automatic.

Centos has less available pre built. But it does a better job when you decide to install a 32 bit application into a 64 bit system. Dependencies etc. are managed almost as perfectly when installing a 32 bit application into a 64 bit system as they are when installing a 64 bit application. Note that "less available pre built" does not mean "few available pre built". Centos has an amazingly large collection of pre built 64 bit applications, just not as many as Debian.

syg00 · 11-01-2009, 06:55 PM

32-bit apps will work if the distro is multi-lib. Ubuntu is. I haven't used a 32-bit distro since I got my laptop - works fine for me, but I guess my demands are moderate.