Upgrading From 32-Bit To 64-Bit SUSE
 

Is it safe to upgrade from 32-Bit SUSE Linux to 64-Bit SUSE Linux, or will I have to do a fresh-install?

in aix its a simple relink of the /unix and bobs your uncle.

Thanks. I popped in the 64-Bit SUSE DVD to start the installation, and it couldn't detect my root partition. I think I'm gonna have to make like a Windows PC, and re-install from scratch. But not soo soon.

I learned from another post that some of the Mozilla browser plugins don't work, like Flash, and Java.

I may wait before upgrading, since this is my production workstation. I can't afford too much downtime.

whats the message you are getting exactly? if its the one i am thinking off then you just need to change the config file for your bootloader.

Now that you mention it, I AM having trouble with grub, since I initially installed SUSE. When I initially install SUSE Linux 9.1 Professional 32-Bit (When it was first released) I accidentally installed the system in /dev/hde10, then did a re-install to /dev/hde6. Somehow, grub continued to see /dev/hde10 as the boot-location. Now, whenever I do a Kernel update, it tries to update the boot-related files in /dev/hde10. My system still boot up, as long as I don't try to use YaST to update the Kernel. When I use YaST to update the Kernel, boot-loader re-install poops on my boot configuration. I then have to manually fix the boot-related configuration files so my system will boot up properly. It may be related to the issue I'm having with the upgrade to 64-Bit SUSE Linux.

Here is the "text" version of the installation screen when I boot from the SUSE 64-Bit DVD:

Mode
------
* Update

Selected for update
---------------------
No root partition found
* ERROR: No proposal


Here are my current boot-related files (Grub):

/boot/grub/device.map:
--------------------------
(hd0) /dev/hde
(hd1) /dev/hdf

/boot/grub/menu.lst
-------------------------
# Modified by YaST2. Last modification on Mon Jan 31 09:02:33 2005


color white/blue black/light-gray
default 0
timeout 8
gfxmenu (hd0,5)/boot/message

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: linux###
title Linux
kernel (hd0,5)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hde6 vga=0x317 splash=silent desktop resume=/dev/hdf1 showopts max_loop=64
initrd (hd0,5)/boot/initrd

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: windows###
title Windows
root (hd0,0)
chainloader +1

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: failsafe###
title Failsafe
kernel (hd0,5)/boot/vmlinuz root=/dev/hde6 showopts ide=nodma apm=off acpi=off vga=normal noresume nosmp noapic maxcpus=0 3
initrd (hd0,5)/boot/initrd

###Don't change this comment - YaST2 identifier: Original name: Memory Test###
title Memory Test
kernel (hd0,5)/boot/memtest.bin


/boot/grub/grub.conf
-------------------------
root (hd0,5)
install --stage2=/boot/grub/stage2 /grub/stage1 d (hd0) /grub/stage2 0x8000 (hd0,5)/boot/grub/menu.lst
quit

Just updated to 64-Bit SUSE Linux
 

I just updated to 64-Bit Linux using the "New System" install. I didn't have to re-partition any drives, and other than getting the Nvidia drivers (From Nvidia), MPlayer, and Spamassassin to work, things aren't too bad.

According to your 'no proposal' error, I found this in the SUSE-SDB:

http://portal.suse.com/sdb/en/2003/1...vdinstall.html

To change your system from 32 to 64bit, you may try the following:

In Yast -> Software -> Change Source of Installation, exchange the 32bit for the 64bit DVD. After that, run 'System Update'. I am not sure if this will work as long as the old kernel is still in memory, maybe you need to install and boot the 64bit kernel first.

To solve the booting/kernel update problem, you may try to create a new initrd with the correct root and boot device (mkinitrd -d /dev/hde6 -b /boot). Maybe this helps...