My Linux

cdhar · 09-06-2012, 02:15 AM

Hi,

$ getconf WORD_BIT
32

$ uname -m
x86_64

What it means? Am I running 32 bit os on 64 bit cpu?

Thanks in advance,
cdhar

cdhar · 09-06-2012, 04:35 AM

I am trying to install some software (which needs 64 bit linux OS) and it is failing. So I am confused whether I am using 32 bit or 64 bit Linux OS. How to check that I tried above commands.

Please suggest

Mr. Alex · 09-06-2012, 05:04 AM

Paste "uname -a" info here.

cdhar · 09-06-2012, 05:22 AM

Linux cdhar-pc 2.6.39-1.el6.x86_64 #1 SMP Mon Aug 1 20:22:09 CEST 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

thanks,
cdhar

adamk75 · 09-06-2012, 05:26 AM

You are very definitely running a 64-bit installation of linux.

Adam

cdhar · 09-06-2012, 05:43 AM

Thanks for the reply.
So can I conform that I am having BOTH 64 bit Operating System and 64 bit CPU?

TobiSGD · 09-06-2012, 06:06 AM

If you run a 64 bit OS (which is confirmed in your case) you must have a 64 bit CPU, it wouldn't work on a 32 bit CPU.

colucix · 09-06-2012, 04:47 PM

TobiSGD's statement is correct. In addition, to check the CPU try

Code:

cat /proc/cpuinfo

and check the list of flags: if you see lm (= long mode) the CPU is 64-bit, if you don't see it the CPU is 32-bit. No mistake! This is useful if - by chance - you have a 32-bit operating system running on a 64-bit CPU.

On the contrary - as stated above - the uname command, gives information about the running kernel, whereas if you want to see the actual release of your Linux distribution, check for /etc/*release file(s). For example, on CentOS:

Code:

$ cat /etc/*release
CentOS release 6.2 (Final)

On openSuSE:

Code:

$ cat /etc/*release
openSUSE 12.1 (i586)
VERSION = 12.1
CODENAME = Asparagus

Some systems have also the lsb_release command, example:

Code:

$ lsb_release -a
LSB Version:    :core-4.0-ia32:core-4.0-noarch:graphics-4.0-ia32:graphics-4.0-noarch:printing-4.0-ia32:printing-4.0-noarch
Distributor ID: CentOS
Description:    CentOS release 6.2 (Final)
Release:        6.2
Codename:       Final

cdhar · 09-11-2012, 02:36 AM

thanks for your reply. I already got convinced that I am running 64 bit OS on 64 bit CPU by your answers. But I have tried your commands and found the below output.

$cat /proc/cpuinfo
flags : fpu de tsc msr pae cx8 apic sep cmov pat clflush acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht syscall nx lm constant_tsc pni ssse3 cx16 sse4_1 sse4_2 popcnt lahf_lm

$ cat /etc/*release
Enterprise Linux Enterprise Linux Server release 5.8 (Carthage)
Oracle Linux Server release 5.8
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5.8 (Tikanga)

$ lsb_release -a
LSB Version: :core-4.0-amd64:core-4.0-ia32:core-4.0-noarch:graphics-4.0-amd64:graphics-4.0-ia32:graphics-4.0-noarch

rinting-4.0-amd64

rinting-4.0-ia32

rinting-4.0-noarch
Distributor ID: EnterpriseEnterpriseServer
Description: Enterprise Linux Enterprise Linux Server release 5.8 (Carthage)
Release: 5.8

thanks,

chrism01 · 09-11-2012, 07:11 AM

1. you can see the lm flag there, so 64 bit definitely

2. this is odd

Code:

Oracle Linux Server release 5.8
Red Hat Enterprise Linux Server release 5.8 (Tikanga)

a) its based on the latest RHEL 5.x ie 5.8
b) its odd that it says Oracle and Redhat. Oracle EL is certainly a rebuild of RHEL (much like Centos). However, like Centos, normally I'd expect them to remove that RH reference.
Has this machine had a mixed history ie been pointed at Oracle and RH repos at different times?

johnsfine · 09-11-2012, 08:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cdhar

$ getconf WORD_BIT
32

I'm not sure how exactly getconf gets its information, but obviously it is not getting its information from the running kernel.