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03-17-2009, 08:54 PM
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#1
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Senior Member
Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Middle of nowhere
Distribution: Debian Squeeze
Posts: 1,249
Rep:
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How to tell if the system is 32-bit or 64-bit?
Suppose somebody gives you a system without any stickers/label/product information and you are able to boot a 2.6.26 (standard 32-bit) kernel on it. Now if would like to know whether this system supports 64-bit (SMP) kernel or not, how can you find that out?
One way is to install a 64 bit kernel and then try to boot from it.
If machines crashes/hangs => Your system is 32-bit
If machines boots successfully => Your system does support 64-bit
Another way is to go to BIOS and try to see the CPU information.
However is there any other way by which you can tell without installing the 64-bit kernel or going into the BIOS?
Last edited by kushalkoolwal; 03-17-2009 at 08:55 PM.
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03-17-2009, 08:58 PM
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#2
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Senior Member
Registered: Jul 2006
Location: Kolkata, India
Distribution: Debian 64-bit GNU/Linux, Kubuntu64, Fedora QA, Slackware,
Posts: 2,766
Rep: 
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dmidecode or lshw from a live 32-bit Linux cd
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03-17-2009, 08:58 PM
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#3
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LQ Guru
Registered: Dec 2007
Distribution: Centos
Posts: 5,286
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cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep flags
Then look at the output carefully to see if lm is there.
My output on a system with dual core 64 bit support. Notice the eighth item from the end.
Code:
flags : fpu 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 syscall lm pni monitor ds_cpl est cid cx16 xtpr
flags : fpu 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 syscall lm pni monitor ds_cpl est cid cx16 xtpr
This thread wrecks my confidence in LQ's "Similar Threads" feature, because this question sure has been asked and answered multiple times before and every item I see in "Similar Threads" is a total miss. I'm still sure a few attempts at searching would have found the correct similar threads. Answering again was easier.
Last edited by johnsfine; 03-17-2009 at 09:07 PM.
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03-17-2009, 09:01 PM
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#4
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Senior Member
Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Middle of nowhere
Distribution: Debian Squeeze
Posts: 1,249
Original Poster
Rep:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by amani
dmidecode or lshw from a live 32-bit Linux cd
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What should I look in the output. Is the following sufficient to conclude that our machine is 64-bit?
Code:
debian:~# dmidecode | grep 64
Installed Size: 64 KB
Maximum Size: 64 KB
Total Width: 64 bits
Data Width: 64 bits
debian:~#
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03-17-2009, 09:02 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Middle of nowhere
Distribution: Debian Squeeze
Posts: 1,249
Original Poster
Rep:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by johnsfine
cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep flags
Then look at the output carefully to see if lm is there.
My output on a system with dual core 64 bit support. Notice the eight item from the end.
Code:
flags : fpu 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 syscall lm pni monitor ds_cpl est cid cx16 xtpr
flags : fpu 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 syscall lm pni monitor ds_cpl est cid cx16 xtpr
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Yes my system does have "lm" too. What does it stand for?
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03-17-2009, 09:08 PM
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#6
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LQ Guru
Registered: Dec 2007
Distribution: Centos
Posts: 5,286
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Quote:
Originally Posted by kushalkoolwal
Yes my system does have "lm" too. What does it stand for?
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Long Mode
So your system could run a 64bit kernel.
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03-17-2009, 09:13 PM
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#7
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Senior Member
Registered: Jul 2006
Location: Kolkata, India
Distribution: Debian 64-bit GNU/Linux, Kubuntu64, Fedora QA, Slackware,
Posts: 2,766
Rep: 
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'64-bit capable'
you will find it in the CPU info of dmidecode
Last edited by amani; 03-17-2009 at 09:14 PM.
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03-17-2009, 09:21 PM
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#8
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Senior Member
Registered: Feb 2004
Location: Middle of nowhere
Distribution: Debian Squeeze
Posts: 1,249
Original Poster
Rep:
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Quote:
Originally Posted by amani
'64-bit capable'
you will find it in the CPU info of dmidecode
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Not necessarily, here is my dmidecode CPU output on my 64-bit machine:
Code:
debian:~# dmidecode -t 4
# dmidecode 2.9
SMBIOS 2.4 present.
Handle 0x0004, DMI type 4, 35 bytes
Processor Information
Socket Designation: U2E1
Type: Central Processor
Family: Other
Manufacturer: Intel
ID: F9 06 00 00 FF FB EB BF
Version: Genuine Intel(R) CPU
Voltage: 3.3 V
External Clock: Unknown
Max Speed: 4096 MHz
Current Speed: 2200 MHz
Status: Populated, Enabled
Upgrade: ZIF Socket
L1 Cache Handle: 0x0005
L2 Cache Handle: 0x0006
L3 Cache Handle: Not Provided
Serial Number: Not Specified
Asset Tag: Not Specified
Part Number: Not Specified
debian:~#
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