x86_64, i386, ia64....!?!?!?!?!
 

Hi,
I've been trying to get linux installed on a Dell Precision 670, and without fault I couldn't get the internet connection working (connecting via ethernet). Now, I just realized that the network card is 64-bit Intel Gigabit, and I had been installing i386 distributions.

I take it that since I had no success the 64-bit network card is not backwards compatible (duh) and will only operate with a 64-bit kernel. Now my question is, I use an AMD at home and download the x86_64 labeled distributions at home, but since this the dell uses intel xeon processors, do I need something other than x86_64 (ive seen ia64 i think)? Or will x86_64 work?

Someone please clarify this for me! Thanks! :)

You'll need 64 bit processors to run the ia64 which is Intel's 64bit thing. x86_64 is for AMD. If the Xeons are 32bit you won't be able to run the ia64 stuff.

The xeons in the dell are 64-bit. I'm trying to install fedora, but they only seem to offer x86_64, does that mean I'm fscked? Is there somewhere I can find a ia64 version of fedora, or will I have to use another distribution, and if so which one offers ia64?

I guess a tangential question is if its possible to somehow get the 64-bit ethernet card to work on a 32-bit linux kernel?

You could try Gentoo compiling the whole thing for ia64 is I think about your only option.

eh are you sure though? I just looked at ubuntu and under their amd64 distribution their description reads "For computers based on the AMD64 or EM64T architecture (e.g., Athlon64, Opteron, EM64T Xeon). It is not necessary for all (even most) processors made by AMD -- only their 64 bit chips."

The xeons are EM64T, so shouldn't x86_64 work?

Yeah I meant AMD64s. If you need ia64 though as opposed to intels new em or any AMD64 chip then you have to compile or find an ia64

You've got me confused ~_~

so are you saying there's a difference between distributions labeled amd64 and x86_64? if so, do either of them work with EM64T xeons?

I presume amd64 is x86_64 cos x86_64 was first for the AMD chips. I think that EM64Ts will work with x86_64 and if it is the same obviously will run amd64. If you need to run ia64 stuff which Intel brought out before the AMD64s could not run 32bit programs so you would need to compile for ia64.
Your Xeons should be fine with the x86_64 packages.

k cool, thanks a lot for the info.

no problem. good luck with that.