LinuxQuestions.org
Share your knowledge at the LQ Wiki.
Go Back   LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Slackware
User Name
Password
Slackware This Forum is for the discussion of Slackware Linux.

Notices


Reply
  Search this Thread
Old 09-27-2015, 03:45 AM   #1
WiseDraco
Member
 
Registered: Nov 2006
Location: Europe,Latvia,Riga
Distribution: slackware,slax, OS X, exMandriva
Posts: 591

Rep: Reputation: 73
Post slackware current on netbook - x86 or x64 version to choose?


Hello folks!
Finally, windows 7 on my brothers acer emachines n450 netbook (eMachines 350 10.1 inch Netbook ) with 2 Gb RAM stop to working - something with directories service.
his agree to replace win with linux on that machine.
he use it in car, mostly as mediaplayer -movies, audiobooks, music...
CPU is intel atom n450 - 64 bit instructions, two threads.
2 Gb RAM - max size.
HDD - dont remember, 160 gb?
Question is -it is better to install there a x86 version of slack current, or
x64?
as i remember, from one side - x64 must work bit faster, but consume more RAM...
plan to use XFCE window manager.
also i be happy to any advices there too

PS when new slack is come? nearly two years since 14.1...:-O

Last edited by WiseDraco; 09-27-2015 at 03:47 AM. Reason: update specs
 
Old 09-27-2015, 03:54 AM   #2
solarfields
Senior Member
 
Registered: Feb 2006
Location: slackalaxy.com
Distribution: Slackware, CRUX
Posts: 1,449

Rep: Reputation: 997Reputation: 997Reputation: 997Reputation: 997Reputation: 997Reputation: 997Reputation: 997Reputation: 997
I would go with the 32bit Slackware
 
Old 09-27-2015, 04:00 AM   #3
GazL
LQ Veteran
 
Registered: May 2008
Posts: 6,882

Rep: Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988Reputation: 4988
As would I.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 05:29 AM   #4
ReaperX7
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Jul 2011
Location: California
Distribution: Slackware64-15.0 Multilib
Posts: 6,554
Blog Entries: 15

Rep: Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097
Either really. The memory footprint of x86 is smaller, but you won't be utilizing the full capabilities of your hardware resources.

Is 2GB the full max the system supports? If you could expand the RAM, do so. Usually some Netbooks with 64-bit support configurations of 1GB, 2GB, and 4GB.

If you can't expand it, then 2GB is okay. I've ran 64-bit Slackware with 2GB RAM with a 4GB swap space without too many hiccups.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 05:48 AM   #5
WiseDraco
Member
 
Registered: Nov 2006
Location: Europe,Latvia,Riga
Distribution: slackware,slax, OS X, exMandriva
Posts: 591

Original Poster
Rep: Reputation: 73
2 Gb is max supported ram size there, if believe in system specs.
not want to use swap.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 06:03 AM   #6
Darth Vader
Senior Member
 
Registered: May 2008
Location: Romania
Distribution: DARKSTAR Linux 2008.1
Posts: 2,727

Rep: Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247
Considering that x64 usually come with huge needs of LOL (Linux On Linux), aka multilib, for almost all trivial tasks, I strongly recommend you to use i586 until your system memory is beyond 64GB RAM.

So, in few words, my suggestion is: if your system memory is beyond 64G RAM, go x64, if not, go x86. Keep it simple, go KISS.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 06:10 AM   #7
Darth Vader
Senior Member
 
Registered: May 2008
Location: Romania
Distribution: DARKSTAR Linux 2008.1
Posts: 2,727

Rep: Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247
Quote:
Originally Posted by ReaperX7 View Post
I've ran 64-bit Slackware with 2GB RAM with a 4GB swap space without too many hiccups.
Congratulations! So you managed to get a 2GB RAM system which behave something like a Slackware (i586) with 1GB system memory! Be proud and continue to waste your system resources!

Last edited by Darth Vader; 09-27-2015 at 06:11 AM.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 06:16 AM   #8
genss
Member
 
Registered: Nov 2013
Posts: 741

Rep: Reputation: Disabled
normally for 2gigs of ram id say 32bit
but the cpu is weak and would perform better on 64bit, so idk (more registers let the compiler get away with things)

so idk
 
Old 09-27-2015, 06:28 AM   #9
slacker1337
Member
 
Registered: Jun 2012
Location: Connecticut, USA
Distribution: Slackware
Posts: 148

Rep: Reputation: 40
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darth Vader View Post
Considering that x64 usually come with huge needs of LOL (Linux On Linux), aka multilib, for almost all trivial tasks, I strongly recommend you to use i586 until your system memory is beyond 64GB RAM.

So, in few words, my suggestion is: if your system memory is beyond 64G RAM, go x64, if not, go x86. Keep it simple, go KISS.
64G RAM seems a bit high for a 32bit system, considering the max allowable RAM for 32bit is 4G.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 06:35 AM   #10
TobiSGD
Moderator
 
Registered: Dec 2009
Location: Germany
Distribution: Whatever fits the task best
Posts: 17,148
Blog Entries: 2

Rep: Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886Reputation: 4886
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darth Vader View Post
Considering that x64 usually come with huge needs of LOL (Linux On Linux), aka multilib, for almost all trivial tasks,
Really? Would you mind to list those trivial tasks that can't be done without multilib? Besides gaming (which isn't really fun on such hardware) and Skype (which doesn't need a fully multilib system, but only few selected libraries) I can't think of anything trivial that needs multilib.

Last edited by TobiSGD; 09-27-2015 at 06:36 AM.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 06:41 AM   #11
Richard Cranium
Senior Member
 
Registered: Apr 2009
Location: McKinney, Texas
Distribution: Slackware64 15.0
Posts: 3,858

Rep: Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225Reputation: 2225
Quote:
Originally Posted by Darth Vader View Post
Considering that x64 usually come with huge needs of LOL (Linux On Linux), aka multilib, for almost all trivial tasks, I strongly recommend you to use i586 until your system memory is beyond 64GB RAM.

So, in few words, my suggestion is: if your system memory is beyond 64G RAM, go x64, if not, go x86. Keep it simple, go KISS.
I agree that any task which requires a 32 bit library to run is a trivial one.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 07:13 AM   #12
ReaperX7
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Jul 2011
Location: California
Distribution: Slackware64-15.0 Multilib
Posts: 6,554
Blog Entries: 15

Rep: Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097
Multilib is irrelevant for most systems with GNU/Linux. Only a handful of applications I know of still exist in a 32-bit only state and most of that is centered around gaming applications and a few older applications that have been already supplicanted by others not requiring multilib. For most systems, multilib is a waste. Unless you need multilib, ignore it.

LoL? Are you freaking kidding me using a Microsoft terminology with GNU/Linux? Linux is a kernel, not the operating system. The OS is GNU. There is no Linux on Linux like Windows on Windows. GNU/Linux uses Multilib as the terminology.

And Darth, 64-bit capable hardware has resource limits only 64-bit software can access to run more efficiently, not just effectively. 32-bit on 64-bit has been clocked at 1.7x faster, and yes it has a smaller memory footprint, mostly due to the fact you have 32-bit addressing in 64-bit address spaces, but 64-bit hardware resources can not be accessed in full by 32-bit software. In truth, I actually had full access to all my system resources and hardware capabilities, not just half of them. And 2GB of 64-bit RAM is 2GB of RAM, not 1GB. Do your math.

And as far as RAM goes, you can use 64GB of RAM, but unless you have a Xeon or Opteron server system to utilize that level of hardware it's pointless. Yes 32-bit has a standard limit of 4GB, but there is a way to extend the addressing range out using Physical Address Extensions (PAE), but all the software must be built to a CPU architecture type that supports PAE. So in essence, 64-bit with even 2GB of RAM is more efficient than 32-bit with 4GB on the same system.

Last edited by ReaperX7; 09-27-2015 at 07:26 AM.
 
1 members found this post helpful.
Old 09-27-2015, 09:03 AM   #13
imitheos
Member
 
Registered: May 2005
Location: Greece
Posts: 441

Rep: Reputation: 141Reputation: 141
My personal preference is to always go with the cpu. If the cpu has 64bit instructions, i install the 64bit version.

There was an old post where Linus described how the vm works in the kernel and the bottom line was that in order for the kernel to be able to do its mappings efficiently, the virtual memory needs to be larger that the physical. I don't quite remember it, but in 32bit mode, the kernel would have something like 1GB in its disposal and even less because of pci mappings and stuff. The only sane option for 2GB and even 1GB ram is 64bit. This is of course from a low level inner workings Linus's point of view and not something that can be noticed by the user.

From a practical point of view, you will not observe any speed difference in daily stuff between 32/64 bit and the memory footprint will be a little higher for 64bit. On a desktop/server processor which is a bit stronger than this atom, speed differences do exist but again not in desktop and daily stuff but mainly in multimedia / encryption programs. For example when i first migrated to 64bit, i ran ffmpeg on a video file with exactly the same options and the 64bit version was much quicker.

2GB is a bit low but i would still install the 64bit version.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 09:15 AM   #14
ReaperX7
LQ Guru
 
Registered: Jul 2011
Location: California
Distribution: Slackware64-15.0 Multilib
Posts: 6,554
Blog Entries: 15

Rep: Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097Reputation: 2097
Quote:
Originally Posted by imitheos View Post
My personal preference is to always go with the cpu. If the cpu has 64bit instructions, i install the 64bit version.

There was an old post where Linus described how the vm works in the kernel and the bottom line was that in order for the kernel to be able to do its mappings efficiently, the virtual memory needs to be larger that the physical. I don't quite remember it, but in 32bit mode, the kernel would have something like 1GB in its disposal and even less because of pci mappings and stuff. The only sane option for 2GB and even 1GB ram is 64bit. This is of course from a low level inner workings Linus's point of view and not something that can be noticed by the user.

From a practical point of view, you will not observe any speed difference in daily stuff between 32/64 bit and the memory footprint will be a little higher for 64bit. On a desktop/server processor which is a bit stronger than this atom, speed differences do exist but again not in desktop and daily stuff but mainly in multimedia / encryption programs. For example when i first migrated to 64bit, i ran ffmpeg on a video file with exactly the same options and the 64bit version was much quicker.

2GB is a bit low but i would still install the 64bit version.
Using OS to Hardware is basic textbook knowledge. Any good tech worth their salt knows to match architecture and software, even if the hardware installed looks underrated. I've seen 64-bit systems with 512MB RAM working. They didn't do much, but they did boot and got to a console login and ran an httpd daemon. The only time you should use 32-bit is through the multilib/compat32 packages, and use only what you need, otherwise just write it off.

My Compaq V6503NR runs Slackware64 14.1 with a 1.6GHz dual-core Turion64 X2 and 2GB RAM and it runs it just fine. Your system is probably a bit better than mine too.
 
Old 09-27-2015, 09:25 AM   #15
Darth Vader
Senior Member
 
Registered: May 2008
Location: Romania
Distribution: DARKSTAR Linux 2008.1
Posts: 2,727

Rep: Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247Reputation: 1247
Quote:
Originally Posted by ReaperX7 View Post
Using OS to Hardware is basic textbook knowledge. Any good tech worth their salt knows to match architecture and software, even if the hardware installed looks underrated. I've seen 64-bit systems with 512MB RAM working. They didn't do much, but they did boot and got to a console login and ran an httpd daemon. The only time you should use 32-bit is through the multilib/compat32 packages, and use only what you need, otherwise just write it off.

My Compaq V6503NR runs Slackware64 14.1 with a 1.6GHz dual-core Turion64 X2 and 2GB RAM and it runs it just fine. Your system is probably a bit better than mine too.
In the mean time for True Slackware (i586) is enough to run a KDE desktop and do some web-browsing, if you don't hit websites who asks for 1GB memory allocation for a stupid images gallery.

Like I said, go further with wasting your system resources and be happy! I for one, I need my computers to work at full power...
 
  


Reply

Tags
choice, netbook, slackware


Thread Tools Search this Thread
Search this Thread:

Advanced Search

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is Off
HTML code is Off



Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
[SOLVED] Slackware current x64 and KDE doesn't start? hsahin4 Slackware 6 02-02-2011 02:00 PM
Slackware current x64 dbus related issue kkmic Slackware 2 12-15-2010 03:37 AM
libelf.so.0 not found slackware-current x64 luckyknight Slackware 2 10-22-2010 11:38 AM
NDISwrapper works for Slackware 13.0 x86 but not Slackware 13.0 x64 - Belkin F5D8053 thewizkid Slackware 0 01-14-2010 06:18 AM
Slackware-Current x64 & x86 + Nvidia SqdnGuns Slackware 7 05-24-2009 10:34 AM

LinuxQuestions.org > Forums > Linux Forums > Linux - Distributions > Slackware

All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:14 AM.

Main Menu
Advertisement
My LQ
Write for LQ
LinuxQuestions.org is looking for people interested in writing Editorials, Articles, Reviews, and more. If you'd like to contribute content, let us know.
Main Menu
Syndicate
RSS1  Latest Threads
RSS1  LQ News
Twitter: @linuxquestions
Open Source Consulting | Domain Registration