Slackware32 -> Slackware multilib
hi,
Slackware64 can be turned to a multilib 32/64 system easily, as we all know. But would it be possible to turn a Slackware32 into a multilib 32/64 system, without reinstalling to a slack64? Maybe booting from a 64bit DVD, mounting the disk partition and upgradepkg-ing enough relevant packages? Has anyone tried it and is willing to provide any info? |
Sounds like the hard way to me.
|
Quote:
I think I'll try in a virtual machine and see what comes out. |
Just out of curiosity, why would you need multilib if you are using 32bit Slackware?
The rationale for multilib is so that the user can use the relatively few remaining apps that are 32bit only on 64bit Slackware. If you are using 32bit, then you are there already, as I am sure you know. Are you looking for better performance from 32bit Slackware? Or are you trying to use more than 3GB of memory on 32bit Slackware? If so, then I would think that the best approach would be to start with 64bit Slackware. Then add multilib if you need it. I use both (sort of). I have Slackware 13.1 32bit installed to one partition. And I have Salix 13.1 64bit installed to another partition. I have 3GB of memory and a dual core 64bit CPU. I do not see any really significant difference in performance between 32bit and 64bit. Your experience could well be different though. |
Quote:
The main system is a pre-slack64 era installation on current. I don't remember exactly, I think it was a 12.0 system went to current. Quote:
Quote:
Quote:
Anyway sooner or later 32bit should fade away. Are we going to 128bit systems with still 32bit software? :D |
You could probably accomplish the goal by first installing the 64bit kernel and re booting (don't replace the existing kernel and add a separate boot option just to be sure you don't screw anything up)
Once you boot 32bit slackware with a 64bit slackware, I would think the process would be the same by installing the same alien bob multilib compilers and glibc stuff. You could then edit the assistant scripts that aim at assisting compiling 64bit instead of 32bit as well as the repackage scripts to convert 64bit packages to install on 32bit systems without conflicts. However, the usefulness of this is pointless. You would be better off reinstalling from scratch a full 64bit system and converting it to multilib for the very few 32bit apps you need to support. |
If you do want to do this you'll probably be spending some time with the install disc using `ROOT=/path/to/slack removepkg`/`ROOT=/path/to/slack installpkg` and/or using upgradepkg in a chroot environment. I don't think this process has been documented anywhere so it would require experimentation. It's possible, yes, but not straightforward and it is far easier to just backup the relevant partitions and install fresh (and subsequently copy your data back).
|
ok guys thanks for your answers and hints.
You all say the things I was imagining myself, more or less. I will see if I want to spend time trying this conversion or if I just want to backup data and reinstall (btw, the scope of the whole mess was to avoid a reinstall and a backup ;) ) |
Quote:
|
Quote:
Theoretically, it should be so, since the 64bit kernel is more optimized for 64bit CPUs. Quote:
By the time we are ready to move to 128bit software, all of the 32bit stuff should be a distant memory. After all, how many people are still running 16bit software in this growing age of 64bit CPUs and software? One thing is for certain ... When the world is ready to move to 128bit CPUs and software, I will probably continue to use that old and tired 64bit stuff until the very last days of it. :) |
It will be a long time until 32 bit Linux will fade away. The majority of Linux devices nowadays are not PCs, but embedded devices like smartphones and such things, and allmost all of them run 32 bit processors.
|
Quote:
But 64-bit isn't exactly optimal for everything. More memory is used in structs and arrays that store pointers. Most programs don't have much impact from that, fortunately. Quote:
At least we'll have 64-bit time values to avoid the Y2038 bugs, though you might find your food freezer thawing out on that fateful day if they still use 32-bit time values :cry: |
Quote:
so get out your gas mask (to filter out the snitch installtion ) and install I said INSTALL not reinstall you can't reinstall something that was never installed in the first place most likely you have a ton of cruft laying around from all the up dates that could use cleaning out anyway your right most of the time "reinstalling is the last resort of a poorly skilled administrator " BUT not always some times it's the best way to clean house |
Quote:
|
Quote:
|
Quote:
I kind of thought that this was obvious though. |
Quote:
But seriously speaking, we use almost every day a 16bit application: LILO. SYSLINUX or GRUB is 16bit too. Also, there is the infamous floppy BIOS update, running DOS (then 16bit). And, I do not know how it is in other countries, but in Romania, the Ministry of Finance and the accountants use some applications written in FoxPro for DOS. I do not know what is so special about these applications, but this has opened a nice option of using Linux, accompanied by DOSEMU, as host operating system. :) Although it seems strange, the 16bit applications have not yet disappeared. |
Quote:
I would boot from the Slackware64 installation DVD, I would mount the target partition to /mnt, then I would run from slackware64 directory: Code:
ROOT=/mnt upgradepkg */*.t?z The multilib installation part starts after a successfully boot from a clean 64. |
Hi,
I use to upgrade my Slackware systems (32bit-current and 64bit-current) with slackpkg. In my experience a large upgrade requires more time than a complete reinstall. In fact I've often reinstalled my systems and the challenge was to do this with a downtime as short as possible ;) (with a fast computer about 5 Minutes). Quote:
When I install the system, I download all packages with wget or rsync and create a minimal install-CD or bootable USB-device and chose to install from a premounted partition (where the downloaded packages are stored). It is important to make backups of all scripts one has changed (in my case wpa_supplicant.conf, rc.local) Markus |
Quote:
Of course, the best idea will be an clean installation after the backup of useful data. :) |
All times are GMT -5. The time now is 02:54 PM. |