On Nov 22, 2007, at 2:17 PM, Craig White wrote:
> easy answer...Dell Optiplex 320
>
> i386 (32 bit) had multiple issues on this hardware including but most
> especially the inability to work properly with the drive controller
> (SB
> 600) and a heavy hammer of requiring kernel parameter of acpi=off.
> 86_64
> didn't have those issues which made the choice of installing 64 bit
> rather easy.
Thanks Craig. That was the clue I needed to figure this out enough
to satisfy my curiosity. It appears that the notion I had picked up
that it was reasonable to support 64-bit applications on a 32-bit
kernel applies only to the Core 2 and comparable generation of CPUs
in the Intel/AMD world. For the Pentium D chips used in the Optiplex,
64-bit mode is pretty much all or nothing, though, as you point out,
there are wrappers for things like plug-ins.
I think this answers my question about why Linux is went down the dual
track mode. The developers couldn't ignore a generation of CPUs.
Apparently these Optiplex machines have 64-bit BIOS and require 64-bit
drivers, which leads me to wonder how you can get 32-bit Windows to
run on them.
--
In America, anybody can be president. That's one of the risks you take.
-Adlai Stevenson, statesman (1900-1965)
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