Can my computer run 64 bit operating system?

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torm
Posts: 186
Joined: Sat 07 Mar 2015, 19:56

Can my computer run 64 bit operating system?

#1 Post by torm »

Can my computer run 64 bit operating system?

Just imagine that it has no stickers on it, HDD is blank, and most likely the CPU is replaced
at some point over the time. So how can I tell.. ?

Maybe I just throw a 64bit frugal install at it, and see if it fails?
Should be simple, install 32bit system as usual ( or run from pendrive ) , then make a folder
in free ext3 partition, then drag the needed vmlinuz, initrd and all *.sfs files from mounted ISO there.
Then re-run Grub4Dos config and reboot. And hope.. :?

That would be the "trial-and-error" method.
Is there any better way to do this?

Most people that I've asked this dumb question, did not have a solid answer for it.
Also, amd64, x86_64 ..the difference?


Not all versions of Puppy and/or web-browsers appear to have 32bit version..

Wognath
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Joined: Sun 19 Apr 2009, 17:23

#2 Post by Wognath »


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mikeslr
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Location: 500 seconds from Sol

Pup-SysInfo

#3 Post by mikeslr »

Hi torm,

Most current Puppies have Pup-SysInfo builtin: Menu>System>PupSysInfo System Information. Fire it up. Select from the top menu: Mainboard>CPU and, if your computer can run 64-bit operating systems, at the bottom of the first paragraph of specifications, you should get a line which reads:

64-bit capable

I'm sure there's a fast way to get that information by typing some command into a terminal. Pup-SysInfo is "just" a lovely GUI front end that radky created for those who prefer GUI's, and for people like me who have no spare brain cells within which to store formulas.

If your Puppy doesn't have Pup-SysInfo, you can install it from here: http://murga-linux.com/puppy/viewtopic. ... 411#579411. It is "no-arch", which means it should run on any Puppy.

mikesLr

P.S. While you've got Pup-Sysinfo running, check out the "Base Report" it will generate from the Sys-Specs tab. It provides lots of information you may need later. But especially important if any operating system is able provide SATISFACTORY performance are the amount of RAM, and --less so-- the power of your CPU(s),

jafadmin
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Joined: Thu 19 Mar 2009, 15:10

#4 Post by jafadmin »

Here's a script named "procs" I have in /root/my-applications/bin that reveals memory and processors:

Code: Select all

#!/bin/sh
Kilobyte=1024
Megabyte=$(($Kilobyte * 1024))
Gigabyte=$(($Megabyte * 1024))

ProcCnt=$(cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep processor | tail -1 | cut -d ' ' -f2)
ProcCnt=$((ProcCnt+1))

CPUBITS=$(cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep -m 1 -w lm)
MODEL=$(cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep -w -m 1 'model name' | cut -d: -f2)
MemTotal=$(cat /proc/meminfo | grep -m 1 'MemTotal:' | cut -d ' ' -f9)
MemTotal=$(echo "(($MemTotal / $Kilobyte))" | bc -l | cut -d '.' -f1)

echo 

if [ $MemTotal -ge $Kilobyte ]; then echo "      RAM:" $(echo "scale = 2; (($MemTotal / 1000))" | bc -l ) "GB (usable)" 
else echo "      RAM:" $MemTotal "MB (usable)"
fi

if [ -z "$CPUBITS" ]; then echo "Processor: (32 bit)"$MODEL" - "$ProcCnt" Cores"
else echo "Processor: (64 bit)"$MODEL" - "$ProcCnt" Cores"
fi

echo
I just boot the computer with a 32 bit puppy thumbdrive then just type: "procs" in a console. The output looks like this:

Code: Select all

      RAM: 3.91 GB (usable)
Processor: (64 bit) Intel(R) Core(TM) i5 CPU 760 @ 2.80GHz - 4 Cores
Last edited by jafadmin on Thu 08 Feb 2018, 23:52, edited 1 time in total.

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8Geee
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Location: N.E. USA

#5 Post by 8Geee »

While I agree with mikeslr, the first clue is usually found in BIOS.

Regards
8Geee
Linux user #498913 "Some people need to reimagine their thinking."
"Zuckerberg: a large city inhabited by mentally challenged people."

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mikeslr
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Joined: Mon 16 Jun 2008, 21:20
Location: 500 seconds from Sol

#6 Post by mikeslr »

While I agree with 8Geee, that's much too easy. :oops: :lol:

mikesLr

watchdog
Posts: 2021
Joined: Fri 28 Sep 2012, 18:04
Location: Italy

#7 Post by watchdog »

If the cpu is 64-bit capable then you can read the "lm" (=long mode) flag among the flags thrown out from the command:

Code: Select all

cat /proc/cpuinfo
In my case:

Code: Select all

# cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor       : 0
vendor_id       : GenuineIntel
cpu family      : 6
model           : 22
model name      : Intel(R) Celeron(R) CPU          530  @ 1.73GHz
stepping        : 1
cpu MHz         : 1729.005
cache size      : 1024 KB
fdiv_bug        : no
hlt_bug         : no
f00f_bug        : no
coma_bug        : no
fpu             : yes
fpu_exception   : yes
cpuid level     : 10
wp              : yes
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 tm pbe nx lm constant_tsc up arch_perfmon pebs bts pni dtes64 monitor ds_cpl tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr pdcm lahf_lm
bogomips        : 3458.01
clflush size    : 64
power management:
I have the "lm" flag and so I can run 64-bit puppies.

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Mike Walsh
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Joined: Sat 28 Jun 2014, 12:42
Location: King's Lynn, UK.

#8 Post by Mike Walsh »

@torm:-

x86_64 & amd64 are exactly the same thing. X86_64 is Intel's version of the architecture developed by AMD for the Athlon 64s, way back in 2004. Because AMD beat Intel to the post with the first commercially available 64-bit CPU on the market, hence why amd64 is the more common handle.....especially in the Linux world.

Both are based on the original x86 Intel architecture, but with 64-bit registers added.

The version why there are fewer & fewer 32-bit versions of the major browsers available these days is really quite simple. 64-bit CPUs have been around for almost 15 years.....and the tech world is inexorably moving toward the day when every single piece of tech in existence will be 64-bit. And 32-bit will have gone the way of the dinosaur & the dodo. And 16-bit before it. And 8-bit before that. And 4-bit......well; you get the picture, I'm sure.

The 'rot' started back nearly 3 years ago, when Google announced they would stop releasing 32-bit versions of Linux Chrome; 48.0.2564.116 was the very last 32-bit Linux version of Chrome. And where one once sets the trend, sure as eggs are eggs, everybody else will eventually follow.....


Mike. :wink:

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smokey01
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Location: South Australia :-(
Contact:

#9 Post by smokey01 »

# uname -a
Linux fatdog64-710 4.4.35 #1 SMP Wed Nov 30 19:46:23 EST 2016 x86_64 AMD FX-8370 Eight-Core Processor AuthenticAMD GNU/Linux
#

musher0
Posts: 14629
Joined: Mon 05 Jan 2009, 00:54
Location: Gatineau (Qc), Canada

#10 Post by musher0 »

Hello, gang.

Nobody mentioned hardinfo (on all recent Puppies) or lshw (aka "list hardware";
https://github.com/lyonel/lshw).

Both utilities can tell the user if the system has a 64-bit capable CPU.

BFN.
musher0
~~~~~~~~~~
"You want it darker? We kill the flame." (L. Cohen)

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