[Techtalk] 32 bit RedHat on EM64T architecture?

[Caitlyn Martin]

Hi, everyone,

We're in the process of setting up a new backup server
on a Dell PowerEdge 2850 server with Intel's EM64T
architecture.  We originally, deliberately, tried to
install an ordinary x86 version of RedHat Enterprise
Linux 3.0.  The install failed on finding the driver
for the Megaraid2 RAID controller.  

One of the other admins here quite cleverly went in to
the command line during install and manually loaded
the Dell driver written for this controller and got
Anaconda to recognize it.  In theory I could have then
partitioned the array space and gone ahead with the
install.  I didn't because I felt that running what is
essentially a 32 bit version of Red Hat on this server
with EM64T architecture and a driver built for an
different version of the kernel would have
unpredictable results.  I certainly wouldn't want this
sort of kluge in production.

That raises a question:  Does it matter?  Why can't 32
bit software be run on an EM64T system.  This is NOT
an Itanium chipset and it isn't true 64 bit.  Does
anyone know if this will work?

Regards,
Cait


		
__________________________________ 
Do you Yahoo!? 
Dress up your holiday email, Hollywood style. Learn more. 
http://celebrity.mail.yahoo.com