[Techtalk] 32 bit RedHat on EM64T architecture?

[Nicole -]

Another note, the proper architecture for the Xeon 64-bit is amd64 or
x86-64 (depending on who you talk to). The kernel should have the
option for either the AMD Opteron (et al) chips or the Intel Xeon
EM64Ts -- I haven't built my own 64-bit kernel yet, but I did briefly
glance at the options (when I was testing, I used the debian stock
EM64T supporting kernel).

I did have trouble with the 64-bit kernel and USB -- I had to disable
it in the BIOS to get the sucker to boot. Didn't play much with the
64-bit OS, though, I just benchmarked it (WOW) and moved back to
32-bit for production.

-nicole

On Tue, 21 Dec 2004 08:10:15 -0800 (PST), Caitlyn Martin
<caitlynmaire at yahoo.com> wrote:
> 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