Re: [gentoo-user] Install a 64bit system from a 32bit minimal CD

[David Relson]

On Mon, 26 Nov 2007 10:53:42 -0500
Aaron Clark wrote:

> Yoav Luft wrote:
> > Hi all,
> > Got myself a new machine, AMD Athlon x2 4000 based, all up and
> > running, but I have no functional CD writer! Can I use the
> > previously burnt 2006 minimal x86 cd to install on my x86_64 system?
> > Or can you think of any other way to install without a burning a
> > new CD?
>
> It depends.  You can install a regular i686 (32bit) system on the
> Athlon 64 chips just fine.  if you want to do that, you should be ok
> with your old minimal CD assuming your hardware is supported by it.
> If you want to install an x86_64 aka amd64 sytem (64bit) from your
> 32bit install environment, then you're SOL as the chroot will fail.
>
> Aaron

I too upgraded my hardware from an Athlon to an Athlon X2 and asked
about using my 32 bit gentoo system as the base from which to install
64 bit gentoo.  When queried, the unanimous response from the list
is "can't be done -- have to use a CD".

It seems like it ought to be doable.  I anticipated something like
   download a 64-bit iso, 
   mount it, 
   uncompress/unsqueeze/whatever
   copy files to the hard drive
   configure grub/lilo
   reboot
   emerge ...

However conventional wisdom is this won't work.  So, yesterday, I
booted from the AMD64 LiveCD, saw the LiveCD choke on my video setup
and incorrectly mounted partitions, then (on the 4th or 5th try) start
giving "NMI watchdog ... LOCKUP" messages.  Someone suggested trying
the AMD64 Minimal Install CD and, through using it, I can now boot to
either a 32 bit or a 64 bit kernel (with different partitions for the
32 and 64 bit environments).   There's more emerging to do to get X
fully built and all my desired applications running, but progress is
being made.

If you'd like (and you're in the US), I'll be glad to send you one of my
AMD64 LiveCDs (as I have 2 and neither is happy with my mobo).

Regards,

David
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