Switching to AMD64 from I386 using make world

[JonathanGilpin]

Hi,

I have an i386 system running and I want to switch to AMD64. Is this possible using make world and a kernel recompile? If so, could someone point me in the right direction as I'm getting errors on make depend on the kernel compile..

Jonathan

[Steve Kargl]

On Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 10:30:35AM -0700, JonathanGilpin wrote:
>
> I have an i386 system running and I want to switch to AMD64. Is this
> possible using make world and a kernel recompile?

At one time, the answer was 'no'  I don't know if this is
still true.

--
Steve
_______________________________________________
freebsd-amd64@... mailing list
http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-amd64
To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-amd64-unsubscribe@..."

[Roland Smith]

On Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 10:30:35AM -0700, JonathanGilpin wrote:
>
> Hi,
>
> I have an i386 system running and I want to switch to AMD64. Is this
> possible using make world and a kernel recompile? If so, could someone point
> me in the right direction as I'm getting errors on make depend on the kernel
> compile..
 
It should be possible. But you'd have to write the new kernel and userland to
a separate partition or disk. And on the next boot you would have to boot from
that partition/disk.

Since most people do not have a separate partition handy, a better option
would be to make a full backup of your data and install amd64. Keep in mind
that amd64 binaries are somewhat larger on disk than i386 ones, so you might
want to adjust partition sizes. You will also have to install all your ports
again as amd64 binaries.

While you are at it, try the 8.0-RC ISO to reinstall from (it has just popped
up on ftp.freebsd.org, so you might have to wait for it to get to a mirror
near you). I've installed 8.0-BETA4 amd64 on my new laptop and it runs OK.

Roland
--
R.F.Smith                                   http://www.xs4all.nl/~rsmith/
[plain text _non-HTML_ PGP/GnuPG encrypted/signed email much appreciated]
pgp: 1A2B 477F 9970 BA3C 2914  B7CE 1277 EFB0 C321 A725 (KeyID: C321A725)

[Kostik Belousov]

On Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 10:06:43PM +0200, Roland Smith wrote:

> On Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 10:30:35AM -0700, JonathanGilpin wrote:
> >
> > Hi,
> >
> > I have an i386 system running and I want to switch to AMD64. Is this
> > possible using make world and a kernel recompile? If so, could someone point
> > me in the right direction as I'm getting errors on make depend on the kernel
> > compile..
>  
> It should be possible. But you'd have to write the new kernel and userland to
> a separate partition or disk. And on the next boot you would have to boot from
> that partition/disk.
>
> Since most people do not have a separate partition handy, a better option

Use swap. This is well-known trick called miniroot.

> would be to make a full backup of your data and install amd64. Keep in mind
> that amd64 binaries are somewhat larger on disk than i386 ones, so you might
> want to adjust partition sizes. You will also have to install all your ports
> again as amd64 binaries.

Not system-management 32bit applications should mostly work on amd64.

[Robert Huff]

Kostik Belousov writes:

>  > You will also have to install all your ports  again as amd64 binaries.
>  
>  Not system-management 32bit applications should mostly work on
>  amd64.

        True, with due respect to "should mostly".
        On the other hand ... if you're installing from scratch, why
not go completely native?  I recently built an amd64 desktop which
now has 650+ ports installed.  (About 100 are X related.)  As far as
I know all build using amd64 binaries/libraries.


                                Robert Huff




_______________________________________________
freebsd-amd64@... mailing list
http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-amd64
To unsubscribe, send any mail to "freebsd-amd64-unsubscribe@..."

[Kostik Belousov]

On Sat, Sep 19, 2009 at 07:21:58PM -0400, Mike Meyer wrote:
> On Sat, 19 Sep 2009 23:19:20 +0300
> Kostik Belousov <kostikbel@...> wrote:
> > Not system-management 32bit applications should mostly work on amd64.
>
> At the very least, you'll need to install the 32-bit libraries.
You mean lib32 from the base distribution ? Yes. But other then that,
nothing more is needed. The service to the project would be for somebody
to see what work and what does not in the typical desktop user setup,
when 32bit userland started on 64bit kernel.

It is known that network management does not work.

Eventual, but not easy goal is to run 64bit kernel if CPU supports long
mode, regardeless of the bitness of the userland.
>
> Also, you shouldn't try installing new ports (which will try and build
> 64-bit versions) without changing LOCALBASE.
True.