Preferred Architecture for Centrino Core Duo

[Kevin J. Cummings]

Zhukov Pavel wrote:
> On Dec 3, 2007 5:50 PM, Jeremy Nix <Jeremy.Nix at sfsltd.com> wrote:
>> I was reading the Fedora 8 documentation and came across section 3.2
>> that recommends that the x86_64 architecture to be used for the Centrino
>> Core Duo processors.
> 
> Core Duo it's a x86 processor. it doesn't support x86_64.
> 
> Core 2 Duo it's a x86_64 and support 64bit technology.

My lappie has a Centrino Duo sticker on it, and was very happy running
the F8 X86_64 live DVD, so I would assume that your blanket statement
above needs some tweaking.  Some Core Duo CPUs *are* 64-bit capable.

(then again, /proc/cpuinfo lists my CPU as an: Intel(R) Core(TM)2 CPU
 so please be careful about how CPUs are referred to, and maybe my
 laptop manufacturer was lax about the sticker they put on it.)

The correct way to ensure that your CPU is 64 bit capable is to look at
for the LM bit being set in /proc/cpuinfo for your processor(s).

>> In prior versions, I have been running the i686
>> architecture, so I am curious as to what the benefits would be in
>> switching to a 64 bit architecture when my processor is a 32bit
>> dual-core.  Can somebody explain this to me, as the documentation does
>> not really outline the benefits or reasons to switch to the 64 bit
>> architecture.
>>
>> Thanks in advance.
> 
> if you don't know what is it - you probably don't need it.
> http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64 -- this can help you.
> 


-- 
Kevin J. Cummings
kjchome at rcn.com
cummings at kjchome.homeip.net
cummings at kjc386.framingham.ma.us
Registered Linux User #1232 (http://counter.li.org)