Preferred Architecture for Centrino Core Duo

[Chris Snook]

Kevin J. Cummings wrote:
> 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.
>>
> 
> 

Centrino Duo is an Intel branding for systems with certain sets of components, 
including a Core 2 Duo processor, which is 64-bit.  All Core Duo *processors* 
are 32-bit only.  If it boots a 64-bit kernel, it's not 32-bit, but the 64-bit 
processors *will* boot the 32-bit kernel.

If you can use 64-bit, it's generally better to do so, though you may encounter 
some problems with 3rd-party kernel modules, and you may want to use 32-bit 
firefox or nspluginwrapper for binary plugin compatibility.

	-- Chris