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#1 2009-04-23 13:10:50

K0tuk
Member
Registered: 2009-04-06
Posts: 125

686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

Hi!

I`ve recently switched from Linux Mint to Arch and decided to install x86_64. Even though it works good, i often find it to be a pain in the rear when it comes to installing 32-bit software, not available in 64-bit version. I don`t know much about pcu`s architectures, so can anyone tell me: If i install 686 Arch version, how big ( if any ) will be the loss in performance on my Acer 7720g laptop ( Core 2 Duo ) ? I have 3Ggb of RAM, so no loss there...

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#2 2009-04-23 13:16:43

dmartins
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Registered: 2006-09-23
Posts: 360

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

I honestly don't think you'll notice a difference.
Out of interest, which 32 bit software are you finding difficult to install?

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#3 2009-04-23 13:24:55

Allan
Pacman
From: Brisbane, AU
Registered: 2007-06-09
Posts: 11,365
Website

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

Performance differences may be noticed doing heavy multimedia tasks or computations.   And of course I have no numbers to back that up....  tongue

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#4 2009-04-23 13:42:00

K0tuk
Member
Registered: 2009-04-06
Posts: 125

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

dmartins wrote:

Out of interest, which 32 bit software are you finding difficult to install?

The recent one is Floola, but there were others before, just can`t remember which ones anymore sad

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#5 2009-04-23 13:49:10

toad
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From: if only I knew
Registered: 2008-12-22
Posts: 1,775
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Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

Without jumping through a couple of hoops you might find it difficult to keep a "clean" 64 bit install if you wan to use skype or sopcast.


never trust a toad...
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#6 2009-04-23 13:50:21

dr/owned
Member
Registered: 2009-01-09
Posts: 136

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

I thought 64 bit OSes (windows anyways) have a kernel layer that allows them to run 32 bit applications no problems.  Anyways, to answer your performance question, linux is a bit different from windows with x64 vs x86- there's a definite performance difference (you can google for benchmarks) but its still only noticeable on few occasions.  Realize that this is the Arch community though...half of us probably recompile the kernel from source just to squeeze out .1% faster performance.

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#7 2009-04-23 13:50:46

K0tuk
Member
Registered: 2009-04-06
Posts: 125

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

Thanks for the info, anyone. So i guess i`ll install 32-bit this evening...

And maybe check out Openbox roll

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#8 2009-04-23 13:58:51

dr/owned
Member
Registered: 2009-01-09
Posts: 136

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

Word to the wise on that one...I'd install Gnome first then install Openbox.  The first time I started up Openbox I ran away scared of it but didn't have Gnome installed to fall back too smile

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#9 2009-04-23 14:48:58

dmartins
Member
Registered: 2006-09-23
Posts: 360

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

dr/owned wrote:

I thought 64 bit OSes (windows anyways) have a kernel layer that allows them to run 32 bit applications no problems.

They can run 32 bit applications, but you need the 32 bit versions of all the libraries that the app needs. Arch has most common libraries available as a 32-bit version in it's community repo.

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#10 2009-04-23 14:56:09

toad
Member
From: if only I knew
Registered: 2008-12-22
Posts: 1,775
Website

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

Yeah, sorry, should have been more precise. I stated "a clean 64 bit install" or some such - only for the purists. If you don't give a toss one way or the other then you can simply install them smile

toad@deskarch 822\86 /etc/avahi/services > ysearch skype
aur/bin32-skype 2.0.0.72-5 (344)                        
    P2P software for high-quality voice communication   
aur/bin32-skype-oss 2.0.0.72-3 (24)                     
    P2P software for high-quality voice communication (OSS-compatible version)
aur/bin32-skype-pulse 0.1-1 (16)                                              
    A library that makes Skype use the correct libs for PulseAudio on 64bits systems
aur/musicmood 0.6.0-1 (15)                                                          
    Broadcast your Amarok song title into your mood for Skype for Linux             
aur/skype4pidgin 20090104-1 (80)                                                    
    Skype plugin for Pidgin                                                         
aur/skype4py 1.0.29.0-1 (Out of Date) (9)                                           
    Python wrapper for Skype public API
aur/skype-call-recorder 0.8-1 (26)
    Skype Call Recorder is an open source tool that allows you to record your Skype calls on Linux.
aur/skype_dsp_hijacker 0.8-2 (19)
    A workaround for Skype bug that prevents making calls
aur/skype-oss 2.0.0.72-1 (48)
    P2P software for high-quality voice communication (OSS-compatible version)
aur/skype-staticqt 2.0.0.72-2 (54)
    P2P software for high-quality voice communication (static Qt)
aur/skype_video_hijacker 0.1-1 (15)
    Simple user-space video driver, which creates fake video source from gstreamer pipeline defined in command line.

toad@deskarch 823\87 /etc/avahi/services > ysearch sopcast
aur/bin32-gmlive-svn 205-1 (Out of Date) (5)
    A live video for linux, powered by mms, sopcast and nslive. x86_64 ONLY
aur/bin32-gsopcast-svn 56-1 (1)
    A GTK front-end of p2p TV sopcast for 64-bit only.
aur/bin32-sopcast 3.0.1-1 (17)
    The Streaming Direct Broadcast System based on P2P
aur/gmlive 0.21.2-1 (51)
    live video for linux, powered by mms & sopcast.
aur/gmlive-svn 217-1 (13)
    A live video for linux, powered by mms, sopcast and nslive.
aur/gsopcast-svn 54-1 (4)
    A GTK front-end of p2p TV sopcast without ALSA
aur/sopcast-player 0.2.1-2 (5)
    SopCast Player is designed to be an easy to use Linux GUI front-end for the p2p streaming technology developed by SopCast.

So it is all there, see?


never trust a toad...
::Grateful ArchDonor::
::Grateful Wikipedia Donor::

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#11 2009-04-23 15:25:16

bangkok_manouel
Member
From: indicates a starting point
Registered: 2005-02-07
Posts: 1,556

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

or you can use arch48

Last edited by bangkok_manouel (2009-04-23 15:25:34)

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#12 2009-04-23 16:04:58

moljac024
Member
From: Serbia
Registered: 2008-01-29
Posts: 2,676

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

dr/owned wrote:

Word to the wise on that one...I'd install Gnome first then install Openbox.  The first time I started up Openbox I ran away scared of it but didn't have Gnome installed to fall back too smile

Nonsense! One shouldn't mention openbox and gnome in the same sentence tongue
I remember the first time I fired up openbox...when I accidentally minimized something I couldn't find it later smile


The day Microsoft makes a product that doesn't suck, is the day they make a vacuum cleaner.
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But if they tell you that I've lost my mind, maybe it's not gone just a little hard to find...

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#13 2009-04-23 19:00:36

stoffell
Member
Registered: 2009-04-12
Posts: 8

Re: 686 or x86_64 on Core 2 Duo?

I have been using x64 for a few years now, mostly on server systems. Didn't see any performance advantage on using x64.

But.. some applications do have some "drawbacks" when using 32-bit. If i'm correct, mysql has some cache limit of approx. 2GB when using 32-bits. this limit is much higher in 64 bit. (has to do something with adressing memory)

So, yes, if you can, go x64, it's gonna be mainstream soon enough..

cheers

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