Arch Linux

vheon

Member

Registered: 2010-04-08

Posts: 21

I install the wrong arch. Is better reinstall or recompile the kernel?

Hi at all.

I'm not used to systems with more than 1Gb of RAM so now that I upgraded my system and bought 4Gb of RAM I forgot that  I should have install the 64 bit version. Now, I don't like see only 3Gb of RAM so here my question: should I reinstall the right Arch or try to recompile the kernel?? If your advice is the latter, you should keep in mind that would be the first time for me, and I use the catalyst driver for the GPU and I don't know if is an issue later.

ozar

Member

From: USA

Registered: 2005-02-18

Posts: 1,686

Re: I install the wrong arch. Is better reinstall or recompile the kernel?

Hello

If it were me, I'd back up any data, then do a fresh install using the 64-bit version of Arch.

Good luck to you, either way.

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oz

litemotiv

Forum Fellow

Registered: 2008-08-01

Posts: 5,026

Re: I install the wrong arch. Is better reinstall or recompile the kernel?

You should definitely reinstall instead of recompiling the kernel.

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ᶘ ᵒᴥᵒᶅ

jelly

Administrator

From: /dev/null

Registered: 2008-06-10

Posts: 714

Re: I install the wrong arch. Is better reinstall or recompile the kernel?

you need to reinstall for 64 bit  or use a 32 bit userland with 64 bit kernel

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dotfiles

Awebb

Member

Registered: 2010-05-06

Posts: 6,290

Re: I install the wrong arch. Is better reinstall or recompile the kernel?

You could fix this issue without installing a new system, but it would take a massive amount of time, especially if you don't know your way around well in Arch. I'd say save a list of explicitly installed packages (pacman -Qe, see the pacman manpage for more), save everything you changed in /etc and go for it. It'll take about half an hour to get back to the point you came from (depends on your internet connection of course).

Mr.Elendig

#archlinux@freenode channel op

From: The intertubes

Registered: 2004-11-07

Posts: 4,092

Re: I install the wrong arch. Is better reinstall or recompile the kernel?

Only takes like 30 mins to reinstall, unless you are on a 56k or similar.

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Evil #archlinux@libera.chat channel op and general support dude.
. files on github, Screenshots, Random pics and the rest

stqn

Member

Registered: 2010-03-19

Posts: 1,191

Website

Re: I install the wrong arch. Is better reinstall or recompile the kernel?

The wiki has a page explaining how to convert a 32 bit install into a 64 bit one, but last time I checked reality was more complicated than what the page said (and I didn't update the page, yes...) So if you've just installed the 32 bit version, I'd say like the others: just start from scratch and reinstall .

(On a side note, since I've read that a 64 bit Linux system consumes about 20-25% more RAM than a 32 bit one, you *may* actually lose some free RAM if the 32 bit kernel already sees 4 GB / 1.25 = 3.2 GB or more.)