Re: [gentoo-amd64] Can I run a 32-bit kernel on my 64-bit kernel Gentoo machine?

["Conway S. Smith" <beolach@comcast.net>]

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Mark Knecht wrote:
> On 9/25/05, John Myers <electronerd@monolith3d.com> wrote:
> 
>>On Sunday 25 September 2005 19:45, Mark Knecht wrote:
>>
>>>However, I am completely unable to figure out for myself
>>>if I can run a 32-bit kernel when everything else - glibc, xrog-x11,
>>>qt, gnome, apps, etc., have been compiled as 64-bit capable.
>>
>>No. The kernel would boot, but it would panic when it tried to run init.
>>
> 
> 
> Thanks John,
>    That's exactly what I was concerned about.
> 
>    So, to check how this hardware platform works in a 32-bit mode I
> guess I need to do a complete second install on a separate part of the
> hard drive as an Athlon. That's a big job that I'm not anxious to do.
> 
> Cheers,
> Mark
> 

Depending on what you want to do, you might not have to install both a
64 & 32 bit version of the kernel, when you compile the kernel for amd64
processors it has the kernel option CONFIG_IA32_EMULATION, which will
allow you to run 32 bit applications while running the 64 bit kernel.
If you want even closer to a full 32 bit environment, you can setup a 32
bit chroot.  The only thing you would really need to do a complete
second install (kernel & everything) is if you actually want to test a
32 bit version of the kernel itself.

You might be interested in Gentoo's amd64 technotes' chapter on 32 bit
compatibility:
http://www.gentoo.org/proj/en/base/amd64/technotes/index.xml?part=1&chap=4


Conway S. Smith
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