On Wed, May 4, 2016 at 11:31 AM, Michael Mol <mikemol@gmail.com> wrote:

>
> You should use the AMD64 handbook, not the x86 handbook, if you're trying
> to
> install on x86_64 hardware.
>
> https://wiki.gentoo.org/wiki/Handbook:AMD64
>
> More importantly, you should be booted into a 64-bit environment. That
> means
> using a 64-bit live image for your initial boot, and using an amd64 stage3.
>
> EFI has similar requirements; you'll need to be booted via EFI in the first
> place in order to set up the bootloader properly; your firmware won't make
> the
> necessary hardware calls available to register your bootloader if you're
> not
> booted in EFI mode.
>
> HTH


I had read similar thoughts about booting into a 64 bit environment before
posting and had gone to some effort to figure out whether the sysrescuecd
kernel was, in fact, 64 bit.  Its /proc/config.gz seemed to indicate 64
bit, as did uname -a.  But I really don't know if there is a definitive way
of determining whether a running kernel is 64 or 32 bit.

I was booted via EFI, so that part of my installation process was correct.

I never thought to look in the AMD64 handbook.  Thanks for the suggestion -
will give it a try.

John