Differences

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--- devdoc:devdoc_switch_i586_x86_64 [2015/11/26 14:51]
abelbeck [Switching Images between i586 and x86_64]
+++ devdoc:devdoc_switch_i586_x86_64 [2020/04/15 06:35] (current)
mkeuter [Incompatibilities between i586 and x86_64]
@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 ====== Switching Images between i586 and x86_64 ======
-Beginning with SVN r7353 and officially with AstLinux 1.2.5, two new board types were added: genx86_64 and genx86_64-serial.  These boards are x86_64 builds using a 64-bit toolchain, initrd and Linux kernel.
+Beginning with AstLinux 1.2.5, two new board types were added: genx86_64 and genx86_64-serial.  These boards are x86_64 builds using a 64-bit toolchain, initrd and Linux kernel.
 In general, users will be advised to choose either a geni586[-serial] or genx86_64[-serial] install image and stick with that board type, but developers may want to take a shortcut and switch between i586 and x86_64.
-It should be noted that the RUNNIX bootloader will support either i586 or x86_64 architectures. Additionally RUNNIX continues to be a 32-bit x86 image, so at first boot the system will be seen as 32-bit.
+It should be noted that the RUNNIX bootloader will support either i586 or x86_64 run image architectures. Additionally RUNNIX continues to be a 32-bit x86 image, so at first boot the system will be seen as 32-bit.
 !!Note ->!!  With custom builds, the ''.config'' Buildroot config file determines what architecture is used.  The build-system command ''./scripts/build board_type'' allows you to qualify that ''.config'' options to a specific board type.  In other words, building with ''./scripts/build genx86_64-serial'' will not by itself generate a x86_64 image, you must first ''cp x86_64-configs/astlinux-ast11.config .config'' to make it happen.
+!!Info ->!! [[devdoc:boardtypes|List of board types]]
+===== Testing for x86_64 support =====
+If this CLI command generates output, then your board should support x86_64: ("Long Mode" CPUID flag)
+  grep '^flags.* lm ' /proc/cpuinfo
+If no output is generated then your board will not support x86_64.
 ===== Incompatibilities between i586 and x86_64 =====
@@ Line 14: / Line 25: @@
   * LDAP-AB using slapd, the ''/mnt/kd/ldap/data/data.mdb'' database is specific to 32 or 64 bits and needs to be rebuilt.
   * Asterisk FOP2 uses a binary blob for either 32 or 64 bit systems, so a new version must be installed.  Your configuration should continue to work.
-  * The ''initrd.img'' file that accompanies the run image is specific to 32 or 64 bits, usually not a problem. **Do not** ''revert'' to a different architecture and reboot.
+  * The ''initrd.img'' file that accompanies the run image is specific to 32 or 64 bits, usually not a problem. \\ **Do not** ''revert'' to a different architecture and reboot!
 ===== Upgrade switch to x86_64 (64-bit) or i586 (32-bit) =====
@@ Line 23: / Line 34: @@
   Usage: upgrade-run-image check|upgrade|show|revert firmware_repository_url [32|64]
-Example 1 - currently using geni586 or geni586-serial image, switch to 64-bit:
+Example 1 - Currently using geni586 or geni586-serial image, switch to 64-bit:
   upgrade-run-image check http://bla-bla.tld/beta-firmware-1.x 64
@@ Line 30: / Line 41: @@
-Example 2 - currently using genx86_64 or genx86_64-serial image, switch to 32-bit:
+Example 2 - Currently using genx86_64 or genx86_64-serial image, switch to 32-bit:
   upgrade-run-image check http://bla-bla.tld/beta-firmware-1.x 32
@@ Line 36: / Line 47: @@
   upgrade-run-image upgrade http://bla-bla.tld/beta-firmware-1.x 32
-!!Tip ->!! You may need to first do an ''upgrade-run-image revert'' (no reboot) to be able to upgrade.
+!!Tip ->!! You may need to first do an ''upgrade-run-image revert'' (no reboot) to be able to upgrade if the repo versions match.
 ===== Rebuilding LDAP-AB (slapd) between i586 and x86_64 =====
@@ Line 56: / Line 67: @@
 You could just use the LDAP-AB tab for the backup/restore, but using cat/add also restores the passwords.