[sf-lug] is it possible to "upgrade" from a 32 bit linux to a 64 bit linux without re-installing?

[Samir Faci]

Like I said earlier, it is technically possible.. it's one of those
things where you can...but why?

the process is really fragile, and you basically end up having to
replace all your libs, kernel, and programs (since they're now linked
against a whole new set of libs).  That just leaves data and configs.
It's easier to back up your data and do a clean compile.

On Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 12:59 PM, Michael Shiloh
<michaelshiloh1010 at gmail.com> wrote:
> thanks for the links. it's comforting to know that i'm doing the right thing
> to install on a new disk (took the opportunity to upgrade to 7200rpm over my
> current 5400)
>
>
> On 04/28/2013 12:32 PM, Samir Faci wrote:
>>
>> I think the only distro I'm aware of that supports this.. (and not
>> very well is gentoo) which basically involves doing some type of
>> bootstrapping, rebuilding the kernel, rebuilding gcc...and then
>> rebuilding every package installed on your machine with the new gcc
>> libraries...I believe inside of a chroot.. and then doing an rsync
>> from the chroot to the external file system, deleteing and removing
>> all files, replacing the content with what was in the chroot directory
>> (naturally excluding $HOME and things you want to keep ).  reboot off
>> a live CD and re-run your grub command to reset the bootloader....and
>> I *think* that would work.  (This was years ago...and my boss had the
>> bright idea to do this....and even then I thought it was a silly
>> exercise, since it essentially translates to re-installing the OS from
>> the ground up.
>>
>> Now that I've given you all sorts of details about gentoo that you
>> don't really need and confused y ou properly.
>>
>>
>> If you really want to get that done.. for whatever sadistic reasons
>> you might have....  this might be helpful:
>>
>>
>> http://askubuntu.com/questions/81824/how-can-i-switch-a-32-bit-installation-to-a-64-bit-one
>>
>> you probably will end up using:
>> https://wiki.ubuntu.com/DebootstrapChroot  in some capacity as well.
>>
>> I think you need to grab a debootstrap that is x86_64, chroot into it,
>> install all your packages in chroot and do some other type of magic
>> that'll make it all work.. eventually.
>>
>>
>>
>> On Sun, Apr 28, 2013 at 11:48 AM, Michael Shiloh
>> <michaelshiloh1010 at gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>> Awhile back I discovered that I mis-read my laptop, thinking it's a 32
>>> bit
>>> processor when it's in fact a 64 bit. I recently bought a new disk, and
>>> one
>>> of these days plan to install the new disk with the correct version.
>>>
>>> Then yesterday I updated Ubuntu from 12.10 to 13.04, and as I did so
>>> thought: "shouldn't it be possible to do a similar thing to switch from
>>> 32
>>> bit to 64 bit?"
>>>
>>> I know it's much more complicated, probably would involve a sandbox and
>>> some
>>> chroot magic, and it might be less hassle to just do a fresh install
>>> anyway
>>> (i'm pretty well backed up with all my files).
>>>
>>> But it did get me wondering if  there's a tool to do this.
>>>
>>> Anyone know?
>>>
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>>
>>
>>
>>
>> --
>> Samir Faci
>> *insert title*
>> fortune | cowsay -f /usr/share/cows/tux.cow
>>
>> Sent from my non-iphone laptop.
>>
>



-- 
Samir Faci
*insert title*
fortune | cowsay -f /usr/share/cows/tux.cow

Sent from my non-iphone laptop.