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

[Michael Shiloh]

agreed. it was perhaps more of an academic question.

On 04/28/2013 03:06 PM, Samir Faci wrote:
> 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.
>>>
>>
>
>
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