system boots into 32-bit mode; want 64-bit mode

[sds57]

I just noticed that my pangolin performance panp4n system (driver 2.4.4)
boots in 32-bit mode:
$ uname -m
i686
instead of the 64-bit mode as I am sure it used to do.
this is a fully up-to-date system
$ cat /etc/lsb-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=9.10
DISTRIB_CODENAME=karmic
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 9.10"

0. What did I do wrong?
1. how do I boot into 64-bit mode?
2. how do I make sure that I always boot into the 64-bit mode?

thanks

[jdb]

I just noticed that my pangolin performance panp4n system (driver 2.4.4)
boots in 32-bit mode:
$ uname -m
i686
instead of the 64-bit mode as I am sure it used to do.
this is a fully up-to-date system
$ cat /etc/lsb-release
DISTRIB_ID=Ubuntu
DISTRIB_RELEASE=9.10
DISTRIB_CODENAME=karmic
DISTRIB_DESCRIPTION="Ubuntu 9.10"

0. What did I do wrong?
1. how do I boot into 64-bit mode?
2. how do I make sure that I always boot into the 64-bit mode?

thanks

It boots to whatever the kernel is & the kernel is bundled with Ubuntu.
You must have the 32 bit version of Ubuntu installed.
The name of the 64 bit version contains "amd64".
The name of the 32 bit version contains "i386".

jdb

[sds57]

It boots to whatever the kernel is & the kernel is bundled with Ubuntu.
You must have the 32 bit version of Ubuntu installed.
The name of the 64 bit version contains "amd64".
The name of the 32 bit version contains "i386".

Yes, sure.
So, how did it happen that my Ubuntu became i386 all of a sudden
and how do I turn it back to amd64?
specifically, which packages do I install?
"aptitude search linux.*amd64" returns nothing.
my kernel is
linux-image-2.6.31-20-generic
Linux kernel image for version 2.6.31 on x86/x86_64

[Vrekk]

Yes, sure.
So, how did it happen that my Ubuntu became i386 all of a sudden
and how do I turn it back to amd64?
specifically, which packages do I install?
"aptitude search linux.*amd64" returns nothing.
my kernel is
linux-image-2.6.31-20-generic
Linux kernel image for version 2.6.31 on x86/x86_64

If you have 32, then can't just "upgrade" to 64 bit, you will have to download a 64 bit iso, burn it and install from there.

And the reverse is true as well, you can't go from 64 bit to 32 bit, so you must have started there.

[sds57]

If you have 32, then can't just "upgrade" to 64 bit, you will have to download a 64 bit iso, burn it and install from there.

And the reverse is true as well, you can't go from 64 bit to 32 bit, so you must have started there.

This is not true.
As I said, I used to have 64-bit, but, apparently, during a major upgrade, got switched to 32-bit. I never installed from an iso, I always upgraded via internet.

[Eldera]

$ uname -m
i686

Isn't this 64 bit?

Sorry, I am just learning this stuff and this doesn't make sense to me.

[Sef]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Vrekk
If you have 32, then can't just "upgrade" to 64 bit, you will have to download a 64 bit iso, burn it and install from there.

And the reverse is true as well, you can't go from 64 bit to 32 bit, so you must have started there.

This is not true.
As I said, I used to have 64-bit, but, apparently, during a major upgrade, got switched to 32-bit. I never installed from an iso, I always upgraded via internet.

What vrekk said is correct. A system cannot upgrade or downgrade from a 32-bit to a 64-bit system, nor from a 64-bit to a 32-bit system. An upgrade would only affect the packages that are being upgraded.

[Sef]

Isn't this 64 bit?

Sorry, I am just learning this stuff and this doesn't make sense to me.

That is a 32-bit system. If you have a 64-bit system, you will see this: x86_64 or AMD64. The latter is technically the correct name.

No need to apologize. Better to ask and learn, than to not ask and remain ignorant.

[sds57]

What vrekk said is correct. A system cannot upgrade or downgrade from a 32-bit to a 64-bit system, nor from a 64-bit to a 32-bit system. An upgrade would only affect the packages that are being upgraded.

OK. So, what exactly do I need to do to restore my system to the
`uname -m`=x86_64
state?
please?

[marshmallow1304]

OK. So, what exactly do I need to do to restore my system to the
`uname -m`=x86_64
state?
please?

http://releases.ubuntu.com/9.10/
Get the "64-bit PC (AMD64) desktop CD", burn to CD, backup your data, install.