What linux to use?.

[confrontation]

I downloaded a copy of BackTrack5R2-KDE-64.iso , I then went to but it from my USB stick only to get a message saying...

"This kernel requires an x86-64 CPU but only detected an i686 CPU.
unable to boot - please use a kernel approriate for your CPU."

Is there a linux like backtrack that will suit the i686 CPU?
and why isnt linux x86-64 backwards capable?

Regards
Greg

[QIII]

i686 hardware architecture is 32 bit. You will have to use a 32 bit OS.

While a 32 bit OS will run on a 64 bit machine (generally -- some libraries may present issues), the reverse is not true.

It is not a matter of "backwards compatibility". The 32 bit machine architecture of the i686 simply will not allow the use of a 64 bit OS. (In some cases one can virtualize a 64 bit machine on a 32 bit hardware system.)

[confrontation]

I am running windows 7 64bit on the computer I want to install linux on.

Everest results

CPU Type DualCore Intel Core i5 540M, 2400 MHz (18 x 133)
CPU Alias Arrandale-3M

Instruction Set
64-bit x86 Extension (AMD64, Intel64) Supported
AMD 3DNow! Not Supported
AMD 3DNow! Professional Not Supported
AMD 3DNowPrefetch Not Supported
AMD Enhanced 3DNow! Not Supported
AMD Extended MMX Not Supported
AMD MisAligned SSE Not Supported
AMD SSE4A Not Supported
AMD SSE5 Not Supported
Cyrix Extended MMX Not Supported
IA-64 Not Supported
IA MMX Supported
IA SSE Supported
IA SSE 2 Supported
IA SSE 3 Supported
IA Supplemental SSE 3 Supported
IA SSE 4.1 Supported
IA SSE 4.2 Supported
IA AVX Not Supported
IA FMA Not Supported
IA AES Extensions Not Supported
VIA Alternate Instruction Set Not Supported
CLFLUSH Instruction Supported
CMPXCHG8B Instruction Supported
CMPXCHG16B Instruction Supported
Conditional Move Instruction Supported
LZCNT Instruction Not Supported
MONITOR / MWAIT Instruction Supported
MOVBE Instruction Not Supported
PCLMULQDQ Instruction Not Supported
POPCNT Instruction Supported
RDTSCP Instruction Supported
SYSCALL / SYSRET Instruction Not Supported
SYSENTER / SYSEXIT Instruction Supported
VIA FEMMS Instruction Not Supported

[ratcheer]

That system is certainly capable of running 64-bit Linux. There are any number of distros you could try. I enjoy using Ubuntu, Arch Linux, and Sabayon Linux. Each can be configured with a wide choice of desktops. The possibilities are virtually endless.

You will find something that works.

Tim

[Sarcastic Cows]

If no 64-bit OS work on your computer, try a 32-bit version

But for distributions, it's really your choice. The current distros that share most the Linux market are Arch, Mint, Ubuntu and some others, too

If you want to go away from mainstream distros, look at distrowatch.com, they have a list of the top 100 distros.

[tartalo]

The current distros that share most the Linux market are Arch, Mint, Ubuntu and some others, too

Errr,

In the Desktop the ranking would be:
Ubuntu, Fedora, SUSE, Debian, Mint, Mandriva, CentOS, Kubuntu, RedHat, Epiphany, Gentoo, Mips, PCLinuxOS, Arch, others

http://stats.wikimedia.org/archive/s...ingSystems.htm

In the Server:
Debian, CentOS, Ubuntu, RedHat, Fedora, Suse, Gentoo

http://w3techs.com/technologies/hist...tails/os-linux

[Sarcastic Cows]

Errr,

In the Desktop the ranking would be:
Ubuntu, Fedora, SUSE, Debian, Mint, Mandriva, CentOS, Kubuntu, RedHat, Epiphany, Gentoo, Mips, PCLinuxOS, Arch, others

http://stats.wikimedia.org/archive/s...ingSystems.htm

In the Server:
Debian, CentOS, Ubuntu, RedHat, Fedora, Suse, Gentoo

http://w3techs.com/technologies/hist...tails/os-linux

Yeah, the ones most people use

[QIII]

i686 is a 32 bit architecture. It was "revived" initially for the original Core brand of dual core processors and reworked to allow a 64 bit instruction set. But that was a kludge.

I don't understand why an i3, i5 or i7 would be identified as as i686 by your installer.

[blackwolf92]

You can download a 32bit version of Backtrack if you want..

[QIII]

You can download a 32bit version of Backtrack if you want..

That doesn't solve the issue of why his 64 bit version is incorrectly saying the hardware won't support it, however.

This might be a question best asked on a dedicated BackTrack forum.