FC4 x86_64 and Pentium 630

[D. Hugh Redelmeier]

| From: John Wendel <jwendel10 at comcast.net>

| Xiyan Lon wrote:

| > I want to buy new pc for my home desktop. I plan to buy Intel Pentium
| > 630. My question, Could I install FC4 x86_64 in using this processor? Or
| > only FC4 i386? Are there anyone have experience with this processor?

I think that you can install FC4 x86_64 on it.

I seem to remember that the RH4 installation is a bit broken in its
support of some Intel chipsets (32-bit and 64-bit, I think).  Updates
fix this, if you can get that far.

The trick/workaround during installation is odd.  When you first boot
the installation CD (or DVD), you will get a boot prompt.  At this
point, type "garbage" and hit return (strange but true!).  Then, at
the next prompt, continue as usual (probably just a return).

See https://bugzilla.redhat.com/bugzilla/show_bug.cgi?id=159026

It is unfortunate that Red Hat / Fedora have not chosen to release an
update to fix this six month old installation problem.

| Sorry, a 630 does not have 64-bit support. It does support hyperthreading so
| you should run a 686 SMP kernel.

The 630 does have the AMD64/X86_64/EM64T instruction set.  See
  http://processorfinder.intel.com/scripts/details.asp?sSpec=SL7Z9

(None of this is first-hand knowledge -- all my X86_64 processors are
AMD.)