32 bit kernel on x86_64

[Tony Dietrich]

On Monday 13 Feb 2006 18:08, Christopher Stone wrote:
> I guess what I need is a way to boot back and forth between a 32bit
> and 64 bit kernel/system.  Is there a way to install a 32bit version
> of Fedora under a chroot environment or something?
>
> On 2/13/06, Chris Adams <cmadams at hiwaay.net> wrote:
> > Once upon a time, Christopher Stone <chris.stone at gmail.com> said:
> > > What is the easiest way to install and run a 32 bit kernel on an
> > > x86_64 fedora core 4 install?  Using either a 32bit kernel from
> > > kernel.org or a prebuilt Fedora kernel would work.
> >
> > Do you mean you have an x86_64 with a 64 bit OS installed, and now you
> > want to use the 32 bit kernel?  If so, you can't, because the 32 bit
> > kernel wouldn't know how to run any of the installed 64 bit binaries
> > (important things like init and bash).
> >
> > If you just mean you want to use the 32 bit OS on an x86_64, then all
> > you have to do is install the i386 OS instead of the x86_64 OS.  It will
> > work just fine (it'll just be 32 bit only).
> > --
> > Chris Adams <cmadams at hiwaay.net>
> > Systems and Network Administrator - HiWAAY Internet Services
> > I don't speak for anybody but myself - that's enough trouble.
> >
> > --
> > fedora-list mailing list
> > fedora-list at redhat.com
> > To unsubscribe: https://www.redhat.com/mailman/listinfo/fedora-list
AFAIK (and I have never done this myself, but I have seen a similar setup 
working)  it would simply be a matter of splitting out a fresh partition from 
your HDD(s), and installing FC4 32bit completely into that partition.

Providing there were no binaries/programs shared between the two OSes, neither 
OS would interfere with each other (similar to Win/Linux dual boot).

In theory you could share the /home partitions, but no user should install 
their own programs into their $HOME, and a program downloaded and complied by 
a user into their $HOME whilst running on the 64bit OS would crash on the 
32bit OS (probably).  So you'd have to be strict to make sure only data goes 
into the users $HOME.

(For example, I have FlightGear installed in my home partition - no-one else 
here likes flightsims - but thats compiled 32bit, and would crash under a 64 
bit system. )

The big question I want to ask is why?  Is there a particular reason you 
need/want both? Is there another solution to your problem?

Tony