# AMD64 tips [SOLVED]

## 01mf02

Hi!

I'm currently running a 32-bit system and will get a 64-bit one soon. I've read some stuff about Gentoo's support for 64-bit, but some texts seem to be outdated, so I wanted to ask you some things:

- Is it possible to compile some non-64-bit programs as 32-bit programs? Am I able to save the setting "compile as 32-bit" for individual packages?

- Which kernel should I run? I tend to use the standard kernel (vanilla), but I've read that I should use gentoo-sources instead.

- I want to have a Nvidia graphics card. Which stuff do I have to install in order to be able to use it?

Have you had other problems with AMD64? Comments?

Thanks in advance!Last edited by 01mf02 on Wed Nov 02, 2005 8:28 am; edited 1 time in total

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## dellaxim

Iam running AMD64 on my lappy for quite a while now and everything has been excelent.

-You can use the lib32 to run 32bit program on 64bit system.

-Basicly you can run any kernel either vanilla or gentoo-sources but as a gentoo-user I prefer gentoo-sources  :Razz: 

-I think NVIDIA is avaiable on 64 bit system (Iam not sure) but it should be fine  :Smile: 

Welcome you to 64bit world soon !!!

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## 01mf02

What's lib32?

I have one more question to add: Can you compile Firefox on a 64 bit machine? Do I have to do anything special to make it running?

Thanks for your answer!

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## Zanfib

Lib32 is a shortcut to say that a 32bit app need all is dependancies in 32 bits to. In amd64 you have some packages that contain this dependancies, like X11, gtk or qt, alsa, libsdl, ...

For firefox the answer is yes !  :Smile: 

The only things to have in mind is that flash plugin from macromedia is only 32 bits (for the moment ?) and can't be used in a pure 64 bits environment. And certainly other proprietary software   :Evil or Very Mad: 

See you soon in 64 bits !!

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## drwook

1/ Pretty much everything works ok in 64 bit - plus compiling is a lot faster, or at least seems so.

2/ Any kernel in portage should be fine, and probably some that aren't but don't complain about them  :Wink: 

3/ NVidia all the way.  Works flawlessly on my amd64.

4/ Yeah...  flash is 32 bit.  BUT! - I've found it pretty useful to have firefox (compiled 64 bit) and firefox-bin (binary 32 bit) installed, & use firefox-bin for flash sites and the other for everything else.  Hurrah, all those annoying flash adverts go away  :Smile: 

Alternatively I hear Konqueror can do 32-bit flash in 64 bit browser somehow, but don't use it so can't comment further.

Go get an amd64 basically  :Smile: 

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## 01mf02

Thanks for your answers!

Good news that Firefox can be compiled for 64-bit - just the Flash stuff is a bit stupid, because nowadays so many web pages seem to use it. Hasn't there been some open source version of Flash that compiles on 64-bit?

It would be cool if compiling on AMD64 would be significantly faster ...   :Razz: 

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## drwook

there is gplflash, but I hear it isn't exactly great...  64 bit flash must be getting released soon though as win64 or whatever it's called gains popularity.  shame that we have to wait for them to be the impetus but meh...

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## seigen

I thought it worth adding that Opera seems to be handling flash fine.... I didn't have any luck getting flash working with firefox-bin

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## 01mf02

Sad news, but ... then I'll probably try firefox-bin or maybe even Opera ...

Thanks!

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## Zanfib

mmmhhh warning, have you used a 32bits firefox-bin for reading flash enable sites ?? A firefox-bin 64 bits is also available in portage !   :Question: 

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## drwook

wtf?

umm, yes to the first, and what are you on about for the second?  Firefox-bin package is 32 bit.  

I'm pretty certain there is no 64 bit binary version in portage.  & I don't see why there would be.  I think you're mistaken.

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## Zanfib

 :Embarassed:  sorry for the mistake ... I've never installed the firefox-bin package on amd64 ! My last experience is on x86 and for this arch my mind is rigth but not for now ...

I go out ...   :Arrow: 

just a question, why a amd64 version of firefox don't exist ? On a 64 bits arch you need absolutely to compile this huge package ? Not really logical    :Question:  but I'm not an expert   :Wink: 

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## drwook

Hey, it's a source based distro, we compile stuff for fun  :Wink: 

Seriously though, binary packages are generally only available for a specific purpose (e.g. OOo is crazily big to expect everyone to recompile every minor release (& some arch's can't even if we want to at the moment), or stuff which isn't open source (e.g. nvidia drivers))  

Plus with binary packages you tend to lose the biggest advantage to Gentoo - compiling in or out optional dependancies.  Sure, theoretically someone could create a binary package for each arch, each permutation of optional dependancies, each set of sane CFLAGS & with every feasible combination of gcc and glibc out there.  But that's just getting silly when the source is available  :Smile: 

Anyway compiling firefox doesn't take too long - maybe 20-30 minutes on a 3000+?  (I admit I haven't timed it so could be off the mark)

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