[kwlug-disc] 64 bit install

[Rashkae]

Insurance Squared Inc. wrote:
> To run 64 bit installs of linux, do I need 64 bit hardware?  

yes

> 
> In the same vein, if I install a 32 bit install of say Mandriva on a
> machine with 8 gigs of ram, would one expect that the kernel being
> installed will address all 8 gigs?  i.e. do distro installs check for
> that stuff automatically these days?

The Kernel needs to be compiled with PAE enabled.  I can't speak for
Mandriva.  In the case of Ubuntu, you would have to manually install the
server kernel package (or install the server version of Ubuntu to start
with.)