From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG Wed Jun 27 17:48:25 2012 Return-Path: Delivered-To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org Received: from mx1.freebsd.org (mx1.freebsd.org [IPv6:2001:4f8:fff6::34]) by hub.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 9D3B3106566C for ; Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:48:25 +0000 (UTC) (envelope-from derek@computinginnovations.com) Received: from betty.computinginnovations.com (mail.computinginnovations.com [64.81.227.250]) by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 43A988FC16 for ; Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:48:25 +0000 (UTC) Received: from i7-quad-PC.computinginnovations.com (dhcp-10-20-30-142.computinginnovations.com [10.20.30.142]) by betty.computinginnovations.com (8.14.5/8.14.3) with ESMTP id q5RHhF5a055334; Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:43:15 -0500 (CDT) (envelope-from derek@computinginnovations.com) Message-Id: <6.0.0.22.2.20120627124017.05730608@mail.computinginnovations.com> X-Sender: derek@mail.computinginnovations.com X-Mailer: QUALCOMM Windows Eudora Version 6.0.0.22 Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:43:03 -0500 To: Tim Kellers , freebsd-questions@freebsd.org From: Derek Ragona In-Reply-To: <4FEB0C7C.9080104@devel.njit.edu> References: <4FEB0C7C.9080104@devel.njit.edu> Mime-Version: 1.0 X-Antivirus: avast! (VPS 120627-0, 06/27/2012), Outbound message X-Antivirus-Status: Clean X-yoursite-MailScanner-Information: Please contact the ISP for more information X-yoursite-MailScanner-ID: q5RHhF5a055334 X-yoursite-MailScanner: Found to be clean X-yoursite-MailScanner-From: derek@computinginnovations.com X-Spam-Status: No Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii"; format=flowed X-Content-Filtered-By: Mailman/MimeDel 2.1.5 Cc: Subject: Re: 32 bit to 64 bit X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5 Precedence: list List-Id: User questions List-Unsubscribe: , List-Archive: List-Post: List-Help: List-Subscribe: , X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 27 Jun 2012 17:48:25 -0000 At 08:37 AM 6/27/2012, Tim Kellers wrote: >I'm upgrading a 7.3 -STABLE installation to 8.x, then 9- Stable over the >next few days. The hardware is a Dell 2950 that is capable of running 64 >bit FreeBSD. The original installation was i386 32 bit and that is what >it is running now. > >Will the buildworld ---> buildkernel KERNCONF=FOO64 allow a 32 bit >installation to build a 64 bit kernel? I'd like to upgrade this machine >to 64 bit AMD and I'd prefer not to do it from a DVD if I can do it from >source. Has anyone tried this and succeeded (or failed spectacularly) on >a remote install/upgrade? > >Tim Kellers The 2950's are a bit dated, so unless you have in excess of 4GB RAM, you don't need to move to 64-bit. If you do choose to go 64-bit, I agree with the other posts, simply do a fresh install. In doing a fresh install, save off the package list you have on the i386 build and reinstall those packages on the new 64-bit system. Doing a fresh install will also save you time, since you can go right to 9, rather than doing two upgrades. -Derek -- This message has been scanned for viruses and dangerous content by MailScanner, and is believed to be clean.