From owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG  Wed Jul 16 08:24:39 2008
Return-Path: <owner-freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG>
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 467F41065675
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:24:39 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from freebsd-questions@m.gmane.org)
Received: from ciao.gmane.org (main.gmane.org [80.91.229.2])
	by mx1.freebsd.org (Postfix) with ESMTP id 074698FC1C
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>;
	Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:24:38 +0000 (UTC)
	(envelope-from freebsd-questions@m.gmane.org)
Received: from list by ciao.gmane.org with local (Exim 4.43)
	id 1KJ2JQ-0004Jp-RZ
	for freebsd-questions@freebsd.org; Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:24:37 +0000
Received: from pool-138-88-151-87.esr.east.verizon.net ([138.88.151.87])
	by main.gmane.org with esmtp (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian))
	id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>; Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:24:36 +0000
Received: from nightrecon by pool-138-88-151-87.esr.east.verizon.net with
	local (Gmexim 0.1 (Debian)) id 1AlnuQ-0007hv-00
	for <freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>; Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:24:36 +0000
X-Injected-Via-Gmane: http://gmane.org/
To: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
From: Michael Powell <nightrecon@verizon.net>
Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 04:26:10 -0400
Lines: 39
Message-ID: <g5kb7r$84q$1@ger.gmane.org>
References: <5D49E7A8952DC44FB38C38FA0D758EAD196E4A@mtlexch01.mtl.com>
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii
Content-Transfer-Encoding: 7Bit
X-Complaints-To: usenet@ger.gmane.org
X-Gmane-NNTP-Posting-Host: pool-138-88-151-87.esr.east.verizon.net
Sender: news <news@ger.gmane.org>
Subject: Re: Problem in checking machine architecture
X-BeenThere: freebsd-questions@freebsd.org
X-Mailman-Version: 2.1.5
Precedence: list
Reply-To: nightrecon@verizon.net
List-Id: User questions <freebsd-questions.freebsd.org>
List-Unsubscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=unsubscribe>
List-Archive: <http://lists.freebsd.org/pipermail/freebsd-questions>
List-Post: <mailto:freebsd-questions@freebsd.org>
List-Help: <mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=help>
List-Subscribe: <http://lists.freebsd.org/mailman/listinfo/freebsd-questions>, 
	<mailto:freebsd-questions-request@freebsd.org?subject=subscribe>
X-List-Received-Date: Wed, 16 Jul 2008 08:24:39 -0000

Eitan Shefi wrote:

> I have a host with FreeBSD 7.0-RELEASE (64 bit) installed.
> How do I check the host's architecture ?
>  
> When I run: "uname -m"
> the output is: "amd64"
>  
> When I run: "sysctl -a | less"
> and search for: "CPU"
> I see that:
> "hw.model: Intel(R) Xeon(R) CPU            5140  @ 2.33GHz
> ...
> hw.machine_arch: amd64"
>  
> So, is this host's architecture is:
> Intel or AMD
>  
> I'm confused about it.
> Can someone help ?
>  
[snip]

AMD came out with the 64 bit extensions to the x86 architecture first. Intel
later followed AMD's lead but called their version EM64T. The distinction
between an "AMD" vs "Intel" architecture is incorrect. Furthermore, today
when referring to "architecture", most use x86 to represent 32bit and
x86_64 to refer to 64 bit processor versions.

FreeBSD simply refers to it as "amd64" because AMD was first to produce the
64bit instruction set extensions to the x86 architecture.

You may find this more helpful, as they probably explain it better:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/X86-64#Intel_64

-Mike