On 07/10/2008 09:20 AM, Matthias Schniedermeyer wrote:
quoted text
> On 09.07.2008 17:16, Shaun R. wrote:
>> If i where to run a 32bit OS on a 64bit kernel would there be any 
>> problems with that?  I'm not trying to convert the OS to 64bit, just 
>> would rather not have to build multiple kernels if i dont have too.  I'm 
>> talking x86_32 and x86_64 btw too.
> 
> I guess you mean 32bit userspace with a 64bit kernel.
> 
> And that's no problem as long as "CONFIG_IA32_EMULATION" is set
> The option is in the menu: Executable file formats / Emulations
> and is called: IA32 Emulation

Just my $.02. I do this configuration for years on some machines.

The only problem I've ever met is that some drivers are broken to support this 
configuration, some ioctls or mmap structures simply binary differs on 32 and 
64-bit (due to different alignment and members size) and the driver can't cope 
with that -- doesn't define ioctls independently on arch or let the structures 
unaligned.

So make sure you won't use any proprietary blob which can't handle this (e.g. 
nvidia is OK).
--
unsubscribe notice
To unsubscribe from this list: send the line "unsubscribe linux-kernel" in
the body of a message to majordomo@vger.kernel.org
More majordomo info at  http://vger.kernel.org/majordomo-info.html
Please read the FAQ at  http://www.tux.org/lkml/