GIMP Version: 2.6.11
Operating System: Linux
OS Version: Windows7 (64-bit) and Fedora 16
GIMP Experience: Basic Level

---

My desktop pc has Windows 7 64-bit, 1-T, i5 Intel core 8 GB's Ram I installed another hard drive that is 500GB. On this drive I have Linux Fedora 16 installed. (love it)

My question is... Would the 500GB also be 64-bit? I know this is a stupid question. I would like to know this in case I decide to install 64 bit software. So far, everything I have installed has been 32-bit. I don't even know what the difference is between the two.

A 64-bit OS will allow you to address 100s of Tera-bytes but otherwise, no difference really if both OSs use NTFS Molly. Indeed, if that's the case, you can take you 64-bit OS HD out and slave it to your 32-bit OS to transfer files from each for instance, but, you won't be able to properly boot from that drive since the 2 OSs require different things such as drivers and such and indeed it would probably mess the OS up on the 64-bit OS so don't even try to do that. Hope that answers your question.

Not sure, but I think so, thanks Lyle.
I just didn't know if my new 500 GB was or is 32 or 64. Just call me the techie dum-dum

Ignorance and dumb are similar; just means you didn't know but can learn. Stupid is being trained but then still can't figure it out. I'd rather be dumb then stupid.

another thing to consider is the Ram, 32bit can't use more then 2GB (even if much more is installed).

so if you have much ram you will not want a 32bit OS

At it's lowest level, PC hard drives store data the same way on both 32 and 64 bit architecture. There are no hardware compatibility issues when using modern drives on 32-bit vs 64-bit operating systems.


PCs with 32-bit architecture can process 4 bytes of data at once in a singe CPU cycle. They contain fast 32-bit (4 byte) hardware registers. PCs with 64-bit architecture can process 8 bytes of data in a single CPU cycle, using fast 64-bit hardware registers and addressable memory locations. This gives the 64-bit hardware the potential to process twice the amount of data as the 32-bit hardware could, at the same clock speed. 128-bit hardware can process 4 times the amount of data as 32-bit hardware, at the same clock speed.

Software needs to keep up with the hardware but software ALWAYS lags behind the hardware. That's why we have 32-bit and 64-bit operating systems and applications running on the same piece of 64-bit hardware. In a perfect world, you'd want both the hardware and software to be 64-bit and untimely, that will happen, about the time 128-bit hardware arrives on the scene.

I disagree with you Tux; the future is in qubit processing.

No, I agree with you. I was just pointing out the difference between 32-bit, 64-bit and soon to be 128-bit PC architectures but quantum computing is the future. Maybe not the near future for PC desktop users, but it is certainly a game changer in the evolution of computing.

So, after all that, should I be downloading my apps as 32 or 64? as in Gimp, GMIC etc.

32-bit operating systems can normally address up to 4GB of RAM. 32-bit Linux can see 8GB RAM (PAE Kernel) but a single app can't address more than 4GB of internal memory (without bank switching).

Hmmm. Tell that to my PC... 32-bit OS on 4GB machine, and indeed using the full 4GB. In fact the "PAE" version of Linux 32-bit kernels will let you use more that 4GB RAM on a 32-bit OS (the process will individually be limited to 4GB).

Hey you techie guys, I still didn't have my simple question answered...my stats are at the beginning of this thread. Should I be downloading 64 bit software or 32 bit? I don't understand all that techie talk. Up to now I have never downloaded any 64 bit.

If you're running a 64-bit OS, then you should use 64-bit apps, whenever possible. The software hasn't quite caught up but it's getting there..

I believe you're running the 32-bit version of Fedora so you can only run 32-bit apps on that. You might consider moving to the 64-bit version on your next upgrade. There are some issues with a few 64-bit apps and some apps are only 32-bit. As with Windows, Linux software is catching up to the hardware.

Since you have a 64-bit OS Molly, I would highly recommend you install GIMP 64-bit. Also, since 2.8 has a cool backwards compatibility feature for GIMP plugins (even PS doesn't have such a feature for it's 64-bit version) you can use either 32-bit or 64-bit plugins. I would first try to find 64-bit compiled plugins for the ones you want and only if there isn't one (I couldn't find one for PSPI so guess what? I'm using 32-bit PSPI) then use the 32-bit plugin.

According to Tux, I am running 32 bit Fedora, so it looks like I might have to stay with 32 bit apps. I didn't even know it was 32 bit Anyway, thanks guys.

BTW, where do I find whether it is 32 or 64?

In Fedora/Linux you can enter the following from terminal..


This will display the version you're running.

Or, you can run hard-info (system profiler and benchmark app).

In Windows 7, Start - Right Click Computer, then Properties.

You should be running the 64-bit version of Fedora on your machine and using 64-bit applications. The 64-bit Linux is able to run 32-bit programs if you have the appropriate libraries available -- this approach is typically called "multi-lib" and is indicated by both /usrlib64 and a /usr/lib directory that are fairly well populated. It is generally not at all necessary to provide the 32-bit libraries (the ones in /usr/lib) for Free Software applications -- it is only absolutely necessary when closed proprietary software is to run and only a 32-bit version is available (for example, I have an Epson scanner for which only a 32-bit driver is available).

The main reason for running 64-bit is because there are twice as many processor registers available in that mode, and the compiler is able to store more temporary values in those registers without having to save and retrieve them from memory.

I believe that work is ongoing with the Linux kernel so that it can mix and match 64-bit and 32-bit libraries, drivers, and applications without any additional considerations (such as the aforementioned "multi-lib"). I have not checked the status of this project lately but last I heard it was progressing nicely.

okay, thank you all you brilliant techies, I will run 64 bit apps from now on. I did this uname-a thang and this is what it shows but I don't see 32 or 64 in it.


and this

Like Tux said if you have a 32 bit platform Molly use 32 bit programs.
If you upgrade to 64 bit Fedora, then use 64 bit plugins/software whenever possible.

Molly is so simple :
if you have more then 4GB ram you want use 64bit

if you have from 2 till 4 GB of ram you will still prefer 64bit because allow Windows 32bit to use more then 2g of ram is complex and even if you manage to do result is not optimal (not sure for Linux i belive in Linux you may got till 4GB ram but even there with limitations)

last if you get less then 2G Ram you will have no much benefit from 64bit and so you may prefer 32