architecture switch i386 -> x86_64 via zypper possible?

English Install/Boot/Login
1

I’ve recently upgraded my CPU from 32bit to 64bit and therefore wanted to switch the architecture as well (opensuse 11.1). I set “arch = x86_64” in /etc/zypp/zypp.conf and did a “zypper dup”. Everything seemed to work correctly. Lots of x86_64.rpm were downloaded, but the result wasn’t what I had hoped to get: The system is still not switched, and lots of stuff seems still to be missing. /usr/lib64/, for example, is filled with dead links. “uname -i” still says “i386”.

Is an architecture switch via zypper possible at all? Have I missed an important step?

2

All I’ll say is in 4-5 years of using linux you’re the first I’ve even heard of attempting it.

As for possible I for one would never recommend it, but that doesn’t make it not possible, for example only recently I stumbled across using a 64bit kernel in a 32bit OS.(An experiment I’ll leave for a rainy day)

So I’m going for no it is not possible, mainly as you felt the need to ask. Can it be worked out is a different question and I suspect with a few days of headaches and several failed attempts it may feasible, but certainly not with support.

3

I had an acquaintance who attempted the same thing on a Fedora installation about a year ago. Though I don’t know the methodology he used, he did get the system to boot up with the x86-64 kernel, and even compiled and installed a program.

Granted after the first few boots he started getting kernel panics and he ended up doing a complete reinstall with the correct architecture anyways, his limited success would suggest that it could be done. I imagine, even if the process were streamlined, it would be more trouble than its worth though.

4

OK, thanks. Looks like this isn’t a very popular demand.

I switched back in the same way, and at least zypper could clean up its own mess. (BTW: I’m not totally crazy. I just didn’t have a burner available. I knew that “dup” is generally unsupported at this time, and I did this experiment on a fresh clone of my working disk, so I didn’t have much to lose. Also, I used “dup --dry-run” to cache the rpm’s locally before the “wet” run. :slight_smile: