Convert from AMD64 to i386

[Sasha Tsykin]

Billy Verreynne (JW) wrote:
> Richard Barry wrote:
> ==
> When I recently installed ubuntu I did so using an amd64 install CD,
> but I'm starting to think I should have stuck to plain old i386.
> AMD64 doesn't have a few things I wat: flash plugin and w32codecs to
> mention 2.  How hard would it be to convert to i386?  Would I have to
> re-install?
>   
A flash plugin is problematic, although you could try gnash. As for 
win32codecs, they can be installed in amd64.

just download them from the mplayer site (the actual url is 
http://www4.mplayerhq.hu/MPlayer/releases/codecs/) make the codecs 
executable, and copy them to /usr/lib/win32.

Another way to get flash (and all other 32-bit apps) to work, although 
it involves a lot fo hard disk space, and seems inelegant and messy is 
to create a 32-bit chroot. I don't use one, and I don't really like them 
because f the space it wastes, but it can be done.; There is a good 
guide at 
http://www.ubuntuforums.org/showthread.php?t=24575&highlight=32-bit+chroot
> ==
>
>
> A complete re-install. You cannot just install a x386 kernel as the
> rest of the software (Gnome, Office, etc) is 64 bit. Cannot run on a
> 32bit kernel.
>   
it will run well, but at just a bit more than half the speed. I tried it 
and found it a bit slow after 64-bit, but it works well.
> But why? It is like taking the engine out of a Ferari and replacing it
> with a 1400 VW engine because that's the only way to change the colour
> of the seats. (okay bad analogy but still illustrating the point)
>   
No it's not, for many users, flash and codecs are fundamental. In truth, 
I run another computer in 32-bit, and use the 64-bit comptuer mainly for 
serving and for highly processor intensive activities, eg. video encoding).
> You will loose a -lot- of what AMD64 offers when running a 32bit
> generic i386 kernel on it. Rather look at the possibility of running
> the 32bit versions of what you want on the Linux AMD64 kernel.
>   
hard in Ubuntu because all debian derived distros use a non-standard 
library layout for 32- and 64- libraries. Most distribution place 32-bit 
libraries in /usr/lib and 64-bit libraries in /usr/lib64. In ubuntu 
/usr/lib32 and /usr/lib64 are used with symlinks to /usr/lib (I think, 
somebody please correct me if I'm wrong).
>
> --
> Billy
>
>
>   
Hope this helps

Sasha