Which kernel is best for AMD C60?

[Liam Proven]

On 31 March 2012 07:57, Art Edwards
<edwardsa at icantbelieveimdoingthis.com> wrote:
> I have installed oneiric on an Acer Aspire 1 with amd dual core c60
> processor. The kernel chosen automatically during install is a -pae
> version. I thought that pae was "physical address extension"

Correct.

> that is
> special hardware that allows a 32 bit processor to access a 64 bit
> address space.

Wrong.

PAE allows a 32-bit kernel to access more than 4GB of RAM by paging
small amounts of the RAM above 4GB into the memory area below 4GB. It
does not use any 64-bit technology, features or anything. It is
analagous to LIM-spec expanded RAM in MS-DOS.

>  When I look on the web for information about the
> processor, the spec's say it is a 64 bit processor. So, did the
> installer choose the correct kernel?

The installer cannot choose between kernels - unlike on Mac OS X,
Linux uses a whole different system for 32-bit or 64-bit operation.
The 64-bit version is a different download and all the programs are
compiled for 64-bit operation. If you're booting off a 32-bit CD, then
all the available kernels and all the binaries on that CD are compiled
for 32-bit.

The only way to change between 64-bit and 32-bit on any Linux distro
is to wipe and reinstall - or dual-boot between the two.

> I'm having major stability issues--
> the system often freezes on the login screen, requiring a hard shutoff
> and reboot. I'm wondering if this is a symptom of the wrong kernel.

Sounds like hardware problems to me, I fear. Overheating is a common
issue on portables.

-- 
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