[Fwd: Re: Upgrading from 32 bit to 64 bit]

[Tony Baechler]

I'm forwarding this for the list archives and anyone else interested in the answer.  This is in response to the original post on the list, but it bounced because she put her address in the reply header.

> Hi,
> 
> Since it's a different arch, you'll need to install from scratch unless 
> you want to be stuck using 32-bit code.  If you're worried about losing 
> things, back up /etc and /home.  If you have mail or web pages to save, 
> also backup /var.  Then, make a list of currently installed packages with:
> 
> dpkg --get-selections >dpkg.lst
> 
> Once everything is backed up, do a new install.  You'll have to use cut 
> (1) on the above list of packages, but you should get it to where there 
> is a single package name per line.  Use this:
> 
> aptitude install `cat dpkg.new`
> 
> The dpkg.new should be the list of packages, one per line, made with cut 
> from the dpkg.lst from earlier.  After all the packages are installed 
> and appear to be working, restore your backups, overwriting 
> configuration files with yours.  Some things won't match exactly such as 
> libraries and partitions if you change them, so make another backup of 
> the new /etc first just in case.  Also, aptitude will complain that some 
> packages don't exist, related to 32-bit X86.  You'll be installing X86 
> emulation packages for 64-bit also.  Everything should work by the time 
> it's all done.  Of course if you don't care about saving any backups, 
> just format and do a new install.  Also, I suggest just installing the 
> minimal packages with the installer because you'll overwrite all of them 
> later when you reinstall everything anyway.  You might want to diff the 
> old and new package lists and remove things that the new install puts in 
> that you don't want such as nfs-common.
> 
> Georgina Joyce wrote:
> > I want to move my linux discs into a machine with an Intel  64bit
> > processor.  Would I be better just reinstalling the whole debian Lenny
> > OS?  Or can I just replace a few packages?
> >   
> 
-- 
Gena

M0EBP

http://ready2golinux.com