Another 64-bit question!

[dvergatal]

Is it ok to install any typical 32-bit OS (i.e. Fedora, SuSE) on a 64-bit machine? Any problems that will arise?

[lakerdonald]

AFAIK 64-bit processors can run in 32-bit mode, but you won't have the optimized performance that 64-bit software would give you.

[techieMoe]

Is it ok to install any typical 32-bit OS (i.e. Fedora, SuSE) on a 64-bit machine? Any problems that will arise?

Yes, it's ok, and no you shouldn't run into any problems. I run both 32-bit and 64-bit OSes and software on my AMD64. By the way, both Fedora and SuSE offer 64-bit versions.

[techieMoe]

AFAIK 64-bit processors can run in 32-bit mode, but you won't have the optimized performance that 64-bit software would give you.

Yes, however it's important to note that currently there aren't any programs that actually give optimized performance on an AMD64/EM64T processor. They're just recompiled without taking full advantage of the new 64-bit processor instructions or registers.

[a thing]

AFAIK 64-bit processors can run in 32-bit mode, but you won't have the optimized performance that 64-bit software would give you.

IIRC only AMD64's can do that.

[techieMoe]

AFAIK 64-bit processors can run in 32-bit mode, but you won't have the optimized performance that 64-bit software would give you.

IIRC only AMD64's can do that.

AMD64's and Intel EM64T's can do that. Any processor that follows the x86_64 architecture fits this, which to the consumer market today means *all* 64-bit processors that aren't Macintosh G3/G4/G5. I doubt very seriously a regular consumer would buy a 64-bit-only processor like the Itanium.