AMD64: use RC1, use i586, or just wait for official 64-bit?

[dt2]

I have an AMD Athlon 64 3000+ coming soon, and I'm trying to decide which version of Mandrake to download and install on it. My options appear to be:

-- Install Official 10.0 for i586 (32-bit)
-- Install 64-bit Release Candidate 1
-- Be patient (!!!) and wait for Official 10.0 64-bit release

I've noted from distrowatch.com that:

-- Official 10.0 was released to MandrakeClub members on or around April 14.
-- Official 10.0 was released to the masses on or around May 24.
-- Official 10.0 for AMD64 was released (boxed version) on or around May 4.
-- RC1 10.0 for AMD64 was released on or around April 21.

Can anyone tell me when Official 10.0 for AMD64 will be released for all of us to download? And is it worth waiting for it, or should I go with one of the other options listed above. (Note that the one criteria is I refuse to pay for something that I can get for free.)

Many thanks!

[scientica]

if I'd choose between you're options there it would be the RC1, and tehn uppgrade to the official release. If it's way too buggy, then I'd suggest go with the i586 release (as AMD64 is backwards compatible).
Btw, I think Fedora Core 1 i stable for AMD64, might be worth trying out: http://fedora.redhat.com

[dt2]

Many thanks.

BTW, seems the Fedora Core 2 also has AMD64 support:

• http://fedora.redhat.com/download/#download

Is this not a stable release?

Separately, can you point me to any online resources indicating how easy/hard it is to upgrade over an existing version of Linux? So if I were to install 64-bit RC1 (or i586) now and decide to upgrade to 64-bit Official when it comes, how much pain should I expect?

[scientica]

oh, I misssed that fc2 has AMD64 support, but I think that should be pretty stable (more stable than the fc1 AMD64 release).

Well, I only have first hand experience with uppgrading Redhat, but I must say that it was an smooth uppgrade, (I uppgraded from Redhat 8.0 to Fedora Core 1). I used the uppgrade option with the fc1 installation and simply followed the instrucitons, and had no problems (that I recall).
I haven't tried mandrake but I think it has a similar installation interface, I think you should have little or no problems uppgrading to a newer release via the setup of mandrake. I'd recomend (based on my own expericnes with Redhat and Fedora Core 1 and 2) that you try Fedora Core 2 for AMD64, and see how it works.
Worth pointing out is that I don't think it's possible to uppgrade from eg Mandrake version X to Other distro Y or the other way around. (This due to differences in the different distrobutions)

So to conclude, I don't think you need to be thrilled by sadistic rituals to enjoy an uppgrade

[dt2]

Many thanks! I think I'll go ahead with FC2 then and see how things go...

[dt2]

Actually, one more question: can I expect an easy upgrade path from i586 to 64-bit (both cases asuming Mandrake Oficial 10.0)? If so I'd prefer to stick with Mandrake, do i586 for now, and upgrade to 64-bit when it comes out.

Sorry for the trouble, and thanks!

[scientica]

I'd guess so - as the old pakages (and pagages of same version) should be replaced with AMD64 compiled ones (I assumbe the AMD64 version enters long mode (64-bit mode, a little different from the legacy mode (or did they call it compatible mode? (long time since I read the lowlevel docs))) at boot), and since much of the apps actually are scripts (at least in redhat/fc, It hink mandrake is the same, many config utils are made from python, perl, etc, and use something like Tk)) - there shouldn't be any problem with them (given that the inteprenter is updated).
No problems, allways glad to be of any help

[dt2]

Wonderful, many thanks!

[Scapegrace]

I like to inform you..

DO NOT USE 10.2 RC1 86_64 !

Its a real pain in da *ss

MCC doesnt save settings
the same thing for harddrake

some times it auto login.. the other time it will not
predifined packages on install cd are not complete compared tot the i586 version
Package update crashed with the announcment that it cannot connect to internet.. ehh but azuerus works.. just like opera

the ac97 sound card driver (the intel 8x0 driver sometimes works.. sometimes it does not)
*crack* *pop* *crack *pang* (the ac97 sndcard suckz anywayz)

and any other programs that uses sound, crashes witin 3 min

doessnt apply settings after config.. xorg.conf

win4linux causes tripes on screen while using XawTV or another program that uses it

Permission denies are to high for normal security level

etc... etc.. etc..

The only reason why i cannot use the i586 version for now.. is that it cannot recognise my SATA controller (sillicon 3114) and keeps running in a loop while installing it



I dont wanna spend a whole day editing config files and compiling sht all the time..
I dont wanna think to hard about it/ kicking my pc / smoking lots of sigarettes
If they dont solve this very fast. they could expect that some users will not use mandriva anymore..

let see if there is a new i586 version avail.
and let the amd64 ver crashing like windows for the moment.. till next officail release