[SOLVED] Dual booting problem: 32-bit, 64-bit Redhat linux

[shong9]

I would like to ask if special care has to be taken.

When I installed 32-bit linux first, and later when I installed 64-bit linux on a different partition.. then the computer wouldn't boot either linux properly..

I'd like to hear from people who installed both 32-bit , 64-bit redhat linux successfully.

Thank you

[druidmatrix]

What is the hardware? Where is the Boot Manager installed - in the MBR or beginning of the partition? Which version did the Boot Manager come from?

[shong9]

What is the hardware? Where is the Boot Manager installed - in the MBR or beginning of the partition? Which version did the Boot Manager come from?

Hardware
Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5320 x 2 CPUS.
Grub is installed in the MBR, not on the beginning of the partition..
I need to check the version..

[druidmatrix]

I guess I meant to ask if hardware supports a 64 bit OS; I am not familiar with model numbers. Do you have any similar systems running a 64 bit OS only, to rule out any hardware issues?

You mentioned that you installed the 32 bit OS first. Were you able to successfully boot into it afterwards? When you installed the 64 bit OS, did you overwrite grub? I am guessing you were unable to boot at all after this? Do you still see the grub screen though? What happens if you select?

[b2bwild]

Hardware wont matter...in dual booting..
Just make sure you have perfect partitioning.

I should not matter which grub installation you use. i prefer to use 64 bit over 32 bit.

[druidmatrix]

Hardware wont matter...in dual booting..
Just make sure you have perfect partitioning.

I should not matter which grub installation you use. i prefer to use 64 bit over 32 bit.

All parts of your hardware - CPU, memory, main bus, disk controller, etc, etc has to support 64 bit addressing. You cannot install a 64 bit OS on a 32 system unless the OS installer supports it (I think some installers do - they simply install the 32 bit packages on 32 bit systems).

[b2bwild]

O rly? i didnt know that...<_<

[devils casper]

You cannot install a 64 bit OS on a 32 system unless the OS installer supports it (I think some installers do - they simply install the 32 bit packages on 32 bit systems).

Correct but installer of 64bit OS will not even work on 32bit machine.

Hardware
Quad-Core Intel Xeon E5320 x 2 CPUS.
Grub is installed in the MBR, not on the beginning of the partition..
I need to check the version..

Could you explain your problem a bit more? Does Linux throw any error? Post exact error message here.
Boot up from LiveCD of any Linux distro and post the output of fdisk -l command here.

[b2bwild]

Well hes Question is..

Can we dual boot 64bit OS and 32bit OS?(He do have 64 bit machine and Hardware support is not question)
Answer is Yes.

I have sucessfully installed and dual booted, 32 bit linux and 64 bit linux.
and 32bit Windows with 64 bit Linux.
I had no troubles. What i did was I installed 32bit OS first then the 64bit one.

But if you are having an error, shong9
Please let us know.

[devils casper]

It doesn't matter which Linux distro has been installed first. Both 32bit and 64bit OSes work fine in dual boot setup. I have AMD 64bit and I don't even remember how many times I have installed/set up 64bit-32bit Linux multiboot. Installation order doesn't matter at all.