About to get my new server and...

[Shaye87]

Hi.

I am about to get my new server I ordered, now I want to install the latest ubuntu server edition on it, the cpu is going to be E2160, so which should I download?

Standard personal computer (x86 architecture, PentiumTM, CeleronTM, AthlonTM, SempronTM)

Or

64bit AMD and Intel computers

Now I know that the cpu is 64bit but I reckon it wasn't supported before, what about now? which to download?

 

[fumbles]

4=< GB of mem 64bit

4> GB 32bit

64bit distros tend to suck.

 

[BillytheImpaler]

64bit distros tend to suck.

The usability problems of the 64-bit environ ment largely impact the desktop experience. I doubt that the OP would go wrong to use a 64-bit OS on his server as most "server" software on Linux has been available as 64-bit applications for a long time. Running in EM64T mode opens up a few extra registers and can increase performance.

 

[FirebarUK]

4=< GB of mem 64bit

4> GB 32bit

Shouldn't that read;

<= 4GB = 32bit
> 4GB = 64bit

 

[whitecrook]

64 bit.

I have an E2140 runs 64 bit ubuntu no problems. 64 bit linux is quite mature these days. You can always compile any particular program that doesn't ship a 64 bit binary.

 

[matja]

Only things I've had problems with on Gentoo 64-bit is Flash plugin for Firefxo and some windows video codecs in mplayer - fixable using 32-bit versions of said software.

No reason not to go 64bit for a server - especially if you have more than 4GB of ram - Linux uses indirect page tables for memory over ~880MB, and double indirect for over 3GB (userspace) in 32bit kernels, which aren't exactly great for performance.

64-bit kernels are free from such hacks and tend to perform better on heavy I/O operations.

 

[M0KUJ1N]

Re: people having problems with flash/shockwave plugins on 64-bit linux may I recommend a rather funky little app called nspluginwrapper ? (Its essentially an emulation layer for Gecko-based browsers). Its a bit easier to set up and manage than the traditional method of running a 32 bit chroot jail.

However for servers I can't see any reason not to go 64-bit as almost all major server apps (such as apache, samba, mysql etc) have 64-bit binaries and the only problems apps seem to be closed-source 32 bit apps (like the aforementioned plugins!)

 

[whitecrook]

apt-get install flashplugin-nonfree

sorts Flash out on this Ubuntu 64bit system. (gutsy)

 

[Shaye87]

What if I don't have more than 4 gb of ram? it's more or less just a small home 'box' that i ordered, nothing big... should i still get the 64bit?

 

[Moredhel]

No point really, 99% of the time 64bit is only a useful addition if you're using more than 4gb of ram.