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    silly question re hardware

    I see lots of mention of 64 bit and 32 bit pcs..etc...how do I tell what is mine and whats the difference..in real plain talk
    Running Kubuntu Karmic Koala&nbsp; with KDE 4.3 at home<br /><br />Kubuntu user 24342<br /><br />Running Dell Inspiron 530 Dual Core 3ghz<br /><br />and also running Kubuntu on a Lenovo thinkpad using a live pen drive<br /><br />Still no Microsoft here!

    #2
    Re: silly question re hardware

    Well, the first method would be to just look at the documentation that came with your PC. What does it say under Specifications?

    If you have Kubuntu installed (assuming you do, as you are posting here), open a console and type:
    Code:
    sudo lshw | more
    (just copy and paste the code above)
    When the first screen of data pauses (you see the --more-- at the bottom left of the screen), look at the top of the listing for the line that begins with width:

    This is what mine looks like:
    laptop
    description: Notebook
    product: Satellite P105
    vendor: TOSHIBA
    version: PSPAAU-01K00S
    serial: 17076140W
    width: 32 bits
    This tells you if you have a 32- or 64-bit processor. Mine is a 32-bit.
    Windows no longer obstructs my view.
    Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007.
    "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

    Comment


      #3
      Re: silly question re hardware

      All right, I'll try. Keeping it simple.

      I little history: some of the first popular microprocessor were Intel 8080 and its successor 8086 (see similarity with i386?).
      And those guys were able to "process" instructions in machine language at every 8-bits, that's why came the concept of byte.
      Each 8 bits the processor reads were considered an instruction to be executed.
      So, we could say
      "sum" -> instruction
      "8" -> 1st operand
      "200" -> 2nd operand

      As a result, we get 208. Everything that is inside quotes above is actually information stored in memory, and that information has to be "sliced" in chunks of 8 bits.
      Easy?

      You may ask "hey, you mean those processors could not handle arithmetics above 255?" (8-bits can represent numbers from 0 to 255 in decimal base)
      Yes, they could because there was special instructions. For instance, let's do 1023+512:
      "sum+" -> special instruction
      "102" -> 1st chunk of 1st operand
      "3" -> 2nd chunk of 1st operand
      "51" -> 1st chunk of 2nd operand
      "2" -> 2nd chunk of 2nd operand

      Of course, I gave you an example using decimal base, the processors can only handle binary base (zeros and ones)
      You may see above that even in those times there was the need for something bigger than bytes, so came the concept of word.
      Some implemented word as 2 bytes, some as 4.
      There is no standard, so word losses popularity for bits/bytes and its multiples.

      Anyway, it is clear that the need for memory was amazing, even in those very simple operations.
      That's why came along time new machines handling instructions and data at chunks of 16-bits, then 32, 64, 128, etc. That way we have more instructions and we can handle larger amounts of data easier.
      For personal computers, 32-bits were nice for a long time, but games, multimedia and internet have pushed to 64-bits.
      NOTE: some believes silicon have been exhausted, so improving microprocessors at higher speeds than 4GHz is not possible using silicon. That means to keep selling, corporations now have to improve design (dual core, quad core, low heat, etc) and efficiency (using 64-bits and so on)

      Servers and consoles are running 64 bits and higher long, long time a go...

      How was it?

      Comment


        #4
        Re: silly question re hardware

        Wow

        Read it twice and it is starting to make sense. I have been using computers on and off since sinclair products back in 1981 then bbc basic then macs then pcs than at last got a system I like...I just never got the split between 32/64 bit but now I do...many thanks walfred in taking the time to explain it to me

        and many thanks also snowhog

        I will try running the command later today and print out what I get..I am assuming already having read walfred's info that my pc will be

        The last screen shot I had posted on the ubuntu forums when I set up a conky script I do not think answers it. I have since upgraded to hardy and will replace this script

        http://ubuntuforums.org/showthread.p...59#post4642659

        thanks both of you
        Running Kubuntu Karmic Koala&nbsp; with KDE 4.3 at home<br /><br />Kubuntu user 24342<br /><br />Running Dell Inspiron 530 Dual Core 3ghz<br /><br />and also running Kubuntu on a Lenovo thinkpad using a live pen drive<br /><br />Still no Microsoft here!

        Comment


          #5
          Re: silly question re hardware

          right ...well I did as shown as this was the read out so I am assuming I have a 32 bit pc right?

          description: Desktop Computer
          product: PROD00000000
          vendor: OEM00000
          width: 32 bits
          capabilities: smbios-2.3 dmi-2.3 smp-1.4 smp
          configuration: boot=normal chassis=desktop cpus=1 uuid=00000000-0000-0000-00
          00-00508D61B408
          *-core
          description: Motherboard
          product: VA-10 (VIA KM400-VT8235)
          vendor: http://www.abit.com.tw/
          physical id: 0
          version: 1.x
          *-firmware
          description: BIOS
          vendor: Phoenix Technologies, LTD
          physical id: 0
          version: 6.00 PG (12/03/2003)
          size: 128KiB
          capacity: 448KiB
          capabilities: pci pnp apm upgrade shadowing escd cdboot bootselect soc

          capabilities: pci pnp apm upgrade shadowing escd cdboot bootselect soc
          ketedrom edd int13floppy360 int13floppy1200 int13floppy720 int13floppy2880 int5p
          rintscreen int9keyboard int14serial int17printer int10video acpi usb agp ls120bo
          ot zipboot biosbootspecification
          *-cpu
          description: CPU
          product: AMD Athlon(tm)
          vendor: Advanced Micro Devices [AMD]
          physical id: 4
          bus info: cpu@0
          version: 6.10.0
          slot: Socket A
          size: 1263MHz
          capacity: 3GHz
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 101MHz
          capabilities: boot fpu fpu_exception wp vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8
          apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 mmx fxsr sse syscall mmxext 3dnowext 3dnow
          up ts
          *-cache:0
          description: L1 cache
          physical id: 8
          slot: Internal Cache
          size: 128KiB
          capacity: 128KiB
          capabilities: synchronous internal write-back
          *-cache:1
          description: L2 cache
          physical id: 9
          slot: External Cache
          size: 512KiB
          capacity: 512KiB
          capabilities: synchronous external write-back
          *-memory
          description: System Memory
          physical id: 1a
          slot: System board or motherboard
          size: 1536MiB
          capacity: 2GiB
          *-bank:0
          description: DIMM
          product: None
          vendor: None
          physical id: 0
          serial: None
          slot: A0
          size: 1GiB
          *-bank:1
          description: DIMM
          product: None
          vendor: None
          physical id: 1
          serial: None
          slot: A1
          size: 512MiB
          *-pci
          description: Host bridge
          product: VT8378 [KM400/A] Chipset Host Bridge
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 100
          bus info: pci@0000:00:00.0
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 66MHz
          configuration: driver=agpgart-via latency=8 module=via_agp
          *-pci
          description: PCI bridge
          product: VT8237 PCI Bridge
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 1
          bus info: pci@0000:00:01.0
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 66MHz
          capabilities: pci pm normal_decode bus_master cap_list
          *-display UNCLAIMED
          description: VGA compatible controller
          product: VT8378 [S3 UniChrome] Integrated Video
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 0
          bus info: pci@0000:01:00.0
          version: 01
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 66MHz
          capabilities: pm agp agp-2.0 vga_controller bus_master cap_list
          configuration: latency=32 mingnt=2
          *-network:0 UNCLAIMED
          description: Ethernet controller
          product: DWL-510 2.4GHz Wireless PCI Adapter
          vendor: D-Link System Inc
          physical id: 9
          bus info: pci@0000:00:09.0
          version: 20
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
          configuration: latency=32 maxlatency=64 mingnt=32
          *-communication UNCLAIMED
          description: Communication controller
          product: HCF 56k Data/Fax Modem
          vendor: Conexant
          physical id: a
          bus info: pci@0000:00:0a.0
          version: 08
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          capabilities: pm bus_master cap_list
          configuration: latency=32
          *-usb:0
          description: USB Controller
          product: VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 10
          bus info: pci@0000:00:10.0
          version: 80
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          capabilities: pm uhci bus_master cap_list
          configuration: driver=uhci_hcd latency=32 module=uhci_hcd
          *-usb:1
          description: USB Controller
          product: VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 10.1
          bus info: pci@0000:00:10.1
          version: 80
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          capabilities: pm uhci bus_master cap_list
          configuration: driver=uhci_hcd latency=32 module=uhci_hcd
          *-usb:2
          description: USB Controller
          product: VT82xxxxx UHCI USB 1.1 Controller
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 10.2
          bus info: pci@0000:00:10.2
          version: 80
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          capabilities: pm uhci bus_master cap_list
          configuration: driver=uhci_hcd latency=32 module=uhci_hcd
          *-usb:3
          description: USB Controller
          product: USB 2.0
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 10.3
          bus info: pci@0000:00:10.3
          version: 82
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          capabilities: pm ehci bus_master cap_list
          configuration: driver=ehci_hcd latency=32 module=ehci_hcd
          *-isa
          description: ISA bridge
          product: VT8235 ISA Bridge
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 11
          bus info: pci@0000:00:11.0
          version: 00
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          capabilities: isa pm bus_master cap_list
          configuration: latency=0
          *-ide
          description: IDE interface
          product: VT82C586A/B/VT82C686/A/B/VT823x/A/C PIPC Bus Master IDE
          vendor: VIA Technologies, Inc.
          physical id: 11.1
          bus info: pci@0000:00:11.1
          logical name: scsi0
          logical name: scsi1
          version: 06
          width: 32 bits
          clock: 33MHz
          capabilities: ide pm bus_master cap_list emulated
          configuration: driver=pata_via latency=32 module=pata_via
          *-disk:0
          description: ATA Disk
          product: WDC WD400BB-00FJ
          vendor: Western Digital
          physical id: 0
          bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0
          logical name: /dev/sda
          version: 13.0
          serial: WD-WMAJA5044312
          size: 37GiB (40GB)
          capabilities: partitioned partitioned:dos
          configuration: ansiversion=5 signature=6f1e8855
          *-volume:0
          description: EXT3 volume
          vendor: Linux
          physical id: 1
          bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,1
          logical name: /dev/sda1
          logical name: /
          logical name: /dev/.static/dev
          version: 1.0
          serial: 8b78bbeb-aa88-4f6c-ad39-c61236f9ac2f
          size: 12GiB
          capacity: 12GiB
          capabilities: primary bootable journaled extended_attributes
          large_files huge_files recover ext3 ext2 initialized
          configuration: created=2008-01-20 19:05:51 filesystem=ext3 mo
          dified=2008-07-14 14:50:35 mount.fstype=ext3 mount.options=rw,relatime,errors=re
          mount-ro,data=ordered mounted=2008-07-14 10:22:01 state=mounted
          *-volume:1
          description: Linux swap volume
          physical id: 2
          bus info: scsi@0:0.0.0,2
          logical name: /dev/sda2
          version: 1
          serial: 7bb7d5e0-cf56-44f8-9c55-8b0e4fe7b07f
          size: 2047MiB
          capacity: 2047MiB
          capabilities: primary nofs swap initialized
          configuration: filesystem=swap pagesize=4096
          *-volume:2
          --More--
          Running Kubuntu Karmic Koala&nbsp; with KDE 4.3 at home<br /><br />Kubuntu user 24342<br /><br />Running Dell Inspiron 530 Dual Core 3ghz<br /><br />and also running Kubuntu on a Lenovo thinkpad using a live pen drive<br /><br />Still no Microsoft here!

          Comment


            #6
            Re: silly question re hardware

            Originally posted by andybleaden
            right ...well I did as shown as this was the read out so I am assuming I have a 32 bit pc right?

            description: Desktop Computer
            product: PROD00000000
            vendor: OEM00000
            width: 32 bits <<<<<<<<< identifies your processor as a 32-bit CPU
            capabilities: smbios-2.3 dmi-2.3 smp-1.4 smp
            configuration: boot=normal chassis=desktop cpus=1 uuid=00000000-0000-0000-00
            00-00508D61B408
            Yes.
            Windows no longer obstructs my view.
            Using Kubuntu Linux since March 23, 2007.
            "It is a capital mistake to theorize before one has data." - Sherlock Holmes

            Comment


              #7
              Re: silly question re hardware

              Hi andybleaden,

              also,
              when in doubt, give wikipedia a go, too:
              http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/32-bit
              Best part of that article are all the many, many links, everywhere (including 64-bit processor).
              An intellectual says a simple thing in a hard way. An artist says a hard thing in a simple way. Charles Bukowski

              Comment

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