Knoppix 64

Knoppix 64 homepage

In a hurry ? -> - download - - torrent -

This version of Linux is a 64 bit debian based release for the 64 bits AMD machines, remastered from the excellent work of Klaus Knopper (www.knopper.net).

The goal of this work is to provide a 64 bit development environment along with the usual desktop tools. This is the version I wish I had had when I did HPC benchmarking for a recent project. I then nearly missed the fact that when compiled in 64 bit mode one application showed a 65% performance improvement.

Changes are:

- 64 bit kernel and modules, very stable 2.4.21 from Suse www.suse.com

- Gcc 3.4 compiler for c and c++ development

o Generates 64 bits executables

o Allows –march=k8 optimization flag

o Precompiled headers

o See all changes on gcc site

- 64 bit binutils (linker, assembler)

- 64 bit gdb debugger

- up-to-date broadcom bcm5700 gigabit Ethernet driver

To make space for all this, I had to remove openoffice and some European locales.

Supported locales and languages: English, French, German.

The rest of the system is unchanged, therefore it consists mostly of 32 bits applications, as they just work flawlessly, there is no need to have 64 bits versions of these.

Known problems:

Memtest does not work off the cd: you must make a floppy disk (dd if=/cdrom/boot/isolinux/memtest of=/dev/fd0), then boot from floppy.
Terminal server does not work.
Desktop clock offset by 6 hours.
Apt-get does not work, due to the 64 bit packages interference.
Orinoco_cs wifi module does not work (Yes, this is bad).
Hard disk installer gives (harmless) error message.
Gdb cannot debug multithreaded apps (identified as a libc/libpthread problem)
2 spurious error messages when booting:

- looking for modules.dep (it is actually trying to load a sysfs module)

- claims that the cloop module taints the kernel (harmless).

Clarification: why mostly 32 bit apps?

The amd 64 bits debian is not quite ready, the debian goal is to make a dual architecture distribution called “bi-arch” (or multiarch), where the 64 bit libraries would go under /lib64 and the 32 bits library under /lib, the doc files and man pages would only be installed once …Currently the tools dpkg and apt cannot handle the coexistence of multiple architectures (like i386 and x86_64) on the same machine.
While the tools are being worked on, the debian-amd64 projets has made a “pure64” distribution where every piece is layed out as usual (as defined per the LSB standard) but is a 64 bit executable or library. I could have made such a knoppix remaster, similar to what has been done with knoppix ppc (ie same knoppix, different architecture). It would have been however much more work for little gain, not even a performance gain because gcc 3.3 is still being used for the pure64 builds and does not bring much improvement, also executables and libraries would be larger in size and fewer would fit on a CDROM. Another disadvantage is that not as many packages are available under pure64 compared to the wealth of stuff available for the i386.
I feel therefore that this knoppix hybrid with a 64 bit kernel and development tools gives the best of both worlds. You have a full function desktop system and tools, 64 bit power is just a recompile away.
apt-get will fetch the 32 bit packages, they will blend nicely over the installed system as on a standard 32 bit debian. OK, this release has a problem with it, but clearly this is a feature I want to put in, next issue will fix it.
When the bi-arch apt is ready, you will be able to choose for each install whether you want the 64 bit or the 32 bit version of it.
For those who want to try the 64 bits packages, they are on http://debian-amd64.alioth.debian.org do not put this address in the /etc/apt/sources.list file as the packages may overwrite the corresponding 32 bit packages. Instead, pull the packages, do a dpkg –x, look at the files and copy them yourself in the proper places.

Test system: Acer laptop Aspire 1501 LMi

On this system: Sound: OK,

XWindow yes,

3d OpenGL acceleration: No

Integrated mouse OK

Integrated Wifi: No (this is a broadcom wifi chip, no drivers)

Integrated Ethernet: Yes (this is a broadcom bcm5700 gigabit)

USB: OK

Firewire: not tested

Internal modem: unlikely (this is a Winmodem)

Internal SD card reader: not tested

Tested OK: Sun V20z

Dual proc: OK

HDD access (scsi mptfusion): OK

USB: OK

Video, keyboard, mouse: OK

Integrated Ethernet: not tested but likely OK (broadcom bcm5700 gigabit)

Tested bad:

nvidia nForce3 250 (Gigabyte GA-K8NSNXP)

This recent mobo needs a kernel patch.

emachines m6809 (laptop).

May need 2.6 according to this:

http://people.debian.org/~ccheney/arima-w720-k8.html

Intel EMT64 (nocoma platform)

This needs a 2.6 kernel

Please report your success/failures on the knoppix.net forums: http://www.knoppix.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=11113

Notes:

- this is experimental software, the knoppix disclaimer applies.

- Suse has been spearheading the amd64 port, I trust them to provide the best 2.4 kernels for this architecture.