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32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 10:44 am
by chrispop99
Apologies if this has been mentioned and I missed it.

I have some core i5 (64-bit) machines that have always been able to boot 32-bit versions. This was the case up to MX-21.x. They won't boot 32-bit versions of MX-23 however - neither Fluxbox or Xfce.
Has something changed that can be easily reverted? It will limit testing for me as one of two 32-bit machines has died.

Chris

Re: 32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 10:57 am
by Adrian
Sounds like a feature, you should use 64-bit on 64-bit machines... but otherwise I have no idea, maybe a kernel option?

Re: 32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 11:04 am
by chrispop99
Adrian wrote: Wed Apr 16, 2025 10:57 am Sounds like a feature, you should use 64-bit on 64-bit machines... but otherwise I have no idea, maybe a kernel option?
I test here, so need to be able to boot 32-bit versions. Multiple machines speed up the process, and my one remaining 32-bit machine might die.

Chris

Re: 32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 11:07 am
by oops
... You should try first with an old kernel (ex: 6.1.xx) ... what is your current version kernel for the X32 snapshot ?

Re: 32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 11:52 am
by fehlix
chrispop99 wrote: Wed Apr 16, 2025 10:44 am Apologies if this has been mentioned and I missed it.

I have some core i5 (64-bit) machines that have always been able to boot 32-bit versions. This was the case up to MX-21.x. They won't boot 32-bit versions of MX-23 however - neither Fluxbox or Xfce.
Has something changed that can be easily reverted? It will limit testing for me as one of two 32-bit machines has died.

Chris
The 32bit isos are supposed to boot on 64-bit systems, at least when selecting CSM/MBR/BIOS-BOOT mode. UEFI-32bit booting on 64bit UEFI may have issues, depending on UEFI firmware.

Re: 32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 12:05 pm
by chrispop99
fehlix wrote: Wed Apr 16, 2025 11:52 am The 32bit isos are supposed to boot on 64-bit systems, at least when selecting CSM/MBR/BIOS-BOOT mode. UEFI-32bit booting on 64bit UEFI may have issues, depending on UEFI firmware.
I'm not UEFI booting with these.

Chris

Re: 32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 12:07 pm
by chrispop99
oops wrote: Wed Apr 16, 2025 11:07 am ... You should try first with an old kernel (ex: 6.1.xx) ... what is your current version kernel for the X32 snapshot ?
I should have mentioned that this is booting live from USB.

Chris

Re: 32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 12:58 pm
by dolphin_oracle
I'll have to check that. I did test the 32 bit xfce release on a 64 bit netbook. besides needing to disable UEFI, I didn't have any issues.

Re: 32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 1:46 pm
by timkb4cq
It's definitely hardware dependent.
An MX23.1 32bit iso boots just fine on this old 64bit box

Code: Select all

Machine:
  Type: Desktop System: Gigabyte product: GA-78LMT-USB3 R2 v: N/A serial: <superuser required>
    Chassis: type: 3 serial: <superuser required>
  Mobo: Gigabyte model: GA-78LMT-USB3 R2 v: sex serial: <superuser required> BIOS: Award v: F1
    date: 11/08/2017
Battery:
  Device-1: hidpp_battery_0 model: Logitech M310 serial: <filter> charge: 55% (should be ignored)
    rechargeable: yes status: discharging
CPU:
  Info: model: AMD FX-6300 bits: 64 type: MT MCP arch: Piledriver level: v2 built: 2012-13
    process: GF 32nm family: 0x15 (21) model-id: 2 stepping: 0 microcode: 0x6000822
  Topology: cpus: 1x cores: 6 smt: enabled cache: L1: 288 KiB desc: d-6x16 KiB; i-3x64 KiB
    L2: 6 MiB desc: 3x2 MiB L3: 8 MiB desc: 1x8 MiB
I'm typing this on it now.
But no such luck on the AMD Ryzen3 HP box in my sig. Can get to grub but can't even boot in single mode.

Re: 32-bit version won't boot on 64-bit machine

Posted: Wed Apr 16, 2025 2:12 pm
by fehlix
chrispop99 wrote: Wed Apr 16, 2025 12:07 pm
oops wrote: Wed Apr 16, 2025 11:07 am ... You should try first with an old kernel (ex: 6.1.xx) ... what is your current version kernel for the X32 snapshot ?
I should have mentioned that this is booting live from USB.

Chris
Was the installation performed on a dos or gpt partiontable. If gpt, best to have as first a 1MB bios_grub partition setup,
otherwise bios/mbr-grub loader may have difficulties to find it's core.img loader on the drive.