I am currently looking for buying a notebook in the next weeks and I am in front of some difficult questions. The question is : is is possible to install a 32 bits version of a linux distribution on an amd64-based notebook ?
I ask this because I wonder if it would be possible to run a 32 bit distrib on an amd64 notebook. The idea behind this would be to use the **32 bits "available" ATI drivers ** -cause it's not available in 64bits version.
I guess that even if it was possible that would mean a performance hit, but I would prefer that than have a graphic card that I could not use. The only notebooks I would like are like the sager 4750, but they are only with ATI 9700 GC ...
BTW I searched everywhere on the web a laptop with amd64 and a NVidia FX Go 5700 (and 128 Mo) but that does not exist and that's a pity !!!! The only laptops I found that would have this GC are the new Toshiba Qosmio, but it's Pentium M, and the HP zd7000 series, but that's even worse (Pentium 4). If someone has some advices about that...

Eric

Fully possible, but don't expect much performance out of those dumb ATI drivers. In truth, if you want any sort of gaming performance in Linux, you'll probably want nvidia... ATI drivers are just so hard to get working and so unstable, that it's basically not worth the effort.

However, if you feel like trying, some guiding points:
Run AMD64 in 32 bit mode... you obviously know that there are no 64 bit ATI drivers yet (even though nvidia had them for a while now).
Do not use Xorg 6.8. Forget all the nifty drop shadows and transparencies- the ati drivers won't work with 6.8. Stick with Xorg 6.7, or better yet, one of the Xfree 86 4.3.

First thank you for the info !
Yes I know that, but it seems that ATI wants to improve their driver in the next months, they say that in all last interviews we can read on the net, so we can *hope* *grin* that we should get better linux drivers soon for ATI products. Don't you think so ?

I also know that, and am concerned as far as I use Fedora distrib, which goes to xorg 6.8 ! But again, I guess it is possible to deal with xorg 6.7 until ATI releases drivers for next version.

Do you think that a Pentium M with nvidia 5700 128Mo (I think to the new Qosmio notebooks from Toshiba) is a good alternative to an amd64, because on the paper mobile amd64 is a very good compromice between power and low consomption, I think even better than dothan, for someone who wants power. I mainly want to use internet, do some office stuff, some programming, multimedia stuff (audio, video etc...). And gaming of course ...

Eric

I've done this on the NP4750... check out http://wastelands.net/d470k/

Gadi

ohoh ! Nice, thank you !
I am not sure to have understood if you managed to use the proprietary ATI 32 bits linux drivers on the 32 bits mandrake 10.1 distrib. If it is the case, do you know if it is possible to use them on a 64 bits distrib ?
Did you try to use these drivers with some linux games (quake3, UT, RTCW or anything else) ? What are the results ?

Eric

Unless ATI sudden completely overhauls their entire driver (as in a total reprogramming, not just an incremental upgrade to make it work again), Nvidia will be a better choice. Also, unless ATI releases a 64bit driver as well, getting an AMD64 won't help you. In other words, my opinion is you'll probably have better luck with the Pentium M right now, especially if you wanted accelerated linux drivers =p.

I don't know any of the stats, but I would imagine that the Pentium M would draw slightly less power than the AMD64m, if there is such thing... but again, I have no hard data to back that statement up. Good luck with your new laptop, and your linux install!

Hello Jamesshuang, BTW I found a HP notebook with the nvidia GC (the zd7000 series) , but it's Pentium4. I heard here and there that it was very hot and that was participating to the shorter life of the notebook, because of all electronics getting hot most of the time. What do you think of that ?

They don't get too hot, but their battery life sucks. If my Sager 8890 is any indication, they have incredible power, but prepared to use them as a mobile desktop. These things don't like to run on laps, because they usually have fans on the underside, and they're quite heavy. I haven't noticed the heat getting to my 8890 yet, knock on wood. I've left it on basically consecutively since I got to college, and I used it every day for over a year already.

If you don't intend on being highly mobile, a P4 will bring a very good price/performance ratio, but again- heat will be up, and battery will be down (probably won't exceed 2 hours). Good luck!

I forgot to mention this question : if I install a 32bits distrib on amd64 based notebook, will this means a performance hit compared to 32bits distrib on 32bits hardware ? (I guess there is a performance hit compared to 64bits distrib on &md64 but it's not the purpose of this question).

Not really... AFAIK, AMD64 runs 32 just as well as any other 32 bit processor- they made sure to make it such because Intel's first 64 bit attempt, the Itanium, failed miserably because it couldn't run 32 bit. However, I do know there will be a performance gain running in 64 bit mode.