Can Knoppix Install a Kernel which supports Dual Core?

**rossi** · 05-26-2006, 02:28 PM

Hello:

I want to use the Knoppix 5.01 CD as a way of installing debian on my new computer which is an Intel Pentium D 3.0 GHz Dual Core 64 bit system.

My questions

Will Knoppix sense the dual core and install a kernel which supports SMP processing?.

Or will Knoppix install a single processor kernel when I install debian? Then I would have to upgrade the kernel from debian.

Thanks for your help with this.

Kind regards,

Angelo

**Harry Kuhman** · 05-26-2006, 05:28 PM

5.01 is not out, so it's hard for anyone to say with any certanity what will be there. (5.0 isn't officially released on the Internet and the newest I've used is 4.0.2)

Dual CPU support should already be there though. Have you tried booting Knoppix? How many penguins do you see when your system boots?

64 bit support is NOT there. So if you are really concerned about getting good performance from your 64 bit hardware, I would look at installing the 64 bit version of Debian Etch, not Knoppix which is 32 bits.

Originally Posted by rossi

Or will Knoppix install a single processor kernel when I install debian? Then I would have to upgrade the kernel from debian.

If you want Debian, install Debian. Knoppix is not Debian. Knoppix is based on Debian, but many other Distros are too, and they are not Debian either. Even after "installing" to hard disk Knoppix will never be Debian, at best it will be sorta Debian like, at worst it will be broken.

**UnderScore** · 05-26-2006, 05:44 PM

It will probably work as is but only in 32bit mode. I believe that the default knoppix kernel is compiled with SMP enabled for i386 32bit. I have booted Knoppix 4.02 DVD on a Dell Precision workstation with 2 Pentium Xeon 3.6 GHz and it showed the original 2 in the bios and a total of 4 at Knoppix bootup due to HyperThreading.

**rossi** · 05-26-2006, 05:58 PM

Hello:

Thank you for your replies. It's Knoppix V 5.0 that I have. Don't ask why I wrote Knoppix V5.1.

After I sent the reply, I did boot Knoppix and saw the two penguins. dmesg | grep -i cpu showed two cpus. The top command did as well.

I want Debian at the end. I thought Knoppix would be a good way to bootstrap me into Debian. I guess I wanted an easy way to get to Debian.

I know this is not a Debian forum, but can you tell me if the new debian installer will grab a kernel with Dual CPU 64 bit support ?

Thanks so much for your help.

Kind regards,

Angelo

**Harry Kuhman** · 05-26-2006, 06:46 PM

You pick the hardware platform of your choice when you download the net-install (or CD #1) ISO. If you use the i386 version you will not get 64 bit support; if you use the 64 bit ISO you will. I don't have a dual core system but I believe dual core support will be in the default kernel.

**cvevans** · 05-28-2006, 03:41 PM

I don't have a 64bit system to try, but my older 32bit Xeon won't run Knoppix right.
lockup 4.0.2 on dual Xeon HT Dell Precision 450 Workstation
It boots fine, 4 penguins, single tasks fine, but it's very easy to lock it up.
Test it before you trust it.
(I have not tried Debian)