uname and 64-bit OS

[John Johnston]

if uname reports i.xx_64 
its a 64 bit system

> Message: 20
> Date: Wed, 29 Jun 2005 08:45:09 +0530
> From: arun.nale at tcs.com
> Subject: uname and 64-bit OS
> To: redhat-install-list at redhat.com
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> 	<OF13847649.2E275EE8-ON6525702F.0011894F-6525702F.0011EFC4 at tcs.com>
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> 
> 
> Is i.86   means 32 bit ( I mean to say if 'uname -m' gives i686 which
> is 
> generally for xeon processor  is it 32 bit or 64 bit ) somewhere I read
> that if it shows as i.XX (means i386/i486/i586/i686) means 32 bit
> 
> if it shows as i.xx-64 (i686-64) then it is 64 bit ?
> 
> if i run  #file /bin/ls     it show me /bin/ls: ELF 32-bit LSB
> executable,
> Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), for GNU/Linux 2.2.5, dynamically linked
>                            (uses shared libs), stripped
> 
> does it mean my OS is 32 bit and all files are compiled in 32 bit ?
> 
> output of uname -m shows i686 in my linux box (machine is a HP-xeon
> processor)
> 
> I have installed redhatES 3.0 kernel 2.4.21-4 ELsmp.
> 
> Can you give ur view please.
> 
> Arun Sopanrao Nale