Ubuntu – Is 32 bit Ubuntu installation necessary to install 64 bit Ubuntu

32-bit64-bitinstallation

I'm going to install Ubuntu 12.04 Precise Pangolin(x64) and this article says it requires clean install from 32 bit. Does it mean — forgive me, I'm Turk and my English is not perfect — "First install 32 bit and then install 64 bit onto it?"

Best Answer

By "requires clean install from 32-bit" (under "64bit Cons") that page is trying to convey exactly the opposite of your assumption. It means that if you start with a 32-bit system, you cannot "upgrade" it to be 64-bit. Instead, you have to start fresh with a "clean" 64-bit installation.

You do not need to start with a 32-bit installation to get a 64-bit installation.

In fact, you really can't convert a 32-bit installation into a 64-bit installation. "Cross-grading" is unsupported and all existing methods for attempting it are likely to leave you with a poorly functioning system that contains some 64-bit and some 32-bit components.

If you want to install the 64-bit version of Ubuntu, just install that. Having the 32-bit version installed first will only complicate things, as you'd have to remove it or install over it.

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