Converting F50 from 32-bit - 64-bit in order to support oracle 9i

[billy1]

Hi,
Our F50 was at AIX4.3.3. We upgraded to AIX5.2. We're in 32-bit mode. We need to be in 64-bit mode. Our outputs:
# lslpp -l bos.64bit
Fileset Level State Description
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
Path: /usr/lib/objrepos
bos.64bit 5.2.0.40 COMMITTED Base Operating System 64 bit
Runtime

Path: /etc/objrepos
bos.64bit 5.2.0.40 COMMITTED Base Operating System 64 bit
Runtime
# bootinfo -y
32

ll /usr/lib/boot/unix*
lrwxrwxrwx 1 root system 21 Jul 29 11:17 /usr/lib/boot/unix -> /
usr/lib/boot/unix_mp
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root system 10577412 Jul 07 2004 /usr/lib/boot/unix_64
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root system 9703798 Jul 07 2004 /usr/lib/boot/unix_mp
-r-xr-xr-x 1 root system 6950118 Jul 07 2004 /usr/lib/boot/unix_up
#

Through smit it looks like we can enable 64-bit but I'm not too confident about trying that. I saw from this forum how it can be done by linking our unix_64 file etc.

But my question is, even if we can get the OS in 64-bit mode is it true that the hardware may be in 32-bit and there's no way around that unless we get a new machine ?
Oracle 9i only runs in 64-bit so we need a machine to run this.
Cheers

 

[hirschaj]

bootinfo -y will tell you if your machine is 64 bit capable.
bootinfo -K will tell you which Kernel you are currently running.

Procedure for switching between 32 and 64 bit:

http://www.developer.ibm.com/isv/tech/faq/individual?oid=2:79717

Jim Hirschauer

http://www.aixexpert.com

 

[billy1]

Yes but will this work if the the machine is 32-bit hardware ?

Thanks!

 

[fjw999]

All the smit option does is to enable 64bit extensions, it doesn't actually change you kernel to run in 64bit mode.
We currently run oracle9i on an Aix server that is running in 32bit mode but with the 64bit extension enabled.

You don't have to run you kernel in 32bit mode for oracle9i to work - just load up the 64bit extensions.

 

[hirschaj]

Again bootinfo -y will tell you if the server is capable of running a 64 bit kernel. Your 32-bit cards should work just fine with the 64-bit OS. As always, before making such a change you will want to make sure you have a good mksysb.


Jim Hirschauer

http://www.aixexpert.com

 

[jonoheap]

We too have the same problem. We have an F50 and want to put Oracle 9 on it which has to be 64bit.
The F50 in not a 64bit capable peice of hardware so we are stuck too!