On Thursday 26 November 2020 at 17:35:18, Fred wrote:

> I installed arch-test which says i386. I am sure an AMD cpu will run
> x86 instructions but I don't see how a x86/i386 cpu will run the
> instructions that AMD presumably added.

i386 is a 32-bit standard.

Any 64-bit CPU (from AMD or Intel, doesn't matter which) can also run 32-bit
instructions - this appears to be what you are doing on your machine right
now.

> fred@ragnok:~$ lscpu
> Architecture:        i686
> CPU op-mode(s):      32-bit, 64-bit
> This seems to say I can run 64 bit software.

Indeed, it does.

> Is the i386 version of Devuan only 32bit?

Yes, i386 is a 32-bit standard.

> Else how is 64 bit installed instead? If you want 64 bit you have to
> install the AMD64 version which means I have to change the MB to one that
> has an AMD cpu?

No, AMD64 is a 64-bit instruction set definition, common to both AMD and Intel.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amd64

> Who took the lid off this can of worms?

It isn't a can of worms, it's just potentially confusing terminology if you
think that "AMD64" means you have to have a CPU made by AMD.


Antony.

--
If you can't find an Open Source solution for it, then it isn't a real problem.

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