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Arch linux to phase out the support to 32-bit

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Most computers these days run 64-bit CPUs, and most computers run 64-bit operating systems. Arch Linux is acknowledging that fact by making February the last month the distribution will include an i686 (32-bit) download option.

“ Due to the decreasing popularity of i686 among the developers and the community, we have decided to phase out the support of this architecture,” Bart?omiej Piotrowski said in a January 25 announcement on the Arch Linux website.

“ The decision means the February ISO will be the last that allows [installation of] 32-bit Arch Linux,” Piotrowski continued. The announcement goes on to say that i686 installs will continue to receive upgraded packages for a nine-month “ deprecation period.” But starting November 2017, i686 will be effectively unsupported.

Linux was available fairly early on for AMD’ s 64-bit architecture, which is why some 64-bit builds still carry the label of “ amd64” instead of the more agnostic “ x86_64.” While 64-bit Linux can run 32-bit versions of software, it often requires a lot of duplication in the form of libraries and other dependencies. Arch will keep maintaining its multilib repository, which provides 32-bit binary packages (usually prefixed by “ lib32-“ ). For many desktop Arch users, the multilib repository is unneeded, though some packages require access to the multilib repo.

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Frequently asked questions ( 5 )

Q

Why Arch Linux to phase out the support to 32-bit?

A

“Due to the decreasing popularity of i686 among the developers and the community, we have decided to phase out the support of this architecture.”

Q

How Linux 32-bit will stop getting any updates?

A

In other words, Arch Linux 32-bit will stop getting any updates starting today. By the end of this month, Arch Linux distribution will only work on computers based on the x86_64 architectures i.e. 64-bit systems. The 32-bit Arch install will not get any kind of updates or install any program, practically making them useless.

Q

When February iso loast and why in Arch Linux?

A

The decision means the February ISO will be the last that allows [installation of] 32-bit Arch Linux,” Piotrowski continued. The announcement goes on to say that i686 installs will continue to receive upgraded packages for a nine-month “deprecation period.” But starting November 2017, i686 will be effectively unsupported.

Q

Which was the available carry the label to support of 32bit?

A

Linux was available fairly early on for AMD&rsquo s 64-bit architecture, which is why some 64-bit builds still carry the label of &ldquo amd64&rdquo instead of the more agnostic &ldquo x86_64.&rdquo While 64-bit Linux can run 32-bit versions of software, it often requires a lot of duplication in the form of libraries and other dependencies.

Q

Which the major distribution of Arch Linux?

A

Arch is one of the first of the major Linux distributions to stop supporting the 32-bit architecture; although, as PCWorld reported last July, Ubuntu, Fedora, and OpenSUSE all anticipate the imminent demise of 32-bit distros. Fedora, for its part, stopped offering 32-bit versions of its server images with Fedora

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