conversion of an installed base i386 -> amd64

[韓家標 Bill Hacker]

Chuck Robey wrote:
> I have finally decided that I really should have installed my 
> quad-core-2 equipped box as a amd64, instead of the i386 (32 bit should 
> have been 64 bit).  I just finished a buildworld, and I checked, the 
> binaries (which I haven't yet done an installworld on) are actually 
> amd64/64 bit binaries.  I'm running -current, which is mostly why I;m on 
> this list, but my question is one of installation order: in doing the 
> conversion, I don't really like the idea of accidentally hanging the 
> box.  I would like someone to please let me know, what's next? 
> Understand, I am still running the i386 compiler (but the buildworld 
> builds it's own private compiler, thank you very much).  I need to know, 
> should I install the world next?  Or, is there some more correct 
> strategy to get the kernel built?
> 
> Understand, I'm running a 3ware raid, and while I got that in position, 
> to make me feel really safe, i installed the system first  in a 
> junk-pile EIDE drive I happened to have laying about, so I actually do 
> have a emergency drive I can quite easily boot from, if some disaster 
> happens.  I've tried it, it serves me as a very safe backup right now. 
> So, I don't need to worry TOO MUCH about a disaster, but I would like to 
> avoid it as much as I could anyhow.
> 
> Thanks.

Not really much to worry about so long as the box is within physical reach.

A Core-2 Quad with decent RAM complement builds <whatever> fast enough that 
multiple installs and rebuilds in the same day are nearly painless.

What you might want to do is keep a local backup copy of the sources and ports, 
rotate & refresh that periodically so you are not at the mercy of your net link 
or potentially heavily-loaded mirrors to go forward, backwards, or 'sideways'.

Bill