Clarification about AMD64 port for Core Duo

[Erik Trulsson]

On Thu, Jan 12, 2012 at 04:02:21PM +0000, Frank Lay wrote:
> Hello,
> 
> The CURRENT (9.0R) release notes have the following to say about the 
> AMD64 port:
> 
> -------------------------->8-------------------------------------
> As of this writing, the following processors are supported:
> ...
> * All Intel Core 2 (not Core Duo) and later processors
> ...
> -------------------------->8-------------------------------------
> 
> Yet I see many people on the Internet claiming that they're running 
> FreeBSD version <= 9.0 successfully with Core Duos. What's the meaning 
> of this? I own a C2D E8400 (Wolfdale) processor, would I perhaps be 
> safer chosing the i386 port? Or is this all hyperbole?
> 
> I'd appreciate any time you could spare explaining this to me.

Do not confuse the Core 2 Duo processors with the Core Duo processors.
They are not the same thing.

The original Core Duo (and Core Solo) processors were 32-bit only and
never became very widespread.

The later Core 2 series supports both 64-bit and 32-bit operation and
became quite popular, and I am fairly certain that most of the people
you say you have seen claiming to run FreeBSD with a Core Duo are
actually using a Core 2 Duo.  As for your own C2D E8400, well the 'C2D'
is short for 'Core 2 Duo', so yes it should support amd64 just fine.





-- 
<Insert your favourite quote here.>
Erik Trulsson
ertr1013 at student.uu.se