[Gllug] Are i386 & i586 rpm's interchangeable?

[Alain Williams]

On Thu, Aug 16, 2001 at 09:47:22AM +0100, Paul Brazier wrote:
> I've just installed a cut-down version of Mandrake 8.0 (no X etc) on a
> 486 machine (I installed on a Pentium II then swapped the hard disk
> over). It sems to work fine, ethernet is up, telnet client/server works
> etc.
> 
> However, I've just noticed that all the rpm's are for i586's.
> 
> Would i586 binary rpm's always work on a 486?
> Does the i586.rpm just mean it was optimized for a 586 when compiled,
> but should still work on a 486 (albeit unoptimized)?
> Or might it use 586 instructions that aren't present on 486 chips?
> 
> If not, what are the options for installing linux on 386 or 486's?
> Just use an old distro (not ideal)
> Install from source code (time consuming)
> Manually replace the i586 rpm's with i486 ones?
> Are there distros that supply up-to-date packages compiled for 486's?
> 
> I've had a look at the "Linux From Scratch" HOWTO which looks
> interesting and instructive but I don't really have the time at the
> moment  - has anyone tried this and is it straightforward or are there
> many hidden pitfalls?

Basically a 586 (Pentium) will run anything that a 486 will run,
a 486 will run anything that a 386 will run.

That is why some of the distros compile everything in 386 mode - like
that they will work on any intel architecture (ignoring 286 & below).

But: 586 has some instructions that if used can make an app go faster.
So if you compile for the arcitecture that you have you can get better
code.

Some distros take the view that everyone has a pentium these days and so
compile for that - but cut out people with very old h/ware.

-- 
Alain Williams

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