There is a system Intel core 2 duo E8200, 4gb ram. Here I think what Debian to put on it (the server will play the role of both the web server and the database) 32 bits or 64?

    3 answers 3

    In general, 64-bit works as fast as 32-bit, and consumes as much memory as 32-bit. The key difference with 64-bit is that it allows individual processes to address more than 3Gb, and supports a number of new x86_64 instructions. Therefore, the rules are. If possible

    • memory growth on the server more than 4Gb,
    • launching processes requiring more 3Gb,
    • operation of applications requiring x86_64 instructions,

    you need to set 64 bits. In all other cases - set 32 ​​bits.

    • The memory growth there obviously will not be on this system, since there is a maximum of 4 gigabytes on the motherboard. However, I am not sure about the instructions, but while I was working on a 32-bit OS I did not notice any difficulties with the applications. The only thing that I thought maybe it would be faster. - Konstantin Sokolov

    It seems to me that in most cases it is more correct to install a system that corresponds to the bitness of the processor. Accordingly, if there is no reason to install x32 (for example, some programs or drivers work only for x32, or x64 slows down some programs), then install x64.

    • It can be added that only x16 applications, which can sometimes be run in DOSBox or similar emulators, are not compatible with x64 hardware. Otherwise, the incompatibility is mainly software-only, at the API level of the OS, for example, the application is rigidly sharpened for a specific version (version family) of the OS, but the choice is obvious. - rdorn

    32 bit systems support a maximum of 3-3.27GB of RAM, 64bit systems support up to 128GB of RAM (such as, maybe even more)

    • And why 3.27, and not 4? - Qwertiy ♦