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Only Bolivian Here
Asked: 2011-05-09 11:25:16 +0800 CST

How do I check if I have a 32-bit or a 64-bit OS?

  • 772

I downloaded and installed Ubuntu from the official site. However, I don't know if I installed the 32-bit or 64-bit version.

In Windows 7 I could right click My Computer and it listed which version it was.

Is there an easy way to check in Ubuntu?

architecture

15 Answers

  1. Best Answer

    I know at least 2 ways. Open a terminal(Ctrl+Alt+T) and type:

    1. uname -a

      Result for 32-bit Ubuntu:

      Linux discworld 2.6.38-8-generic #42-Ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 11 03:31:50 UTC 2011 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux

      whereas the 64-bit Ubuntu will show:

      Linux discworld 2.6.38-8-generic #42-Ubuntu SMP Mon Apr 11 03:31:50 UTC 2011 x86_64 x86_64 x86_64 GNU/Linux

      Shorter version: 

      $ uname -i
x86_64

      or

    2. file /sbin/init

      Result for 32-bit Ubuntu:

      /sbin/init: ELF 32-bit LSB shared object, Intel 80386, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked (uses shared libs), for GNU/Linux 2.6.15, stripped

      whereas for the 64-bit version it would look like:

      /sbin/init: ELF 64-bit LSB shared object, x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked (uses shared libs), for GNU/Linux 2.6.15, stripped

      Same for systems using systemd (16.04):

      file /lib/systemd/systemd

      Result for 64-bit:

      /lib/systemd/systemd: ELF 64-bit LSB shared object, x86-64, version 1 (SYSV), dynamically linked, interpreter /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2, for GNU/Linux 2.6.32, BuildID[sha1]=54cc7ae53727d3ab67d7ff5d66620c0c589d62f9, stripped
    • 705

  2. Ubuntu 12.04+ with Unity

    • Hit Command(mac) or Window key.
    • Type Details, and select "Details" icon
    • Read "OS type" field
    • 64 bit OS will read "64-bit"

    enter image description here

    Alternative to get the above screen:

    • click System Menu (gear at top right corner)
    • click "About this Computer"

    I know the terminal responses are good but I guess this is the GUI answer. :)

    Ubuntu 11.04 with Unity

    • Hit Command(mac) or Window key.
    • Type System info, and select System Info icon
    • Read "OS type" field
    • 64 bit OS will read "64-bit"
    • 147

  3. A very easy and short way is:

    Open the Terminal, write the following and press Enter.

    getconf LONG_BIT

    The resulting number (in my case 64) is the answer.

    terminal - getconf LONG_BIT

    • 98

  4. Reference: How Do I Know if I’m Running 32-bit or 64-bit Linux?

    Use the command:

    uname -m

    You will typically get:

    i686

    for 32-bit (or possibly i586 or i386), and:

    x86_64

    for 64-bit.

    • 62

  5. Open terminal and try the arch command. If its output is x86_64 then it's 64 bit. If it says i686, i386, etc. then it's 32 bit.

    However, the best way to determine the architecture is to run the arch command and google the output.

    • 30

  6. dpkg --print-architecture command will display whether you have installed a 32 bit or 64 bit Ubuntu OS.

    On 64 bit systems

    $ dpkg --print-architecture
amd64

    On 32 bit systems

    $ dpkg --print-architecture
i386

    `

    • 24

  7. Architecture Checker

    enter image description here

    Download Link

    1. Download It
    2. Extract it.
    3. Mark the file Architecture Checker.sh Executable and run it.

    The script is basically this:

    #!/bin/bash
ARCH=$(uname -m)
if [ "$ARCH" = "i686" ]; then
 zenity --info --title="Architecture Checker" --text="Your Architecture is 32-Bit"
fi
if [ "$ARCH" = "x86_64" ]; then
 zenity --info --title="Architecture Checker" --text="Your Architecture is 64-Bit"
fi

    This will need to be in a executable text file, and zenity will need to be installed.

    • 8

  8. Go to the System Settings and under the System section, hit Details. You will get every detail including your OS, your processor as well as the fact whether the system is running a 64-bit or a 32-bit version.

    • 6

  9. Open the Ubuntu Software Center and search for lib32. If that turns up any results, you are on a 64-bit install (the results are compatibility libraries for running 32-bit applications on a 64-bit install).

    Not exactly a better answer, but at least it doesn't require a terminal... ;-)

    Edit

    I found an even easier one: open Help -> About Mozilla Firefox and you will see it right there... ;-)

    At the bottom it displays the "user agent string", e.g. on my 64-bit system:

    Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux x86_64; nl; rv:1.9.2.12) Gecko/20101027 Ubuntu/10.10 (maverick) Firefox/3.6.12

    or on my 32-bit system:

    Mozilla/5.0 (X11; U; Linux i686; nl; rv:1.9.2.12) Gecko/20101027 Ubuntu/10.10 (maverick) Firefox/3.6.12

    x86_64 is 64-bit, i686 is 32-bit

    (But this is still not the answer that should be there ;) )

    • 3

  10. The power button (top-most, extreme right) has an "About this Computer" option. :)

    • 2