[xubuntu-users] Changing xubuntu to 64 bit from 32 bit.

[Bill]

On 11/18/2013 08:31 AM, PGillespie wrote:
> Keeping one's /home directory in a separate partition isn't quite the
> miracle cure it's made out to be. If you ever decide to distro-hop, you
> will probably have re-install your home directory or the new distro will
> misbehave. Having a separate home directory can retain preferences you
> might not want with a fresh install and though they're retained, you
> will still have to re-install all/most of the software associated with
> those preferences (unless they come with the distro). I think the most
> effective method is to create a script that will back-up everything
> that's particular to your own preferences. I haven't actually done this.
> I usually selectively copy my home folder to a flash drive, then copy
> everything back after the fresh install.

My thoughts follow the course this thread has taken, which is a course 
related to but not specifically addressing the op's question. So far as 
I am concerned, the op's question as to the possibility of change from 
32 to 64 bit architecture has been answered "no". As for me, I would not 
attempt it; more potential trouble than it is worth if the route of 
creating a separate home partition for personal data (not necessarily 
including system and application preference configuration files) is 
followed.

For several years I have simultaneously maintained and run multiple 
linux distros on each of two or more of the machines on my home network.

I have followed much the same procedure which PGillespie references. I 
have a rather sizeable partition on each machine which I label "Data". I 
create a /home/Data directory under each distro, and mount the Data 
partition at /home/Data (with modification of /etc/fstab). The structure 
of /home/Data is that it contains the user created under /home. I.e., if 
/home/<user>, then /home/Data/<user>. I then delete all but the Desktop 
folder from /home/<user> and symlink to the folders I have created to 
contain personal files in /home/Data/<user>. E.g., if I have Documents, 
Downloads, Pictures, Music, etc. folders in /home/Data/<user>, then I 
create symlinks in /home/<user>/ to the folders/files in /home/Data/<user>.

If I have folders such as /home/<user>/.local/share/tomboy, or 
/home/<user>/.mozilla/firefox, or /home/<user>/.thunderbird which I want 
to access from different distros, I create 
/home/Data/<user>/.local/share/, move /home/<user>/.local/share/tomboy 
to /home/Data/<user>/.local/share/ and in /home/<user>/.local/share/ 
create a symlink to /home/Data/<user>/share/tomboy.

Even between Ubuntu and Xubuntu, and certainly between *buntu and say 
Fedora, or Linuxmint, I expect to reinstall and configure applications. 
In my experience, there is simply no way around it. But the procedure I 
follow often allows me to use the application configuration files 
ordinarily found in /home/<user>/.config, and/or /home/<user>/.gconf 
across platforms.

As another example, I keep aliases in a separate .bash_aliases file, and 
have multiple scripts which will run under any linux distro. I keep 
these files in /home/Data/<user> and symlink to them from /home/<user>.

Depending on the users, I sometimes have file ownership and permissions 
issues, but they can be set accordingly. I keep the same primary user 
(usually me) for every distro (meaning that I install the os with the 
same user name and password).

All of that said (and I hope clearly), I obviously recommend to the 
original poster that you follow this procedure with the 32 bit 
installation you now have. If you have the disk space, I would resize 
the current 32 bit partition to no more than 10GB, and create three more 
partitions: one large Data (separate home partition) partition to which 
I copy (not move, at least initially) all of my /home/<user>/ files and 
folders, and two more 10GB partitions for an operating system. I would 
then clone the 32 bit installation to one of those two partitions. I 
would then install the 64 bit os to one of the two 10GB partitions and 
have it working with my mounted and symlinked Data partition. Then, and 
only then, I would experiment with upgrading the 32 bit (current 
operating system) to 64 bit without fear of losing anything, insuring 
that I have both am operable 32 bit and 64 bit os. (You might find at 
this point that there is no point in "upgrading" the 32 bit to 64 bit, 
and can do whatever you want with two of the partitions while always 
having an os that works.)

It's not "miraculous", but it works for me, is better (at this point) 
than virtualization, and has been worth my time to get it set up this 
way. Again, the objective to me is to preserve personal data, and use 
what I can of os specific preference configurations across distros. It 
is as close to "fail safe" as I have found.

Just my 2 cents, and hope it helps.

-- 
Regards,
Bill