Will Mandriva i586 properly use my Core 2 Duo?

[Guest lxxxiii]

I have a Core 2 Duo, and would like for the operating system to make good use of at least both CPUs in 32-bit mode. Since I know that i586 is a single-CPU concept, I ask this question.

 

And here's another question related to my situation: can and will x86_64 Mandriva run 32-bit programs efficiently? For example, I'd like to run ZSNES, but it only has a 32-bit version. If it can be run properly in x86_64 Mandriva, I might as well go with that and forget about the previous question (about i586 Mandriva recognizing both CPUs, because both would be fully used?).

[scarecrow]

Since I know that i586 is a single-CPU concept...

Your information is inaccurate.

i586 and i686 architecture does support multiple CPU's, and the apporpriate stock Mandriva kernels are no exheption.

I'm using i686 OS, since I do have a 64-bit CPU, but the rest of my hardware is not optimized for 64-bit, and my RAM is "just" 4BG, and I have no trouble using both the CPU's of the Core 2 Duo. You should oply consider 64-bit ATM if you have very special needs... having "just" a 64-bit CPU is not enough, as a reason.

Edited October 14, 2008 by scarecrow