Linux is a Unix-like operating system that is popular in many countries. It has been used for many years on personal computers and servers. There are two types of Linux systems: 32-bit and 64-bit. A 32-bit system can run only 32-bit programs. A 64-bit system can run only 64-bit programs. If you are running a Linux system, it is important to know which type of system you are using. You can check this information by running the following command: ls -lh /usr/local/bin/linux This command will show you the list of all the files in your local directory that are executable by your Linux system. If there are any files in this directory that are not executable by your Linux system, then you will need to change this so that they are executable. This process is called installation. If you are running a 64-bit Linux system, then you will need to change this so that they are executable by your Linux system as well. This process is called installation again, but with a different name: amd64_installation.
There is a nice and simple command line program called uname that will tell us exactly that.
Open a terminal window (Applications > Accessories > Terminal).
In the terminal window, type in
and hit enter.
If the response is i686, you have a 32-bit version of Linux. If the response is x86_64, you have a 64-bit version of Linux.
Note: if you get some other value like i386, you almost certainly have a 32-bit version of Linux.
You can find out more detail about your particular installation of Linux, like your kernel version, by entering
Thanks to niteshifter and overdrank from this Ubuntu forums thread for this information.
If you’re using Windows, check out our Answers article on how to know if you’re running the 32 or 64-bit version.
