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Operating Systems => Linux and UNIX => Topic started by: edwardsen35 on 27 February 2003, 01:45

Title: What does x86 mean?
Post by: edwardsen35 on 27 February 2003, 01:45

I've been using Linux for about 6 months now and I'm not really sure what x86 means.  

This is what I think it means:
     x86 refers to the CPU architecture.  x86 is broken up into several categories (386,486,586,686).  Depending on your CPU it fits into one of the previous categories.  For example, I have a Pentium 4 which is a 686.  If you have an Athlon 1330 Mhz processor then it fits into one of the previous categories.

     When you download a file you have to make sure that the rpm doesn't have a higher x86 then you have on your pc.  For example, if you have a 586 CPU architecture you can not download xmms-1.2.7-1.i686.rpm because this rpm won't work on your computer.  If you download xmms-1.2.7-1.i386.rpm then this will work on your computer because the CPU architectures are backward combatable.

Can somebody fill me in?

Thanks for any help,

-edwardsen35

[ February 26, 2003: Message edited by: edwardsen35 ]

Title: What does x86 mean?
Post by: mobrien_12 on 27 February 2003, 04:14

I think you have a pretty good handle on it.  The Pentium 4 is not actually a 686.  The Pentium 2,3,and celeron processors are 686.  The P4 is backwards compatible with 686 though.

Essentially what makes the compatibility levels are added CPU instructions.  That's why they are backwards compatible.  The 686 knows all the instructions of the 586, 486, 386.  The 486 doesn't know the new instructions for 586, so if they are used, the cpu barfs.  

x86, in the broadest sense, means a cpu which is compatible with the instruction sets.  Athlon's are x86.  In a sense, so are the crusoe chips, because they have code morphing, even though their architectures are radically diferent.

Title: What does x86 mean?
Post by: rtgwbmsr on 27 February 2003, 05:53

See the second post in this thread:
http://forum.fuckmicrosoft.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=001183 (http://forum.fuckmicrosoft.com/cgi-bin/ultimatebb.cgi?ubb=get_topic&f=7&t=001183)

Title: What does x86 mean?
Post by: Master of Reality on 27 February 2003, 21:04

and look here too... http://voidmain.is-a-geek.net/redhat/what_does_386_586_686_mean.html (http://voidmain.is-a-geek.net/redhat/what_does_386_586_686_mean.html)

Title: What does x86 mean?
Post by: slave on 28 February 2003, 01:38

x86 is the number of times your computer has crashed in the last 24 hours.

Title: What does x86 mean?
Post by: Fett101 on 28 February 2003, 21:01

quote:

---

Originally posted by Linux User #5225982375:
x86 is the number of times your computer has crashed in the last 24 hours.

---

086?

Title: What does x86 mean?
Post by: Doogee on 28 February 2003, 12:49

hrmm looks like id have to get 000 then cos my celery 700 never crashes on me

Title: What does x86 mean?
Post by: Calum on 28 February 2003, 23:09

mine neither.

x86, though. doesn't the preceding x show that it's a hex number? that's stupid though, because then the 2nd number from last would either be a 1 or a 0 i think...

don't mind me...

Title: What does x86 mean?
Post by: flap on 28 February 2003, 23:26

No, x86 just refers to the whole architecture, i.e. "anything"-86, 486, 586 etc.
And 86 is a valid hex number (134 decimal). You might be thinking of the notation whereby "0x" is placed before hex numbers.