[R-sig-Debian] 32 bit 64 bit question, ELFCLASS32 error

[George N. White III]

On Mon, 1 Feb 2021 at 10:32, Dirk Eddelbuettel <edd using debian.org> wrote:

>
> On 1 February 2021 at 10:20, semih ozlem wrote:
> | Hi everyone,
> |
> | On a usb with knoppix live uname -a gives the response
>
> Wow. Blast from the past.
>
> | Linux Microknoppix 5.3.5-64 #16 SMP PREEMPT Wed Oct 23 02:08:38 CEST 2019
> | x86_64 GNU/Linux
> |
> | uname -i
> |
> | unknown
> |
> | I am trying to run a python script that uses R, and I am getting an
> error:
> | OSError: cannot load library '/usr/lib/R/lib/libR.so':
> | /usr/lib/R/lib/libR.so: wrong ELF class: ELFCLASS32
> |
> | When look at the directory /usr/lib/R/lib/, the file libR.so is listed
> | there.
> |
> | When I look up on the internet what might be the cause of this, there is
> | some indication about R being of 32 bit or 4 bit architecture. But I am
> not
> | able to resolve the issue on my own completely.
> |
> | when R starts it states that the Platform is i686-pc-linux-gnu (32-bit)
>
> So that would be 32 bit indeed.
>
> | Does anyone have any idea why R is installed as 32-bit, and if and how
> can
> | it be changed to 64-bit, and if this indeed is the cause of the problem I
> | am facing.
>

AFAIK, Microknoppix has the option to boot in 32-bit mode.    Given that
they want
both 32-bit and 64-bit on a DVD it is not surprising that they would only
provide the
32-bit R installation.


>
> You may need to get in touch with the person who made the bootable image
> you
> use. I used to do these things and provide a Knoppix variant myself: it was
> called Quantian with its site at http://quantian.org (and the site is
> still
> up -- but also states no new content since 2006 (!!)).
>
> If you just put the current Ubuntu installer on a bootable usb, it will
> also
> allow you to install from it and have R and all that. 32 bit is on the way
> out, newer Ubuntu distros no longer build it and I forget what we do over
> in
> Debian.
>
> As what may be your real question: where do I in 2021 get a current
> bootable
> usb with R: no idea, sorry.
>

You  should be able to use any of the popular "live Linux" images to do a
normal
install on USB device 32GB or larger, then use the package manager to
install
a current R (deian is a good choice).   There are USB "flash memory sticks"
with
adequate capacity but they won't last long running a linux distro.   For
longer term
reliability you can use USB SSD drives.


>
> Another related answer is that 32 and 64 bit _can_ coexist (as they do on
> other OSs) but that never really took off in common use. So there may still
> be way to use what you have but you may need to consult the specific
> documentation.
>



-- 
George N. White III

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