[Novalug] 64bit vs 32bit

[Matthew Thompson]

The heavens stretched forth and Ivan decreed the following on or about 
04/08/2008 11:17 AM:
> In order to determine whether or not you can run a 64bit OS on a certain 
> CPU, look for the following:
> 
> $ cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep flags
> flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge 
> mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 syscall nx mmxext 
> ~~~~lm~~~~~ 3dnowext 3dnow rep_good
> flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge 
> mca cmov pat pse36 clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 syscall nx mmxext 
> ~~~~lm~~~~~ 3dnowext 3dnow rep_good
> 
> "lm" - Long mode, indicates the CPU is 64 bit capable.

I have to ask: Is there a manpage or something that decodes all these 
flags?  Mine is/are:

 > cat /proc/cpuinfo | grep flags
flags           : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge 
mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe 
syscall nx lm constant_tsc arch_perfmon pebs bts rep_good pni monitor 
ds_cpl vmx est tm2 ssse3 cx16 xtpr dca lahf_lm
<snip 7 more>

And I can work out a few of these--usually the first ones, since they've 
been around forever)--but most are just a jumble.

Thanks,
Matt
-- 
Matt Thompson, PhD
Naval Research Laboratory
202-767-2160