Release notes for i386 currently state:

"The i386 architecture is now only intended to be used on a 64-bit (amd64) CPU.
 Its instruction set requirements include SSE2 support, so it will not run
 successfully on most of the 32-bit CPU types that were supported by Debian 12."

"Users running i386 systems should not upgrade to trixie. Instead, Debian recommends
 either reinstalling them as amd64, where possible, or retiring the hardware.
 Cross-grading without a reinstall is a technically possible, but risky, alternative."

The second paragraph is especially problematic since 32-bit hardware cannot run 64-bit binaries. What it should instead state:

"Users running i386 systems should therefore not upgrade to Trixie. Starting with
 Debian 13, the i386 architecture is only intended to be used on 64-bit (amd64) CPUs.
 Its instruction set requirements include SSE2 support, so it will not run successfully
 on most of the 32-bit CPUs that were supported by Debian 12. While it should still
 work on Intel Core and newer CPUs, users are strongly discouraged from upgrading.
 Instead, Debian recommends retiring all 32-bit hardware."

It would be desirable for the above text to be updated accordingly ASAP.

Thanks!
Martin-Éric

Martin-Éric Racine wrote:

It doesn't say they can; it's talking about systems currently running
Debian's i386 arch, which may include 64bit-capable machines.  The PC
I'm writing this on, for instance, was running a 32bit OS when I first
got it many years ago, but now runs 64bit trixie.  Hence the advice
that users should switch "where possible".

Still, if this is unclear, maybe we ought to rephrase it.  Would it
help if the second paragraph said something like "Users running the
i386 version of bookworm should not upgrade to trixie"?

ke 7.1.2026 klo 12.52 Justin B Rye (justin.byam.rye@gmail.com) kirjoitti:

It does imply that they can. "where possible" is too vague.
Additionally, i386 on amd64 hardware is a corner case. Whoever does
this already knows what they're doing. They don't need separate
instructions, let alone a whole section written under the assumption
that if someone is still running something on the i386 port, they do
so on amd64.

What's instead needed is a section that emphasizes what users with
real i386 hardware need to know: Don't upgrade, since your hardware no
longer is supported, except maybe if it's Intel Core or newer, and,
even then, we don't ship any kernel, so you're have to track Bookworm
kernels. What we instead recommend is retiring your 32-bit hardware.

It wouldn't help by much.

Martin-Éric