-={ 2016-10-07 23:54:17.119672141+11:00 }=-   
      
   Hey Tony!   
      
    TL> so a 64 bit OS is needed to fully utilise my RAM   
      
   I forgot about that.  Mind you it wasn't an issue for me when first pursuing a   
   pure 64 bit OS as that particular system had less than 2G ... I forget exactly   
   how much it did have but offhand I think it was 512M.   
      
   The first 64 bit system I built from scratch was on a dual p3 system which   
   were 32 bit processors.  It was a cross compiler for 64 bit seeing it couldn't   
   boot it but it did manage to kickstart the first x86_64 system that crossed my   
   path which was the one with 512M of ram (if I recall correctly).  No GUI or   
   anything that is usually considered "desktop".  I am old school from the   
   VAX/VMS era and haven't managed to shake that.   
      
   Life is good,   
   Maurice   
      
   ... Ne nanwuht ne byð yfel, ær mon wene þæt it yfel seo.   
       Nothing is misery unless one thinks it is misery.   
   --- GNU bash, version 4.4.0(1)-release (x86_64-atom-linux-gnu)   
    * Origin: Little Mikey's Brain - Ladysmith BC, Canada (1:153/7001.0)