Today I tried logging into weightwatchers.com to track my points for today.

After a brand-spanking new install of Kubuntu on my 64-bit computer, I tried accessing the site in KDE’s default browser - Konqueror.

The result was not pleasant…

Unfortunately for me, and many others, we have to have Flash 9 installed on one of 3 browser (IE, Safari, or Mozilla). This is rather poor design on WW’s decision to simply block access for unsupported browsers.

There are many, many more than 3 browsers, and perhaps they don’t care about 2-3 people a week in their stats that won’t be able to access their site, but when it happens to me - I write about it.

I recently installed Kubuntu 64-bit on my desktop, which went off without a hitch - about 20 minutes to install and I had a working dual boot system (the other OS being Windows XP 64-bit).

I have to say the windows install was more trouble than the Ubunut install, mainly in XP’s lack of a SATA driver.

I have come across one problem of which I have no solution - yet.

Flash 9 is not supporting the x64 architecture. After downloading the .tar.gz file for Flash 9, and following Adobe’s instructions on their Flash 9 download page, I got the following error:


$ ./flashplayer-installer

ERROR: Your architecture, \'x86_64\', is not supported by the
Adobe Flash Player installer.


This is a bummer for me, as one site I regularly use everyday requires Flash. I’m even more disappointed that a major web site does not realize the inaccessibility of using Flash.

Here are a few threads about Flash 9 and getting it to work on Linux + 64-bit (actually, that is a mis-statement), because it requires you convert your browser and kernel to 32-bit…now what’s the fun in that?

1. ubuntu
2. adobe blog

My advice? Don’t support these “flash-only” sites…find an alternative. Another work-around is to install Opera + ia32-libs ;)

I had wiped out my Win32 XP install after ordering Win x64 SP2 from newegg. My hardware is the ASUS A8V Deluxe motherboard and Western Digital WD Raptor 74gb SATA drive.

I’ve been working on this problem for 2 days, so here is a re-cap in hopes of saving your some time and avoiding the “instant BSOD” after completing x64 install and rebooting with the ASUS supplied Promise drivers from their web site (warning: do not use these - at least for the A8V Deluxe mb as you will be wasting your time).

The only choice for my configuration (1 SATA RAID) and Win x64 is to use the Promise x64 raid drivers, which you will have to download from this zip file.

Here are the short-steps:

1. Configure BIOS for Promise Raid support (see a8v deluxe manual). If using 1 disk, RAID 1+0 (which is 1 disk and 0 = striping for performance).
2. Configure RAID 1+0 as described in A8V Deluxe manual
3. Create Promise Raid x64 driver diskette for “F6″ Windows x64 installation.

   This was the tricky part, as I did not have a windows box with a floppy for extracting the zip file and creating a dos floppy….Linux saves the day again with mtools I was able to create a usable floppy for the “F6″ + “S” Windows x64 installation procedure.

4. When first starting x64 installation make sure you hit F6 immediately when it notifies you, otherwise you will have missed it, and will need to restart. Note: You will be asked to type S to load the latest Promise x64 drivers from the floppy created.
5. No need for any other drivers (64bit LAN, etc. - worked fine with my zip file (not asus’s))

Up until now, I’ve always had to rely on a working windows machine in order to do all my computing - it now seems that with a working linux installation and a floppy drive I am now “free from windows” as they say.

Warnings:

• If you have a KVM switch with two systems hooked up to it, do not switch back and forth during x64 install.

  I think I botched mine the first few times because it did not recognize the monitor, keyboard, etc. Just sit back, and watch the install - it’s worth the 20 minutes in order to ensure you do not have errors.

• My CD-ROM /DVD-Rom froze up on me at one point asking for “D:\amd64″ files - I don’t know why this is, but again I blame it on the switching to other computer and leaving the install in a state of “limbo” until I returned to it.
• Update: it’s come to my attention that latest drivers should be downloaded directly from the chipset manufacturer (ie: Promise, VIA), instead of the motherboard manufacturer (ie: ASUS) - this may have allowed me to use SATA instead of RAID 1+0 (although RAID should be faster for “striping” method in the event I add a 2nd drive).