[solved] AMD64 install media create i386 on 64-bit

[xtian]

I installed Debian Buster on a dino Dell PowerEdge T110 ii Server.
I downloaded the amd64 Disk 1 ISO [1] and followed the prompts.
So far so good; I'm building out my Django Intranet webserver these past few weeks.

Now, I want to add MongoDB, so I follow the instructions from Mongo for installing on Debian Buster [2].

I get to step `apt update` after adding the Mongo Repo, and I get this error:

Code: Select all

N: Skipping acquire of configured file 'main/binary-i386/Packages' as repository 'http://repo.mongodb.org/apt/debian buster/mongodb-org/4.4 InRelease' doesn't support architecture 'i386'


What I did
1. Freak out - Why would amd64 ISO create i386 architecture on my 64-bit system?

2. Did some searching
- Didn't find my specific problem (Debian amd64 ISO installs i386 on 64-bit system)

- unix.stackexchange issue [4] mentions something called CrossGrading [3] (I get the what but not the why. And there is no article on wikipedia for generalized explanation to help me understand the situation and what trouble I might have.)

- Posts on SE suggest it's generally OK to have i386 on amd64 [5]

3. Collected some data

> dpkg --print-architecture
i386

> uname -a
Linux lettuce 4.19.0-13-686 #1 SMP Debian 4.19.160-2 (2020-11-28) i686 GNU/Linux

Console output for X Server supports this:
> Build Operating System: Linux 4.19.0-12-amd64 i686 Debian
> Current Operating System: Linux lettuce 4.19.0-13-686 #1 SMP Debian 4.19.160-2 (2020-11-28) i686

4. Tried `sudo dpkg --add-architecture amd64`
I thought this would _magically_ fix the 'apt update' error, but no luck.

This isn't my first Linux nor Debian install, but since I'm not a hardware head I quickly forget stuff--forever newbie.
So, I'm expecting I did something wrong to get here.

Is there a simple fix?
What's my situation? Do I need to reinstall Debian. If yes, how do I avoid the same result--I assumed choosing amd64 media would produce 64 OS install.

[1]: https://cdimage.debian.org/debian-cd/cu ... 4/iso-dvd/

[2]: https://docs.mongodb.com/manual/tutoria ... on-debian/

[3]: https://wiki.debian.org/CrossGrading

[4]: https://unix.stackexchange.com/question ... -processor

[5]: https://unix.stackexchange.com/a/158250/9494

[Head_on_a_Stick]

Are you absolutely sure you downloaded the image from the page to which you have linked? I've just downloaded the first DVD image from that page and used it to install under a 64-bit virtual machine (QEMU) and it did result in an amd64 system so I cannot reproduce your issue.

Nice OP by the way.

[xtian]

I downloaded the ISO from the Debian site and burned it to DVD media myself.
In fact, here is an excerpt from the disk's README.txt file:

> head /mnt/dvd/README.txt
Debian GNU/Linux 10.7.0 "Buster" - Official amd64 DVD Binary-1
20201205-11:17
(HTML version in README.html)

I don't have another SATA disk handy, else I'd give it a go with the same media to eliminate all doubt.
But what about the Console output I quoted? "Build Operating System: Linux 4.19.0-12-amd64 i686 Debian"
(I changed the system to start in run level 3, so this prints when I start X Windows.)

// UPDATE -- Actually found a 2.5 SATA in a doorstop. I will test and report back

// UPDATE2 -- ARRRG! I _also_ downloaded a _live_ disk ISO. Evidently this was the i386 version. The initial screen looks identical, except the live version has 'Debian Live with Localization Support' option.
Marked Solved as dumb@$$ mistake