32bit or 64bit... How do you tell...?

Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
1

This is almost a GQ, but I started to rant.

I’m a programmer pushed into a situation where I need to start writing stored procedures and managing servers more and more.

Now I need to work on linked servers and push data. That’s OK. I don’t mind admin duties.

How do I tell if the box is 32 bit or 64 bit.?

Both are SQL 2005. My news is there is an ‘issue’ with linked servers between 32 or 64 bit. One machine is about 3 years old, one is 3 months old. Blade servers. In a rack. They are heavy. (I’m 6’4" and 220 lbs and the weight surprised me) Today, at home, that is all I Know about them.

The problem is that I cannot see the DB or tables on a linked server that I need to write a stored procedure against. The linked server is there. But only system tables are available.

The link is made.

It was suggested on another board that it’s a 32bit/64bit problem.

  1. How do I tell if a server is 32 or 64 bit?

  2. Could #1 above be the reason that I cannot see the databases on the linked server.?

  3. grrrrrrrrrrr. It’s a database, not a catalog. [throws the Sears/Robuck CATALOG in Bill Gates face. THAT’S A CATALOG.]

Ummm… Since I have the key to the server room in my desk, I guess I’m also one of the sys admin guys now too……

I’m big and tall enough to put this stuff together. Now, since I can plug stuff together, and have some tools in my car, I’m a sort of ad-hoc sys admin. (why is it that the people that work in server rooms NEVER HAVE ANY TOOLS! [but that’s another rant {the tools they do have look like they are from 7-11 and probably are}])

And I am rambling. 32bit or 64bit. How do I tell?

2

What kind of server? Windows, Linux, Unix? If it’s a Unix variant uname -m (or if that fails, uname -a)will probably tell you. On my Vista machine right clicking on My Computer and selecting Properties comes up with a window that says that I’m on a 64-bit operating system, but I don’t know if that applies to Windows Server.

Edit: While it’s theoretically possible that there could be 64-bit uncleanliness causing your problem, it sounds more to me like permissions problem in your database. Is the user you’re connecting as allowed to see the tables you’re looking for?

3

If it’s SQL 2005, it’s most definitely Windows. And yes, that method also works for Windows Server.

This should tell you more: 32-bit and 64-bit Windows: Frequently asked questions - Microsoft Support

4

If you can execute an SQL query, you should be able to get the version of the SQL engine

SELECT @@version

I would assume that the response would tell you, I no longer have access to SQL Server since I’m now retired and some of what I remember is starting to be cloudy.
I also never worked with the 64 bits flavor.