How can I upgrade my 32-bit Amazon EC2 EBS instance with 64 bit support?

Question

I host the Wave in a Box server on an instance of Ubuntu EC2. I started with a 32-bit micro and then gradually upgraded to a small one and now to a medium one. However, as the number of users and stored data in the machine increases, memory runs out, so I want to switch to a large instance. The problem is that this cannot be done by simply stopping the instance, changing the type and restarting it. I guess I need to create a 64-bit large instance and attach the volume from the environment instance to it. Questions: 1. Is this possible? If so - can someone please help me write script based EC2 console commands to do this? 2. Is there another, simpler way to upgrade a 32-bit media instance to a 64-bit large? Thank!

Answer 1

Unfortunately, like other OSs, I don’t think there is a way upgradefrom 32 bits to 64 bits. You will almost certainly need to reinstall.

Here's how I do it:

• Backup important (all that is required) data.
  • Create an EBS volume.
  • Attach it to the EC2 machine.
  • Reset all my important / important data on it.
  • Disconnect it from the EC2 machine.
• Remove the current EC2 machine.
  • I would create a snapshotroot device in case it is useful in the future.
• Launch a 64-bit instance of Ubuntu supported by EBS.
  • Attach the above EBS volume to this unit.
  • Copy your data to it.
  • Make sure everything works.
  • Disconnect it from the new machine
  • Kill the EBS volume.