what is easiest way to upgrade (I have am64 CPU)

I had LinuxCNC 2.5.0 on my machine for a year or more. It did okay for my purposes. I was away then came back and I had rodent damage to some wiring so I decided to upgrade after fixing the hardware. I downloaded and tried the new 2.7.4 iso via a USB flash drive. It got part way thru and hung. I tried several times with slight variations (from Graphical install) and it never made it thru. It hung/errored-out. I had done a reformat in case that had been an issue. I loaded Win7/64 just fine as a system test. I loaded Debian 7.9 (64) okay. But then I saw something on a forum post or somewhere that, as I understand it (I am not good with Linux), said that 2.7.4 would not install or run on an AM64 CPU or 64 bit Linux. So now I'm hung up with nothing working/running.

So, what is the easiest way to get up and running (with this AM64 CPU) with something later than 2.5.x ? The PC is not connected to any network; I use "walknet" (a USB stick) to carry files out to my workshop. I'm guessing that some sort of ISO or "Live" version would be easiest, yes/no? I could probably get a Debian 7.x or 8.x back on it. Or an ISO with "all in one iso" could be easier if it exists. I really don't care if it is all 32 or 64 bit so long as it is at least as good or better than 2.5.x.

What would you guys suggest? And, where do I get it (download from) ? And what's the detailed procedure ?

Hello JT, I had 10.4 but it is long gone now. When I built my machine from scratch I was able to load the Linux OS and LinuxCNC from a full 'all-in-1' iso using LiLi (Linux Live) on a USB stick. That was 10.4 (I think) with LinuxCNC 2.5.0 about 2 years ago. It ran fine for me for over a year. Then I was gone for 8 months and came home and found some mice had gotten in there and chewed some wires. I repaired all of that (I'm a retired EE) but it still didn't work right. I thought is was a bad BOB so I replaced that. It still didn't work right (that BOB had LEDs on the inputs and I could manually flip the limit and home switches and see the BOB LEDs working but using HalMeter showed nothing. So I then figured the software had some corruption. So I thought I'd reload it. I went to the LinuxCNC web site and could not find the exact iso that I previously used and at the same time the site highly recommended upgrading to 2.7.4 so I downloaded that 'all-in-1' iso. When I tried loading it (I selected Graphical Install) the progress got about 40% and stalled then gave an error and quit. I wasn't sure what was wrong so I tried it again - same result. Then I reformatted my C: drive (it is 120G solid state) just to make sure none of the old stuff was mucking up the works. Tried again - same result. Then I looked on all the forums and found several posts telling that, to run on an AM64 bit CPU you had to get this OS version and that RTAP or RT Preempt kernel and some source and compile that and sudo this and apt that ... and my eyes just glassed over at some point! I'm not proficient in Linux - sorry. My machine is nowhere near a network/internet connection. So I went to the Debian website and found an iso called: cdimage.debian.org/cdimage/archive/7.9.0....9.0-amd64-DVD-1.iso and put it on a stick. and installed it, thinking "can I even get a new(er) Linux on my machine?" and it loaded okay. There was no CNC but it loaded and appeared to work okay just as a desktop and plain accessories. But then I couldn't figure out how to ADD the LinuxCNC (just the CNC) stuff; I didn't feel that I could follow the posts that I'd found about rolling my own from source or various bits and pieces; and I didn't know enough nuts and bolts about Linux and couldn't find anything on the LinuxCNC web/forums that would get me (a neophyte) from that point to a running system. Next (I'm so sorry for jumping ship) I loaded Win7/64 on it (another fresh partitioning/format) and loaded Mach4 (licensed) and bought a Warp9 ESS smooth stepper and C25 bob. Their documentation either totally sucked, was extremely terse or it is non existent! I went around in circles with them for over a week trying to get tech support for things that unequivocally should have been in their basic manual. They finally admitted (via email) that they had little or no documentation. I have returned all of that stuff for a full refund (pending). Now I'm back (for good, I hope) to LinuxCNC, but my machine is sitting there with Win7 which I'll gladly kick out and reformat again!

To answer your question then: I do not have any version of Linux or LinuxCNC on it at the moment. Consider it a virgin PC.

I did get Deb 7.9.0/am64 on it but that's gone now. (I was afraid to try 8.x) I should be able to do one again though if need be. But then I'd not know how to get the CNC part of LinuxCNC on there.

At this point I'm frustrated by my own lack of knowledge and ability in Linux. And I just want to get to the point where I can run Axis and my G-code files like I used to do. I really don't care if I'm back to the old 2.5.x or up to 2.6.x or 2.7.4 just so it's running. I'll try anything within my abilities, and I CAN follow directions IF they are very 'step-by'step' and unassuming. I just hoped that I could get an 'all-in-1' iso and be done with it. I really don't want to swap out motherboards to get rid of my AMD 64 to put in an Intel32 (if I could even find one any more) or even an Intel64 and run it as a 32. If that's even an issue. I thought 32bit software could run on a 64bit CPU, but I don't know how a 32 vs 64 bit OS comes into play (if at all).

At this point I'll defer to your expertise. What do you recommend ? I'll try it.

Thanks very much for your attention & help !!!

Yeah I just kept digging, looking and searching and I did find the old stuff. In my case it was 2.5.0 on U 10.04
It loaded fine.
I still don't understand all of why the 2.7.4 iso wouldn't load on a clean PC. Now that I got 2.5.0 I may try upgrades to 2.6.x and THEN to 2.7.x.

I need more I/O so I may add a dual port parallel port card or just go with a Mesa card. But that for next week.

Thanks for your help.