# Gem update question

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-update-question/77248>\
**Category:** Ruby\
**Created:** [November 25, 2006, 3:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-update-question/77248 "2006-11-25T15:07:32Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![stevedogers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@stevedogers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stevedogers)\
**Post date:** [November 25, 2006, 3:07pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-update-question/77248/1 "2006-11-25T15:07:32Z")

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Hi, I have 2 questions:  
Running on Win XP BTW.

- when I run gem update I get prompted ‘Select which gem to install for  
your platform (i386-mswin32)’. It then list a few choices for each gem,  
usually the past 4 or 5 version in 2 flavors: win32 or ruby.  
My question is which one should I choose? I tried the ruby version for  
some, the win32 for others. Sometimes I get errors choosing one or the  
other.

- how can i update gem and ruby themselves? Can I use gem itself?

Thanks!

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**Author:** ![stevedogers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@stevedogers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stevedogers)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 4:56pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-update-question/77248/2 "2006-11-26T16:56:57Z")

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Le samedi 25 novembre 2006 15:07, Steve D. a écrit :

> Hi, I have 2 questions:  
> Running on Win XP BTW.
> 
> - when I run gem update I get prompted ‘Select which gem to install for  
> your platform (i386-mswin32)’. It then list a few choices for each gem,  
> usually the past 4 or 5 version in 2 flavors: win32 or ruby.

This happens when the gem contains a C extension. The gem can embed  
either the  
C source code, or a precompiled version.

> My question is which one should I choose? I tried the ruby version for  
> some, the win32 for others. Sometimes I get errors choosing one or the  
> other.

Choose the “win32” version. The “ruby” version needs a compiler to be  
properly  
installed (in fact, it needs the same compiler than the one used to  
compile  
ruby) .

> - how can i update gem and ruby themselves? Can I use gem itself?

# gem search -r gem

rubygems-update (0.9.0, 0.8.11, 0.8.10, 0.8.8, 0.8.6, 0.8.5, 0.8.4,  
0.8.3,  
0.8.1, 0.8.0) RubyGems Update GEM

Ruby itself cannot be upgraded that way. It would be nice !

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![stevedogers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@stevedogers](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/stevedogers)\
**Post date:** [November 26, 2006, 11:42pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/gem-update-question/77248/3 "2006-11-26T23:42:07Z")

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Merci Olivier - Brilliant answers 😃