64 Bit Mode

[JamesGorman]

I was just looking through my activity monitor, and I noticed that all my processes said (intel 64 bit) I assume this means my computer is booting into 64 bit automatically?

 

[celticpride678]

No. 64-bit processes is not 64-bit Kernel (which is your computer). No, it is not automatically booting into 64-bit.

 

[JamesGorman]

Okay, thats what I thought. Not that it matters now, but when I do put 6gb of ram in it, how do I get it to boot into 64bit?

 

[celticpride678]

Okay, thats what I thought. Not that it matters now, but when I do put 6gb of ram in it, how do I get it to boot into 64bit?

Hold down the "6" and "4" keys at startup. This will need to be done every time you want to boot into 64-bit mode. There is a way to make it automatically boot into 64-bit, but that is messing with system files.

 

[JamesGorman]

Hold down the "6" and "4" keys at startup. This will need to be done every time you want to boot into 64-bit mode. There is a way to make it automatically boot into 64-bit, but that is messing with system files.

I dont mind messing with system files. I feel pretty comfortable going into the system. Do you know how? I suppose I can just try google, but Id like to hear a sure fire way from one of you guys.

 

[JamesGorman]

Also, how do I check off hand if im in 64 bit mode?

Thanks again.

 

[DEE9299]

go to about this mac thru the apple logo then go to more info and then click the software tab on the left and look near the bottom it will say 64 bit

 

[NewMacbookPlz]

Also, how do I check off hand if im in 64 bit mode?

Thanks again.

Go back to that same Activity Monitor, change the dropdown from "My Processes" to "All Processes" and look at "kernel_task." It'll say Intel 64-bit if you are.

IIRC though, the Unibody MacBooks of our generation won't boot to 64-bit with the 6 4 key trick, you'll have to do some "hacking" of the OS.

 

[TuffLuffJimmy]

There's no "computer booting in 64-bit mode". There's absolutely no reason to boot into a 64-bit kernel (right now, or any time soon). If your apps are running in 64 bit mode they can use all the RAM they'll need.

 

[JamesGorman]

There's no "computer booting in 64-bit mode". There's absolutely no reason to boot into a 64-bit kernel (right now, or any time soon). If your apps are running in 64 bit mode they can use all the RAM they'll need.

I was just curious. I was just wondering to see if I could do it just for the sake of doing it. I like to screw around on my systems, and toy with different settings and whatnot.

 

[pesc]

Okay, thats what I thought. Not that it matters now, but when I do put 6gb of ram in it, how do I get it to boot into 64bit?

You don't need to. Your 32-bit kernel will manage 6GiB of RAM nicely and let the 64-bit applications use as much as they need. OS X is not like Windows.