64bit in Snow Leopard

[Sdahe]

Hello,

I don't know if this is an error or not.. In my MBP's system software overview says "64-bit Kernel and Extensions: No" but when I open activity monitor I get this...



So is my MBP or not running in 64bit mode?

Thanks!!!

 

[r.j.s]

You are running 64-bit, but the kernel (the heart of the OS) is not. It is disabled by default.

 

[Sdahe]

You are running 64-bit, but the kernel (the heart of the OS) is not. It is disabled by default.

Ohhh... Can I enable it?.. so it runs in 64bit all the time?

Why would it be disable if the computer can run in 64bit mode...?

 

[r.j.s]

Ohhh... Can I enable it?.. so it runs in 64bit all the time?

Why would it be disable if the computer can run in 64bit mode...?

http://themacnurse.com/enabling-kernel-64-bit-snow-leopard.html

I don't remember why it is disabled by default, I think it had something to do with drivers not being 100% ready.

 

[Sdahe]

And what about Lion... does it runs in 64bit by default?

 

[r.j.s]

And what about Lion... does it runs in 64bit by default?

I don't remember.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

And what about Lion... does it runs in 64bit by default?

It does.

But what would be the difference, when the kernel is running at 64-bit? It is not that RAM hungry to need more than 2/4 GB RAM.

 

[GGJstudios]

Here's some additional information:

Mac OS X v10.6: Starting up with the 32-bit or 64-bit kernel
Mac OS X v10.6: Macs that use the 64-bit kernel

 

[Sdahe]

I don't remember.

Thanks... now I'm running at 64bit...

It does.

But what would be the difference, when the kernel is running at 64-bit? It is not that RAM hungry to need more than 2/4 GB RAM.

I'm using 8GB of RAM in my MBP...

Here's some additional information:

Mac OS X v10.6: Starting up with the 32-bit or 64-bit kernel
Mac OS X v10.6: Macs that use the 64-bit kernel

Thanks... mine is the one that says..

These Macs support the 64-bit kernel, but do not use it by default.
- MacBook Pro (Early 2008 through Mid 2010)

----------

Another question...

Now that I'm running in 64bit mode... where would I see the difference?.. I also installed 8GB of RAM under de hood.

 

[simsaladimbamba]

Thanks... now I'm running at 64bit...


I'm using 8GB of RAM in my MBP...

Another question...

Now that I'm running in 64bit mode... where would I see the difference?.. I also installed 8GB of RAM under de hood.

I also have 8 GB RAM in my 2009 MBP with my 64-bit Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard which is using the 32-bit kernel currently. Even a 2004 PowerMac with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger could use more than 4 GB RAM.
If you run Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard in 32-bit mode, only the kernel is running in 32-bit mode, thus the kernel can not use more than 2 GB RAM. It also never needs to. The rest of the applications, 64-bit applications that are, can use more than 2 GB RAM, even when running in 32-bit kernel mode.

 

[Sdahe]

I also have 8 GB RAM in my 2009 MBP with my 64-bit Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard which is using the 32-bit kernel currently. Even a 2004 PowerMac with Mac OS X 10.4 Tiger could use more than 4 GB RAM.
If you run Mac OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard in 32-bit mode, only the kernel is running in 32-bit mode, thus the kernel can not use more than 2 GB RAM. It also never needs to. The rest of the applications, 64-bit applications that are, can use more than 2 GB RAM, even when running in 32-bit kernel mode.

And why you don't run your MBP in 64bit kernel?...

 

[simsaladimbamba]

And why you don't run your MBP in 64bit kernel?...

Why should I? What is the advantage? I have run it for a week or so, and didn't see any increase in anything, except boot time.

I may try again, since my workload has shifted to 64 bit applications since then though.

http://macperformanceguide.com/SnowLeopard-64bit.html

 

[Sdahe]

Why should I? What is the advantage? I have run it for a week or so, and didn't see any increase in anything, except boot time.

I may try again, since my workload has shifted to 64 bit applications since then though.

http://macperformanceguide.com/SnowLeopard-64bit.html

I'm going to try it.. I'm always working with Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign.. so maybe I'll see a better performance.

 

[Freyqq]

I'm going to try it.. I'm always working with Photoshop, Illustrator and Indesign.. so maybe I'll see a better performance.

nope. Once you get into OSX, whether the kernel is 32 bit or 64 bit makes no difference.

 

[Modernape]

some benchmarks from an MIT blog. Where they summarise -

biggest difference was in memory allocation, where the difference was almost a factor of two.The next biggest difference was in the thread benchmarks, where the 64-bit kernel had a roughly 30% improvement in time. Finally, the 64-bit kernel had over a 10% improvement in large block disk transfer speed

And diglloyd benchmarked some performance enhancements from the 64 bit kernel too.

 

[Sdahe]

Hello Guys,

I installed iMovie yesterday and saw that it runs in 32 bit mode. I have my MBP's Kernel set to 64bit. Would this make iMovie to run with problems?.. Do I have to switch the kernel back to 32bit mode?

Thanks!

 

[Nilscollection]

Hello Guys,

I installed iMovie yesterday and saw that it runs in 32 bit mode. I have my MBP's Kernel set to 64bit. Would this make iMovie to run with problems?.. Do I have to switch the kernel back to 32bit mode?

Thanks!

Some apps just run 32bit by default, and a 64bit system can run both 32bit and 64bit apps. You could say it's backwards compatible

For example, Google Chrome runs in 32bit as well on my late 2011 MacBook Pro with Lion.

 

[Sdahe]

Some apps just run 32bit by default, and a 64bit system can run both 32bit and 64bit apps. You could say it's backwards compatible

For example, Google Chrome runs in 32bit as well on my late 2011 MacBook Pro with Lion.

So I can leave the Kernel in 64bit?...

 

[r.j.s]

So I can leave the Kernel in 64bit?...

Yes.