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I'm on Snow Leopard. What's the next step?

R

regis169

macrumors newbie
Original poster
Apr 3, 2008
28
0
Hi guys,

I just bought a Mac pro that came with Snow Leopard. I've always been using "32-bit Leopard" before so this 64-bit Snow Leopard is a bit daunting.

My dumb question is since OSX 10.6 is 64-bit OS, do I ONLY NEED TO INSTALL 64-BIT APPLICATIONS from now?

OR

I can just use any apps (all 32-bit, and some apps very old, up to 4 years old) that I've been using before on my old mac?
 
regis169 said:
Hi guys,

I just bought a Mac pro that came with Snow Leopard. I've always been using "32-bit Leopard" before so this 64-bit Snow Leopard is a bit daunting.

My dumb question is since OSX 10.6 is 64-bit OS, do I ONLY NEED TO INSTALL 64-BIT APPLICATIONS from now?

OR

I can just use any apps (all 32-bit, and some apps very old, up to 4 years old) that I've been using before on my old mac?
Click to expand...

you can install any applications that you used before regardless of if they are 32bit or 64bit. its likely that your snow leopard install still has a 32bit kernel, but that doesn't matter in the long run. just use it as you always would, snow leopard shouldn't cause any problems with applications.
 
Thanks for the info. I didn't know Snow Leopard comes in two different versions (32-bit & 64-bit). Does anyone know if my Mac Pro comes with 32-bit OSX or 64-bit OSX? It's a 13" Macbook Pro base model.
 
regis169 said:
Thanks for the info. I didn't know Snow Leopard comes in two different versions (32-bit & 64-bit). Does anyone know if my Mac Pro comes with 32-bit OSX or 64-bit OSX? It's a 13" Macbook Pro base model.
Click to expand...

It doesn't come in two versions.

Both "versions" are in the same operating system. You have the only version everyone else has.
 
Matthew Yohe said:
It doesn't come in two versions.

Both "versions" are in the same operating system. You have the only version everyone else has.
Click to expand...

I'm sorry but I don't get it. So, the Snow Leopard has the capability to be upgraded to a 64-bit version?

So, currently, we're all running in 32-bit mode. But when we install some app that is 64-bit, then Snow Leopard can actually install it? So, the main framework of OSX 10.6 is still in 32-bit, but when required, it can also run a 64-bit app in a 32-bit mode? Am I getting it right?
 
regis169 said:
I'm sorry but I don't get it. So, the Snow Leopard has the capability to be upgraded to a 64-bit version? So, currently, we're all running in 32-bit mode but when the industry becomes "matured" in that all 64-bit apps are available, we can all upgrade to 64-bit with just simple software update from Apple?
Click to expand...

you can force boot full 64bit but it has certain disadvantages at this point, the main thing is that the apps and vast majority of everything you'll interact with is 64bit and able to take advantage of the pros of being 64bit, while at the same time not having to worry about compatibility.
 
Basically...

Mac os is designed so that you don't have to worry about it. Just use the computer and don't think about it. It will take care of the rest
 
Thanks flopticalcube. I get the picture now. It's good to find out a new thing. :)

I just checked terminal and used command scripts, "getconfig LONG_BIT" and it says 64 bit. However, when I checked it from the User interface, it says "64 bit kernel and extensions: NO".

So, am I currently running in 32 bit or in 64 bit?
 
regis169 said:
Thanks flopticalcube. I get the picture now. It's good to find out a new thing. :)

I just checked terminal and used command scripts, "getconfig LONG_BIT" and it says 64 bit. However, when I checked it from the User interface, it says "64 bit kernel and extensions: NO".

So, am I currently running in 32 bit or in 64 bit?
Click to expand...

32 bit. But your OS is running in 64 bit mode.
 
You can check which kernel you're running by opening the terminal and typing:
uname -a

mine says:
Darwin radek-pc 10.4.0 Darwin Kernel Version 10.4.0: Fri Apr 23 18:27:12 PDT 2010; root:xnu-1504.7.4~1/RELEASE_X86_64 x86_64

x86_64 at the end means its 64bit, i386 means its 32bit. It makes absolutely no difference which one you're running.
 
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