Is Mac Pro 1,1 64 bit capable?

[MrLatte23]

Trying to figure out if a Mac Pro 1,1 - 2 X 2.66 GHz - Dual-Core Intel Xeon (2 Processors - 4 cores) will utilize the 64-bit benefit of Snow Leopard.

 

[Dr.Pants]

Discussed already - use Mroogle. ((Google Mroogle 😛))

The answer, methinks, was yes - there might be something a tidbit interesting about the boot ROM, but it wasn't anything consequential IMO.

 

[iToaster]

They're 64 bit Xeons, so they should be fine.

 

[MrLatte23]

Dual-Core vs. Core 2 Duo...

Discussed already - use Mroogle. ((Google Mroogle 😛))

The answer, methinks, was yes - there might be something a tidbit interesting about the boot ROM, but it wasn't anything consequential IMO.

I've seen that Core 2 Duo processors are 64-bit capable, so I guess my question is are dual-core and core 2 duo the same? But if the computer listed above is 64-bit capable then this question too is moot.

Thanks.

 

[gugucom]

As Dr Pants said they have not updated the firmware to EFI64. Appel is so anal about that. As a result they will run 64bit apps but may not run 64-bit kernel.

 

[bozz2006]

right. the 64 bit kernel is the million dollar question. but the kernel will conceivably load before EFI and may not be affected at all by the 32 bit EFI. we'll have to wait and see. but, yeah, search. I brought this question up a month or so ago, and there's a ton of good info in that thread.

 

[bozz2006]

Here. I made it easy for you.

 

[OZMP]

64 Bit Xeons, 32 Bit EFI.

 

[Infrared]

right. the 64 bit kernel is the million dollar question. but the kernel will conceivably load before EFI and may not be affected at all by the 32 bit EFI.

It's the EFI firmware that loads the operating system (including the
kernel). That the firmware is 32-bit won't necessarily preclude the
use of a 64-bit kernel. After all, many machines have a 16-bit BIOS
and yet are perfectly capable of running 64-bit Windows or Linux.
Everything depends on how Apple have gone about this.

 

[Dr.Pants]

Well, a question about this - what is the exact benefit of a 64-bit kernel?

What springs to mind for me is that compilers will churn out less code (getting a 64-bit app to work with a 32-bit kernel). The other thing is that tasks that depend heavily on kernel_task for their work won't be limited by the amount of RAM kernel_task (or other OS routines) can page.

Are there any other upsides? Downsides?