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wh2332

macrumors member
Original poster
Jul 15, 2009
49
0
I have an aluminum unibody macbook and have read that these do not run the 64 bit kernel even though when typing the terminal command it comes back as 64 bit capable. Will these run the 64 bit kernel?
 
The last I heard, those Macs will be able to support it. I have the Late 2008 Aluminum MacBook too, and I am already ready to upgrade to Snow Leopard.
 
To be honest, the 64-bit kernel doesn't even matter right now. No hardware except maybe the latest Mac Pros or Xserves will be able to have any benefits from it.

I have a White MacBook from 2007 and I'm going to use the 32-bit kernel. And goodness, I'll love using it too. ;)
 
From reading around, my impression is that as long as you have a Core 2 Duo with the 9400M, you can use the 64-bit kernel. The C2D models with x3100 and GMA950 chips will be in 32-bit kernel mode.
 
I have an aluminum unibody macbook and have read that these do not run the 64 bit kernel even though when typing the terminal command it comes back as 64 bit capable. Will these run the 64 bit kernel?

64-bit kernel by default will be available to Late 2008 MacBooks or earlier. That's the news going around, we have to wait and see what really happens when you update and what Apple says.
 
Does you macbook use an Intel Core 2 Duo microship?

then ur set!.:D (or so as I was told)

While computers with an Intel Core 2 Duo are 64-bit (The only Intel Mac computers that aren't 64-bit have Intel Core Solo or Duo processors), the Operating must be written to take advantage of that.

Snow Leopard doesn't support certain Mac computers for various reasons (but all of them are solvable by Apple if they chose to).

Apple has taken an odd approach to 64-bit support in Snow Leopard, so I wouldn't be surprised if they left it so that computers capable of running in 64-bit weren't allowed to.
 
From reading around, my impression is that as long as you have a Core 2 Duo with the 9400M, you can use the 64-bit kernel. The C2D models with x3100 and GMA950 chips will be in 32-bit kernel mode.

I'm curious as to where you read that. Can you direct us to a site and\or article? I ask, because I read in MacWorld that machines with the C2D CPU will be able to utilize the 64 bit capability of Snow Leopard. And I'm not sure I understand what an integrated GPU such as the Intel X3100 versus the nVidia 9400M has to do with the kernel?

Regards.
 
I read in MacWorld that machines with the C2D CPU will be able to utilize the 64 bit capability of Snow Leopard. And I'm not sure I understand what an integrated GPU such as the Intel X3100 versus the nVidia 9400M has to do with the kernel?

The first iteration of the Core 2 Duo Macs used Calistoga chipsets, which have a 32-bit memory controller. The 9400m is a chipset (i.e., memory controller, wifi, ethernet, SATA controller, etc.). It just also has the 9400 gpu.
 
Basically, it's not just the CPU (Core 2 Duo) but also the chipset. My white MacBook's CPU is 64-bit but the chipset isn't. My uMBP on the other hand has both a 64-bit CPU and 64-bit chipset.
 
The only thing stopping the 64bit kernal running my late 07 macbook is apple, there's no hardware reason why it can't.
 
Is there going to be a really true benefit to running the 64-Bit kernel if you are only using this for home, do not forget a lot of Applications out there only support 32-bit. Right now I am not sure I will move to Snow Leopard, I am truly not convinced there will be a severe benefit to me, outside of the smaller OSX footprint, but we will see, as I will let others with my type of MacBook load and write some sort of reviews.:rolleyes:
 
sigh if it has an 64 bit EFI it will boot into the 64 bit kernel i dont see why this important because you wont see ANY difference between 32bit or 64bit infact 64bit kernel will actually be less stable at times
 
Well, my white MacBook with an Intel X3100 runs Snow Leopard at 64Bit. Happy Days!
The included software (like Safari, Finder, Disk Utility, Preview etc.) will be 64-bit, but the OS Kernel itself will be 32 bit.

There is no 64-bit driver in Snow Leopard for the Intel GMA X3100, so whatever you do, Snow Leopard can't run a computer that has it in full 64-bit mode.
 
From reading around, my impression is that as long as you have a Core 2 Duo with the 9400M, you can use the 64-bit kernel. The C2D models with x3100 and GMA950 chips will be in 32-bit kernel mode.

not true. we have a macbook 2.2ghz w/ the GMA950 intel integrated gpu that i upgraded to snow leopard last night and activity monitor shows intel (64-bit) finder running, as well as, the rest of the 64 bit programs and other system processes that was converted w/ SL.
 
Isn't the mid-'07 Mac mini largely a MacBook in terms of chipset, etc? I'm using one and I want a 64-bit kernel very badly. I know the 6 and 4 trick, but I want the read deal. And 64-bit EFI. So if Apple were to issue such a thing for that revision of MacBook, the mid-'07 Mac mini wouldn't be too far off, correct?
 
not true. we have a macbook 2.2ghz w/ the GMA950 intel integrated gpu that i upgraded to snow leopard last night and activity monitor shows intel (64-bit) finder running, as well as, the rest of the 64 bit programs and other system processes that was converted w/ SL.

If you look closer, you should see the "kernel_task" in Activity Monitor won't have 64-bit next to it. The kernel is in 32-bit mode but can still run 64-bit apps and extensions. Maybe you can force it by holding "6 4" down while booting, but the default for all consumer laptops is 32-bit kernel with 64-bit support else where when available.
 
Has anyone with a late 2008 unibody macbook5,1 gotten the 64bit kernel to boot up? I have this computer and nothing seems to be working for me. I've tried holding the 6 and 4 keys, editing the plist, adding arch=86_64 to nvram and using 3 different applications that are supposed to get it to boot in to 64bit kernel. Nothing is working. :<<
 
Has anyone with a late 2008 unibody macbook5,1 gotten the 64bit kernel to boot up? I have this computer and nothing seems to be working for me. I've tried holding the 6 and 4 keys, editing the plist, adding arch=86_64 to nvram and using 3 different applications that are supposed to get it to boot in to 64bit kernel. Nothing is working. :<<

Same here, tried exactly what you did, nothing worked, still in 32bit kernel_task :(
 
Has anyone with a late 2008 unibody macbook5,1 gotten the 64bit kernel to boot up? I have this computer and nothing seems to be working for me. I've tried holding the 6 and 4 keys, editing the plist, adding arch=86_64 to nvram and using 3 different applications that are supposed to get it to boot in to 64bit kernel. Nothing is working. :<<

That's right, the MacBooks won't boot up into the 64 bit kernel. I checked on System Profiler as well to confirm this, and 64 bit kernel is marked as "No" even after pressing 6 and 4 at boot up.
 
Does your MacBook support 32GB of RAM or more? No? Then regardless of whether you can or can't run in 64-bit it won't affect you, there will be no gain in performance. That's the simplest and nicest way to put it.
 
Has anyone with a late 2008 unibody macbook5,1 gotten the 64bit kernel to boot up? I have this computer and nothing seems to be working for me. I've tried holding the 6 and 4 keys, editing the plist, adding arch=86_64 to nvram and using 3 different applications that are supposed to get it to boot in to 64bit kernel. Nothing is working. :<<
I'll repeat it again!

Apple has intentionally disabled the 64-bit Kernel on MacBooks.

The 6/4 key combination, plist and nvram command are unable to enable the 64-bit Kernel on those computers.

Until Apple decides that these computers should be able to use the 64-bit Kernel (which might not happen until 10.7 or even ever) there's nothing that can be done.

Someone might figure out some sort of hack that makes it work, but I haven't seen anything so far.
 
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