Free App: Choose 32/64 bit when starting SL

Hi Folks:

Some of you may be interested in this free App which allows you to choose starting Snow Leopard in either 32 or 64 bit.

Download from here.

Program is more than just a startup mode selector. It can also tell you if your machine is 32 or 64 bit, and if your EFI is 32 or 64 bit, plus other things.

Give it a try.

Regards.

Thanks for the info & the link...neat stuff!

- Nick

Nice App but holding 6 and 4 at startup does almost the exact same thing. Boots into 64 bit mode.

the8thark said:

Nice App but holding 6 and 4 at startup does almost the exact same thing. Boots into 64 bit mode.

Click to expand...

Program is more than just a startup mode selector. It can also tell you if your machine is 32 or 64 bit, and if your EFI is 32 or 64 bit, plus other things.

Click to expand...

Did you miss the part above?

Regards.

If you have a machine that isn't supported (on that list as capable) i.e. unibody aluminum MacBook, don't try to boot into 64 bit kernel. I could't even boot back into the 32 bit kernel by holding 3 and 2. Had to reinstall SL (thankfully a quick process). It just kept hanging.

It's total crap though, why does Apple disable the firmware in the unibody macbooks? It is a 64 bit processor and a 64 bit EFI...

I understand the frustration over being told which kernel you must boot into but really, it's not worth running a 64-bit kernel at this point. The fact that every Mac driver depending on kernel extensions has been written for a 32-bit kernel and only a fraction for a 64-bit kernel doesn't make the hassle of running a 64-bit kernel worth it.

vansmith said:

I understand the frustration over being told which kernel you must boot into but really, it's not worth running a 64-bit kernel at this point. The fact that every Mac driver depending on kernel extensions has been written for a 32-bit kernel and only a fraction for a 64-bit kernel doesn't make the hassle of running a 64-bit kernel worth it.

Click to expand...

Oh yea, I hear ya, but come on! Where's that 64 bit technology that kept being advertised? I realize my apps are running in 64 bit (some anyway), and I don't have enough RAM to even need it, but I'm itching for it!

My guess, it'll be at least another 7-10 years before we see all 64 bit computing, maybe longer.

I think you're right that it's a way off yet but when you look at the big picture, most computers sold are 64-bit capable (especially with the pervasiveness of the Core 2 Duo line from Intel), MS has a 64-bit version of Windows, OS X is now 64-bit capable through to the kernel and there are 64-bit Linux distributions. All the pieces are there, from my perspective at least, but the puzzle isn't being put together so to speak. I believe that the real transition will come when operating systems ship as 64-bit by default as opposed to having separate versions like with Windows.

And whoever does it first, we'll have to listen to those with the 3-7 year old machines complaining about how they should get a new computer because theirs can't run the new OS and it's so unfair.

I work with AIX 5.3 & 6.1 64 bit IBM Power6 p595 servers all day long, and even there - 80 percent of the applications, extensions, libraries, etc... are 32 bit. The 64 bit's really just allow us to run 1 or 2 terabytes of memory to split up into several hundred LPAR's/VM's. The apps are all 32 bit for the most part. Point being, even at the enterprise level, 32 bit is still a rule in many areas.

I'd say it'll be shorter. It's really been a huge leap in technology in the last decade, especially in memory, memory management and storage. Even in processor if you're including mobile computing... which we should.

At the enterprise level, aren't the CKD, TPF etc environment 64bit as well? I's a storage guy, not OS

Apps and stuff, well.. some of that stuff doesn't really get changed for decades.

bobtomay said:

And whoever does it first, we'll have to listen to those with the 3-7 year old machines complaining about how they should get a new computer because theirs can't run the new OS and it's so unfair.

Click to expand...

I hate when people use that logic and complain. If those people who complained that there computers didn't work anymore because technology moved too fast had their way, new improvements in the name of innovation never would have met the light of day. At some point, technology has to leave people behind.

XJ-linux said:

Point being, even at the enterprise level, 32 bit is still a rule in many areas.

Click to expand...

I'm sure it is (I'll have to take your word for it) but the enterprise, in some respects, likes to stick with the tried and tested for obvious reasons. This is fine but eventually, they will move to 64-bit. Either the consumers or the enterprise has to go first though and because of the conservative nature of enterprises in terms of IT (again, in some respects), the consumer will get it first. Please correct me if I am wrong - I'm drawing conclusions not having had any formal decision making influence in corporate IT.

Dysfunction said:

At the enterprise level, aren't the CKD, TPF etc environment 64bit as well? I's a storage guy, not OS

Click to expand...

Good question, and one I couldn't tell ya. We run mainly AIX with some SAP calls to legacy IMS DASD, and a ton of Celerra hosted space for Oracle tables, etc. Not sure where our z platform stuff falls into the picture anymore. The Oracle and SAP are some of the few 64 bit items we run extensively. ;D