Why can't I boot into 64 bit!

Right I know that this has probably been asked before, but why won't my mac boot into 64 bit? I hold down the 6 and 4 keys on start up and no luck!

My mac is 64 bit enabled, when I type "ioreg -l -p IODeviceTree | grep firmware-abi" into the terminal I get the response;

| | "firmware-abi" = <"EFI64">

Any ideas why it won't work. I'm running snow leopard as well by the way.

Thanks!


Andy

PS. Please please don't come back with "why do you want to boot into 64?" I have my reasons!

I don't know much about Powerboook G4's but isn't 64bit only allowed on Intel processor Mac's when running SL? Just guessing...

What is the specs of the mac that has Snow Leopard on it?
Why I ask is because the mac in your mac specs Powerbook G4 can not install Snow Leopard.

Oh yeah sorry I haven't updated that for years now!

I'm running a Macbook 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

hojkoff_101 said:

Oh yeah sorry I haven't updated that for years now!

I'm running a Macbook 2.1GHz Intel Core 2 Duo

Click to expand...

From what I understand, none of the MacBook models can boot into the 64-bit kernel. But that doesn't mean you can't run 64-bit apps, or address <4GB of memory.

In all honesty, the 64-bit kernel is really only useful in the server market. And that's why Apple has it restricted to the Mac Pro and MBP models.

Read more here:

http://www.mac-forums.com/forums/os...4-bit-snow-leopard-what-64-bit-means-you.html

What 64 means for you said:

If you are using an Intel Core 2 Duo on the other hand, you are using a 64-bit processor.

Click to expand...

This quote is straight from the thread that you've linked to which I also read before posting this, I'm running a Core 2 Duo so surely from that quote I'm able to boot into 64 bit. Although currently I can't.

Additionally, | | "firmware-abi" = <"EFI64"> suggests that I can go 64 bit.

cwa107 said:

In all honesty, the 64-bit kernel is really only useful in the server market. And that's why Apple has it restricted to the Mac Pro and MBP models.

Click to expand...

I'm not interested in how useful it is for me at the moment I want to get my Mac running it 1st. I'm not trying to be rude, but I did say in my initial post that I wasn't interested in the pros and cons, I want to get it to boot into 64 bit. I'm not really looking for this to becoming a place where people can advise me whether I should or shouldn't. I can easily revert to 32 bit if it all goes pear shaped, but that's not the issue right now.

By the looks of things I CAN boot into 64 bit, right now I can't seem too. Any suggestions anyone?

It's 64-bit capable, but your Mac (just like mine) doesn't boot into 64-bit.
It runs 64-bit apps, as you will see if you open up activity monitor and have a look.

cwa is correct in that 64 bit boot is disabled in all non-Pro machines. On your specific machine, there are no 64 bit drivers for the Intel X3100.

I have never done so and you're on your own here, but you can try Amit Singh's hack.

Mac OS X Internals: The Blog Blog Archive Is Your Machine Good Enough for Snow Leopard K64?

Or a ready made boot.efi from netkas.org and a little terminal effort.

I would suggest you read both thoroughly.

Since all the individual apps can run 64-bit, what difference does it make?

The answer is "almost none at all, in point of fact."

One of the reasons Apple disabled this is because the system would actually run slightly SLOWER if it were 100% 64-bit. Real 64-bit computing needs MASSES of RAM to really flex its advantages, and of course these machines simply can't address really significant amounts of RAM.

People just have this crazy idea that 64-bit anything must be twice as "fast" as 32-bit anything, and its utter nonsense. The difference 64-bit makes isn't about speed as most people think of it, it's about WORKSPACE.

At <8GB of RAM there's not likely to be much if any noticeable performance advantage to 64-bit unless you're doing some very simple math jobs.

OTOH, take a machine with 32GB of RAM and run it 64-bit and now you're cookin' with gas!