C2D iMac... supports 64 bit code?

[generik]

Has anyone ever tried executing 64 bit applications on the C2D iMacs? There has been quite a bit of debate in the "MBP next Tuesday" thread after someone found a BusinessWeek article which stated that the current Meroms do not run 64 bit instructions due to the old chipset.

 

[wchong]

Has anyone ever tried executing 64 bit applications on the C2D iMacs? There has been quite a bit of debate in the "MBP next Tuesday" thread after someone found a BusinessWeek article which stated that the current Meroms do not run 64 bit instructions due to the old chipset.

well it is hard to support such a statement. the c2d chip does support 64 bit, however, since it's not santa rosa ppl are saying that it is not a "true" 64 bit platform... bah big debate

 

[Mac-Addict]

*Sits in corner sucking my thumb* But.. But.. Steve would NEVER lie to us! Would he?! xD I wouldnt care too much because I won't really need to have 64-bit but I can see what this would mean to a person who needs a 64-bit computer

 

[Eidorian]

Has anyone ever tried executing 64 bit applications on the C2D iMacs? There has been quite a bit of debate in the "MBP next Tuesday" thread after someone found a BusinessWeek article which stated that the current Meroms do not run 64 bit instructions due to the old chipset.

Yeah, we've had a debate over the 945 chipset. Supposedly there's a 945 x32 and a 945 x64. We never found any proof of its existence though. If Windows XP x64 runs on a Core 2 Duo iMac then I think we can settle it there. Otherwise someone is going to need to fire up a command line 64-bit application.

 

[Macmadant]

Apple displays the 64 BIT logo on the imac page somewhere, they couldn't do that unless it was, is there anyway to find out from ASP, also isn't the mac Pro Xeon chip the server version of Core 2 Duo, and that is advertised as 64 bit, how could you have a 32 Bit version and a 64 Bit Version of a chip

 

[mrcammy]

I'm running Vista 64-bit on bootcamp - so I'll assume my 24" is 64 bit...

 

[Killyp]

I'm running Vista 64-bit on bootcamp - so I'll assume my 24" is 64 bit...

That means nothing, my friend couldn't get Vista64 to run on his 64 bit AMD based machine, it claimed the processor architecture was wrong in an RSOD...

 

[Nermal]

If Windows XP x64 runs on a Core 2 Duo iMac then I think we can settle it there.

Surprisingly, the 64-bit version of XP can run on a 32-bit system, albeit very slowly.

 

[carfac]

I tried to get Vista 64 to run in Parelles- I could not; I assumed that since either OS X or Parellels was 32 bit, Vista could not run 64. FWIW.

 

[Eidorian]

Surprisingly, the 64-bit version of XP can run on a 32-bit system, albeit very slowly.

Proof? I don't have a 64-bit system to test it on.

 

[Nermal]

Proof? I don't have a 64-bit system to test it on.

One of the guys at work installed it on his 32-bit system "just to see what happens." We were all amazed that it ran at all, but it did! It certainly wasn't usable though.

 

[wakerider017]

Pulled from Apple.com

Cast your gaze on the ultimate eye-opening experience: the new faster, bigger, and brighter iMacs. Starting at just $999, the most personal of personal computers comes out packing a powerful punch. That’s thanks to the new 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo processor, you’ll find in each and every new iMac.


All in the family
The fastest iMac ever, the 24-inch iMac provides professional performance along with the convenience of an all-in-one design. Like its 17-inch and 20-inch siblings, it features the new 64-bit Intel Core 2 Duo processor with speeds ranging from 1.83GHz to 2.33GHz. The new processor delivers up to 50% more performance than the previous 20-inch iMac. It also doubles the amount of L2 cache, the twin cores sharing 4MB between them.(2) The result? Turbocharged performance, making it easier — and more fun — than ever to work with digital photos, movies, music, and the web.

 

[majorp]

bizounce, im interested in this too.

 

[lightsout]

One of the guys at work installed it on his 32-bit system "just to see what happens." We were all amazed that it ran at all, but it did! It certainly wasn't usable though.

Are you sure it wasn't a 64-bit chip? 64-bit x86 has more registers, and simply can't be emulated. 64-bit Windows also has very poor driver support on the whole, which could explain the rubbish performance to a certain extent.

What the chipset is does NOT matter, it is all about the CPU.

 

[Eidorian]

One of the guys at work installed it on his 32-bit system "just to see what happens." We were all amazed that it ran at all, but it did! It certainly wasn't usable though.

Are you even sure it was a 32-bit system? I'd like some more specifications on it. I have a 64-bit Celeron at work.

 

[Mac-Addict]

Apple claiming 64-bit architecture..

 

[jhu]

Has anyone ever tried executing 64 bit applications on the C2D iMacs? There has been quite a bit of debate in the "MBP next Tuesday" thread after someone found a BusinessWeek article which stated that the current Meroms do not run 64 bit instructions due to the old chipset.

and there's the problem. businessweek is not exactly a tech magazine. like others have said, the chipset does not matter. it's the processor that determines this.

 

[stefan15]

AFAIK you won't be able to install any 64-bit applications until 10.5.. OSX is currently preventing you from doing that. The chip architecture and OS both need to be x86_64. Though as someone in this thread mentioned, you can install 64-bit Windows using bootcamp to take advantage of it. I suggest XP x64 until Vista is released.

 

[jhu]

Yeah, we've had a debate over the 945 chipset. Supposedly there's a 945 x32 and a 945 x64. We never found any proof of its existence though. If Windows XP x64 runs on a Core 2 Duo iMac then I think we can settle it there. Otherwise someone is going to need to fire up a command line 64-bit application.

here's one way to find out. put the following in a file called 'new.c':

#include "stdio.h"

main()
{
printf("Hello World!\n");
}

now compile it with gcc by typing "gcc -S new.c". this will give an assembly file called 'new.s'. open up new.s in your favorite text editor and look for amd64/emt64 specific instructions and registers.

 

[Nermal]

Are you sure it wasn't a 64-bit chip? 64-bit x86 has more registers, and simply can't be emulated. 64-bit Windows also has very poor driver support on the whole, which could explain the rubbish performance to a certain extent.

I suppose it's possible that it's 64-bit and neither of us knew.

 

[Eidorian]

AFAIK you won't be able to install any 64-bit applications until 10.5.. OSX is currently preventing you from doing that. The chip architecture and OS both need to be x86_64. Though as someone in this thread mentioned, you can install 64-bit Windows using bootcamp to take advantage of it. I suggest XP x64 until Vista is released.

64-bit works in command line. Leopard will give us seamless GUI 32/64-bit as well.

 

[Eidorian]

A little update...

I couldn't get Windows XP x64 to install on my Mac mini Core Duo. It was accidental too. I put the wrong disc in.

 

[Peace]

I've run the Vista 64-bit on my C2D iMac and it was fast and very usable..with the exception of the bootcamp drivers supplied by Apple.They didn't work because they are 32-bit drivers.Microsoft's drivers worked fine.

10.5 runs pretty good too

 

[Macmadant]

I've run the Vista 64-bit on my C2D iMac and it was fast and very usable..with the exception of the bootcamp drivers supplied by Apple.They didn't work because they are 32-bit drivers.Microsoft's drivers worked fine.

10.5 runs pretty good too

Cool, so the jist of it is that Core 2 Duo is or capable of running both 32 Bit and 64 Bit

 

[astewart]

Cool, so the jist of it is that Core 2 Duo is or capable of running both 32 Bit and 64 Bit

Yes.