Kudos0

64 bit question for Ryan

Posted: 29-Dec-2009 | 11:14AM · 4 Replies ·

Ryan states: "We are not planning on supporting 64-bit for this release of Norton AntiVirus. Apple considers 64-bit kernel support a server feature since only the Xserve boots into 64-bit by default, so our consumer products do not support this feature. Sorry."

That being said, I have a  $12,000 Mac Pro that I need to run 64-bit applications (Matlab and Mathematica)!  Since your consumer products DO NOT support this feature, what Macintosh products do you have available that will run in 64-bit; or, when will a 64-bit version of Norton Internet Security be available to Beta?

Replies

Kudos0

Re: 64 bit question for Ryan

Posted: 29-Dec-2009 | 11:14AM · Permalink

Ryan states: "We are not planning on supporting 64-bit for this release of Norton AntiVirus. Apple considers 64-bit kernel support a server feature since only the Xserve boots into 64-bit by default, so our consumer products do not support this feature. Sorry."

That being said, I have a  $12,000 Mac Pro that I need to run 64-bit applications (Matlab and Mathematica)!  Since your consumer products DO NOT support this feature, what Macintosh products do you have available that will run in 64-bit; or, when will a 64-bit version of Norton Internet Security be available to Beta?

Kudos0

Re: 64 bit question for Ryan

Posted: 29-Dec-2009 | 3:09PM · Permalink

I hope Ryan will reply also, because I don't know the context where he made that statement.

There is a difference on the Macintosh ( and Unix based systems ) between Application or User space and the kernel ( basically the system calls used by the Applications ).  When an application (process) is executing in the kernel it has a different stack, different address space etc. than when it is executing in user space.

Most current Macintosh computers support running 64 bit APPLICATIONS.

The Applications run in 64 bit, even though the kernel is running in 32 bit.

On some computers running Snow Leopard it is possible to have the kernel run in 64 bit also.  I seriously doubt that MatLab or Mathematica require a 64 bit kernel.

Most Macintosh computers allow 32 bit or 64 bit applications, but run the kernel in 32 bit mode by default.  The user needs take action to make it boot into 64 bit kernel mode.

On some XServes - the default is 64 bit kernel.

Certain features of NAV currently do not work when the machine is booted into 64 bit kernel mode.  This is I think what Ryan meant by not supporting 64 bit for this release of NAV.  ( There are other threads that discuss this )

I hope this clarifies things for you. 

John HansenSr. Principal Software EngineerMacintosh Group
Kudos0

Re: 64 bit question for Ryan

Posted: 02-Jan-2010 | 1:53AM · Permalink

The question is not yet answered  when comes a beta working with the 64bit kernel Booting is faster with it when fusion 3.1 installed with windows 7.
Kudos0

Re: 64 bit question for Ryan

Posted: 12-Jan-2010 | 6:30PM · Permalink

Sorry lost track of this over the holidays, but John cleared things up.

You are confusing 64-bit applications with 64-bit kernel support. They are not the same. Snow Leopard will in fact only boot into a 64-bit kernel if you ask it to, but that is not required to run 64-bit applications. You can run Matlab and Mathematic in 64-bit while booted into a 32-bit kernel, and install the current Norton products just fine on such a machine. They will run side-by-side with 64-bit applications, but will not run in 64-bit kernel mode. In fact, unless you boot your Mac with some special applications, your Mac Pro is actually running in 32-bit kernel mode right now.

We are definitely working on 64-bit versions of our products but I can't say if/when they will ship. However, you don't need them unless you plan on booting your Mac into 64-bit kernel, which again is not required to run Mathematica and Matlab in 64-bit mode.

As an aside, Apple does not recommend you boot into 64-bit kernel mode just yet--if you do so, you do at your own risk. Device drivers are not 64-bit so many 3rd party devices and applications will not work in 64-bit kernel mode. Also Apple did not test their full range of hardware in 64-bit mode, so some machines may experience problems (including panics!) when booted into 64-bit mode. This is one of the reasons none of Apple's consumer machines boot into 64-bit kernel mode just yet :-)

Finally, we have no plans for a 64-bit beta at this time. The current Norton applications will run in 32-bit kernel mode, and ew have no beta available for 64-bit. We will post here if/when one becomes available.

Ryan 

Message Edited by ryan_mcgann on 01-12-2010 06:33 PM
Ryan McGann Technical Director Norton Business Unit, Symantec

This thread is closed from further comment. Please visit the forum to start a new thread.