Does my mac pro 1,1 support 64-bit OS???

Hello! I have been given an opportunity to buy a mac pro 1,1. It has two 3.0 Ghz dual core intel xeon processors and 8gb of ram. My question is, does it support 64 bit operating systems? For example Mac os X Lion or windows 7 64 bit? Has anybody tried it? I read on everymac.com and it said that the latest os for it is 10.4 and that it can support only windows 7 32 bit. Te EFI is 32 bit. I can't understand why it happens because it has a 64 bit processor...Please if can somebody tell me if it can be done,would be really helfull...

Posted on Jul 12, 2012 1:29 PM

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Posted on Jul 12, 2012 1:34 PM

It supports a 64-bit OS and runs 64-bit applications, but it cannot boot the 64-bit kernel, hence, if will not run Mountain Lion, but it will run Lion. But Lion will be the end of the line for first generation Mac Pros.


In order to boot the 64-bit kernel of OS X a computer must have a 64-bit EFI boot ROM. Your Mac Pro only has a 32-bit EFI boot ROM, hence, it cannot boot the 64-bit kernel.

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Jul 12, 2012 1:34 PM in response to Ardi ulo

It supports a 64-bit OS and runs 64-bit applications, but it cannot boot the 64-bit kernel, hence, if will not run Mountain Lion, but it will run Lion. But Lion will be the end of the line for first generation Mac Pros.


In order to boot the 64-bit kernel of OS X a computer must have a 64-bit EFI boot ROM. Your Mac Pro only has a 32-bit EFI boot ROM, hence, it cannot boot the 64-bit kernel.

Jul 12, 2012 2:23 PM in response to The hatter

Well acording to everymac they say in http://www.everymac.com/systems/apple/mac_pro/specs/mac-pro-quad-3.0-specs.html that this mac cant support x64 bit os like Snow Leopard, Lion and windows 7 x64....

And in the other article http://www.everymac.com/mac-answers/windows-on-mac-faq/windows-xp-vista-7-32-bit -64-bit-boot-camp-support-intel-macs.html it says it doesnt even support windows at all..

I am not an amateur on mac even though sometimes you have to rely to experience...I just wanted to know that if it runs a windows 7 x64 bit and if it runs only the 32 bit one that means that from 8 gb of ram it will show only 3gb usable...I don't see the meaning of that if apple does a product with 8 slots of ram and doesn't support the idea that windows users or mac one can get the best from that 8gb ram...

Jul 12, 2012 2:04 PM in response to Ardi ulo

Drivers and especially graphic drivers, really do need to be full 64-bit.


Even booting (or rather installing, as booting is 100% fine) is a problem with Windows 7 Pro 64-bit.


The oldest OS it can use is the OEM not retail of Tiger 10.4.6, it can run 10.7.4


You do not technically need UEFI, the EFI64 part, but that is what has been done.


I would not nor would I get a 2008 model either (which will support ML, but there are too many symptoms of age I think lately) unless you are fine with 10.6.8 which it will run nicely.


Depends on why, the price.


It will take more memory but after 8 x 2GB it gets too expensive. It probably needs a new graphic card.


You mis-read Everymac.


The use of 32-bit Windows was... terrible, because then you only get support for mere 1.9GB RAM - due to old EFI32 (which was baked in 2005 and the 2007 EFI update made booting Windows slower but "added compatibility" - never saw that extra 30 seconds as better.

Jul 12, 2012 2:43 PM in response to Ardi ulo

I looked and did not say anything about XP etc. I can tell you from 6 yrs owning one. And I dont' want to when you could have linked to THIS Mac Pro or there is Apple's list of supported--- which we take with a grain of salt and even unsupported manage to install.


Get a PC or a 2009 Mac Pro - Apple Stoe Specials $1900 has the 2010 4-core 2.8GHz which is a much better machine and easier to use plus good investment.


It is harder to burn the DVD again with Imgburn so you can boot the install DVD for Windows.


Or install on a PC - don't let it restart and continue, shutdown and 'sneaker net" the ahrd drive to the Mac.


It isn't worth it.


64-bit Windows shows all the RAM - you need Windows 7 Pro to use both processors, and 64-bit support. Home Premium is one processor and up to 16GB RAM. All of that is online.

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Does my mac pro 1,1 support 64-bit OS???

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