notcloudy
Level 4 (1,190 points)
Desktops

Q: System preferences for 32 bit applications interface with 64 bit

I had uninstalled WACOM pro software thinking the tablet was a problem - When I reinstalled my WACOM Pro software - I did get a message that a kext file was missing but the install it looked okay in system preferences - but there was a problem on next startup - when I went into system preferences to check them - the options were blank and I was prompted to bring up 32 bit preferences - that was never something I had to do when I first installed the hardware.  

 

My solution was to save the actual driver - uninstall the software - then call the driver as a startup option with my profile.

 

Big question -- did Apple remove a connection between the two system preferences during an ITUNES or Apple store update for Snow Leopard users?    If so that was really low of them - and has anyone discovered a way to get the connection thing back.

 

I do have some Kext files in zip format - don't know why they are there as with all things apple - logs etc not transparent

Mac OS X (10.6.8)

Posted on Sep 4, 2016 12:34 PM

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notcloudy

Q: System preferences for 32 bit applications interface with 64 bit

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  • by Eric Root,

    Eric Root Eric Root Sep 5, 2016 7:30 AM in response to notcloudy
    Level 9 (69,536 points)
    iTunes
    Sep 5, 2016 7:30 AM in response to notcloudy

    From your description, I suggest you uninstall the Wacom software and reinstall it. The first install appears to have been  incomplete.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Sep 5, 2016 1:17 PM in response to notcloudy
    Level 8 (37,629 points)
    Sep 5, 2016 1:17 PM in response to notcloudy

    I would first follow Eric's advice to uninstall the software. Then, if the installer gives you a choice, use the 64 bit driver. Though you can use either, depending on what other third party drivers you may have installed.

     

    My main reason for posting has to do with the drivers, and your experience with the System Preferences.

     

    1) You don't mention what model Mac you have, but it must be able to support 64 bit drivers at startup in order to use 64 bit drivers. Older Macs capable of running Snow Leopard that will only boot 32 bit, can only support 32 bit drivers. If you can install both, they must all be the same. If you have a mix, what will happen is if you boot in 32 bit mode, only the 32 bit drivers can load. If you boot into 64 bit mode, only the 64 bit drivers can load. You'll always have one set of drivers or the other. Likewise, if you have all 64 bit drivers installed, but boot in 32 bit mode, none of them will load.

     

    2) What you saw in the System Preferences is common in Snow Leopard. The Apple installed panes are 64 bit. If any third party software you install puts 32 bit panes in the System Preferences, they can't be run at the same time. So when you click on a 32 bit pane, the System Preferences has to relaunch in 32 bit mode in order to run that preference pane. Then when you click on a 64 bit pane, it has to relaunch again in 64 bit mode.

  • by notcloudy,

    notcloudy notcloudy Sep 6, 2016 2:04 PM in response to Kurt Lang
    Level 4 (1,190 points)
    Desktops
    Sep 6, 2016 2:04 PM in response to Kurt Lang

    I have a mid 2008 mac pro that came with Leopard -- it already had Rosetta installed so the hardware from my G4Cube worked fine.     When I upgraded to Snow Leopard after it came out - I installed Rosetta.

     

    In the activity monitor 64 bit applications  & the Wacom pad did show as 32bit until I removed it - then put back only the execution software - and in now just shows as Intel.

     

    Never had issues with any of this until sometime after the last update to Itunes 11 or the last update to the App Store for Snow Leopard.

     

    Have not updated past snowleopard as it would be to expensive in that my scanner, and printer are not supported along with all the other issues I have seen on this site.   I purchased this mac because the hard drive was failing on the Cube & Apple had gone to Intel.

  • by Kurt Lang,

    Kurt Lang Kurt Lang Sep 6, 2016 2:41 PM in response to notcloudy
    Level 8 (37,629 points)
    Sep 6, 2016 2:41 PM in response to notcloudy

    We have one of those. A 2008 Mac Pro will boot 32 bit to Snow Leopard by default, though it can also boot as 64 bit. Ours is running El Capitan, so it can obviously boot 64 bit since that's required for Mountain Lion and later.

     

    The 32 bit Wacom driver should work as long as the Mac Pro is booting to the 32 bit kernel. Copy/paste this line into Terminal and press enter:

     

    ioreg -p IODeviceTree -w0 -l | grep firmware-abi

     

    If it returns:

     

    "firmware-abi" = <"EFI64">

     

    Then your Mac is currently booted in 64 bit mode. If it returns:

     

    "firmware-abi" = <"EFI32">

     

    It's running as 32 bit.