So does Back Track plan on going 64bit?

[Zerocool Djx]

I got my last computer hardware updated and would like to take advantage of the full power of the hardware, CPU, Ram, and so forth..

[purehate]

We are looking at 64 bit for bt5 beta.

[voidnecron]

Any word on the tool availability? OS can be x64, but most tools aren't (yet?)

[purehate]

This is the reason we have not yet gone to 64 bit. Most pentest tools are not capable of utilizing 64 capabilities anyway. The only "real" advantage to 64 bit is to get rid of the 2 gig page file limit and increasing the available memory . Sadly, people have been conditioned to believe more is beter so they just demand a 64 bit OS even though they have no idea why they would need it. Its sort of like updating, people wanna update their system 3 times a day even though they barely ever use any of the tools, they just want to do it to be doing something.

[voidnecron]

Hahaha, I hear you.

[Godfrey]

It will be good if all the tool developers trun to x64.But why don't they develop a x64 version?

[CrazyBranch]

It will be good if all the tool developers trun to x64.But why don't they develop a x64 version?

Because they have no x64 platform to develop for? It's a closed circle which should be broken by platform developers in order to encourage developers for 64bit appz

[bofh28]

It will be good if all the tool developers trun to x64.But why don't they develop a x64 version?

1. They don't have the hardware.
2. They don't know how.

Converting and application to 64 bit isn't easy especially if you are trying to maintain 32bit compatibility. You have to worry about the size of int, long, and pointers on each platform. They are different sizes. The UNIX System -- 64bit and Data Size Neutrality has a nice chart showing the size differences. These size differences can affect the alignment of any structs used in your program.

[jirtos]

And what now, when BT5 is released? Who from you will download and actually use 64bit Arch?

[bofh28]

I am downloading via torrent both the 32 and 64 isos. I have 64 bit hardware at work and 32 bit at home. If the torrent is any indication the 64 bit iso completed downloading in 50 minutes. The 32 bit version has been downloading for 70 minutes with an ETA of 6 hours.