Dual Processor systems

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flippy

Below is an excerpt from the FAQ section in the Multicore licensing
section of the Microsoft web page. The FAQ states that Windows XP can
support 2 processors. Has anyone had any experience running dual
processors, and if so what board/processors did you use? I want to
build a multi-processor system, but I don't want to end up building a
system that is not compatible with running 32bitWinXP. Any help would
be greatly appreciated!

Q. How does this licensing policy affect products such as Microsoft
Windows XP Professional?

A. Microsoft Windows XP Professional and Microsoft Windows XP Home are
not affected by this policy as they are licensed per installation and
not per processor. Windows XP Professional can support up to two
processors regardless of the number of cores on the processor.
Microsoft Windows XP Home supports one processor.
(http://tinyurl.com/88rke)
 
XP Pro (both 32 and 64 bit) support 2 separate physical CPU sockets. If in
each socket you have 2 dual core processors and each of those processors are
also hyperthreaded (and enabled in the BIOS), then XP thinks the system has
8 virtual processors and uses as the load requires.
Speaking from experience, my 32-bit dual processor hyperthreaded system
shows 4 processors and my 64-bit dual, dual-core hyperthreaded system shows
8, and each always shows something happening in there.
 
Just to clarify, you can visually see the load being distributed beween
both CPUs, I've heard that some boards have dual CPU sockets but they
don't load balance very well. Do you get pretty good noticable
performance from the dual?

So what kind of board and processors do you run intel or amd?
 
I just recently built a Pentium D 930 series rig. In task manager, it will
show 1 line for 2 CPU's.
 
Ryan said:
I just recently built a Pentium D 930 series rig. In task manager, it will
show 1 line for 2 CPU's.
Click to expand...

I built a Pentium D 830 rig, and gave up on it after no effort I could
think of would get the thing to recognize the second core in Windows,
even though the BIOS reported "2 CPUs" in POST. This was true of both
the 32 bit and 64 bit versions of Windows.

Switched to something based on the AMD 3800+, and it can. I think
something is still wrong with Intel Dual Core procs under Windows XP.

Rob
 
flippy said:
So you never got the dual processor dual core intel system working
correctly?
Click to expand...

Nope. Ran out of time and gave up. Returned the whole thing under
warranty to the builder, a local parts-only shop here which builds PC's
for an extra $20.

When I returned it, I asked them to build an AMD setup and they offered
to test it to make sure, which was a success.

That's why, if you're in the Portland, Oregon area, I heartily recommend
ENU Incorporated for computer equipment. Decent prices and decent guys.
It's not for everyone, but it is for people like me who can't stand Dell
support any longer.

Rob
 
flippy said:
I want to
build a multi-processor system, but I don't want to end up building a
system that is not compatible with running 32bitWinXP.
Click to expand...

There is no reason to worry. If there are more processors than XP can use,
it just won't use some of them.

--PA
 
Didn't you read my post? I built a Pentium 930 3.0 ghz computer and was
successful. I had to flash the BIOS in order for XP to take advantage of both
CPU's, but it was no big deal. You shouldn't have a problem building a newer
900 series CPU based on 945P or 945G chipset. At the worst, I have heard
others use an older CPU just to flash the BIOS because the newer chip will
not boot up into BIOS.
 
My 1st PC was a DELL, I've built all of my others since then...

ANYONE HAD ANY LUCK WITH DUAL INTEL PROCESSORS?
 
Just remember, if you decide to build a 900 series Pentium D, not all
motherboards are not guaranteed to boot up initially into BIOS. Fortunately,
the motherboard I picked, booted right into BIOS.
 
Intel boards with Intel Chipsets running Intel Pentium Xeon Processors -
high end workstations in other words. As far as Graphs shown in Task
manager, it depends on whether you choose "One Graph, All CPUs" or "One
Graph Each CPU", where I normally choose the latter.
 
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