Hyper-Threading on XP Pro/Win2K Pro

[gredodenda]

Can XP Pro and Win2k Pro take advantage of this Hyper-Threading? I've heard this from some where that Win2k Pro can not take this new technology because back then it wasn't available. is this true? even with Sp3 is installed...

How about the XP Pro? Can it take full advantage of Hyper-Threading?

thanks

 

[AndyHui]

Windows 2000 can take advantage of HyperThreading, but recognises an HT CPU as two separate CPUs.

Windows XP also takes advantage of HT, but can recognise the processor properly as two logical CPUs and supposedly allocate threads in a smarter fashion than Windows 2000.

 

[LouPoir]

Originally posted by: AndyHui
Windows 2000 can take advantage of HyperThreading, but recognises an HT CPU as two separate CPUs.

Windows XP also takes advantage of HT, but can recognise the processor properly as two logical CPUs and supposedly allocate threads in a smarter fashion than Windows 2000.

Same in WinXP Pro

 

[bsobel]

Originally posted by: gredodenda
Can XP Pro and Win2k Pro take advantage of this Hyper-Threading? I've heard this from some where that Win2k Pro can not take this new technology because back then it wasn't available. is this true? even with Sp3 is installed...

As Andi stated, 2K sees the HT CPU's as seperate physical chips. Since 2K pro is licensed for 1-2 cpu's, you can only have one P4 or Xeon as it will be seen as two (the license limit). XP is smarter, it sees the 'correct' number of physical CPU's. I have a dual Xeon, and XP correctly sees two physical but does show four logical CPU's. If I ran 2K on the box, I couldn't use the extra two logical cpu's.

Bill

 

[Nothinman]

As Andi stated, 2K sees the HT CPU's as seperate physical chips. Since 2K pro is licensed for 1-2 cpu's, you can only have one P4 or Xeon as it will be seen as two (the license limit). XP is smarter, it sees the 'correct' number of physical CPU's. I have a dual Xeon, and XP correctly sees two physical but does show four logical CPU's. If I ran 2K on the box, I couldn't use the extra two logical cpu's.

Gotta love the artificial limitations MS imposes on you.

 

[bsobel]

Gotta love the artificial limitations MS imposes on you.

They have a right to charge for their software. It's kinda hard to expect an older OS to 'magically' support some of the new technologies like HT properly.
Bill

 

[Budman]

Originally posted by: bsobel

Gotta love the artificial limitations MS imposes on you.

They have a right to charge for their software. It's kinda hard to expect an older OS to 'magically' support some of the new technologies like HT properly.
Bill

You could always run Windows 2000 server to be able to use all your 4 cpus.

 

[Nothinman]

They have a right to charge for their software. It's kinda hard to expect an older OS to 'magically' support some of the new technologies like HT properly.

I mean the fact that you can't use HT with Dual Xeons in Win2K Pro because you're limited to 2 CPUs max. It's a stupid limitation IMO, depending on prices I may have a quad system for my next workstation and I sure as hell wouldn't be running Win2K Server on it just to use them all (If I was running Windows on it at all that is).