Hyperthreading in Windows 2000 pro...

[Keysplayr]

Although Windows 2000 pro is not optimized for Hyperthreading, would it hurt anything to have it turned on?
I am not sure if it would benefit or inhibit my performance in any way. I know that Windows XP is optimized for Hyperthreading, but I just cant stand to use XP with all of it's bugs. And besides, I dont like my operating system to look like a candy factory.

Any input would be helpful.

To Be, or not to Be.... Hyperthreading in Win 2k pro.

Thanks,
Keys

 

[oldfart]

You will need XP for it to work . I've held off going to XP and am also running Win2K. You can easily set up XP to get rid of the Teletubby look.

 

[Keysplayr]

LOL, teletubby's. Perfect way of describing it. Well, too bad for me because I wont go to XP. Hey, Im a poet and didn't even know it. Sorry. Thanks for your help. Guess I'm stuck without hyperthreading. Heck, its fast enough as it is.

Keys

 

[OddTSi]

I'm pretty sure that Hyperthreading will work in Win2k. It'll just treat it like you have 2 processors instead of one processor with hyperthreading.

[Edit] I knew I read this on Anandtech.

 

[oldfart]

What Intel says

Microsoft* Windows* Operating System Desktop Based PCs
The following desktop operating systems include optimizations for HT Technology and are currently eligible to carry the new Intel® Pentium® 4 Processor with HT Technology logo:

Microsoft* Windows* XP Professional Edition
Microsoft* Windows* XP Home Edition

The following desktop operating systems are not recommended for use with Hyper-Threading Technology. If you are using one of the following desktop operating systems, it is advised that you should disable Hyper-Threading Technology in the system BIOS Setup program:

Microsoft Windows 2000 (all versions)
Microsoft Windows NT* 4.0
Microsoft Windows Me
Microsoft Windows 98
Microsoft Windows 98 SE

 

[quikah]

I have been running many projects with both P4 and Xeon with W2k server with HT on. Never had a problem. These are server tests I run though so YMMV.

 

[Keysplayr]

Ok, thanks everyone.
I guess it couldnt hurt to try it.
I just wont keep anything important on the machine for testing.

Keys

 

[tranceport]

We have some ibm X345 servers with p4 xeon 2.8's with HT enabled and windows 2000 preloaded from IBM.

Soooo....

No problems yet.....

 

[oldfart]

Does it actually work though? Is HT recognized and is there a performance increase?

 

[AndyHui]

HT is actually "useable" on Windows 2000.

Windows 2000, unlike Windows XP, will recognise a HyperThreaded processor as two separate physical processors. Windows XP will recognise an HT CPU for what it is: two logical processors.

The difference is that supposedly WinXP will do a little better at process scheduling, so that threads minimise clashing for CPU resources. Windows 2000, seeing two processors, is going to really treat it as two separate processors and won't do any smart scheduling. The conclusion from this is that there may be requests for the same resources and so result in some reduction in performance.

Other than that, there's the previously discussed problem if you have 2 HT CPUs; you won't be able to run that system on Windows 2000 Pro, since it will be counted as 4 processors.

 

[oldfart]

Thanks Andy!

Once again, you've provided the real scoop that no one else could.

The AT FAQ man ROCKS! :beer: