Optimize your dual core in Windows XP

[Parasitic]

How does Windows manage load balancing with dual core processors? Should I try to bother modifying CPU affinity or just let Windows handle it?


Because so far if I'm running a game I'd switch the CPU affinity to one of the cores, and say if I'm burning a disc I'd switch the affinity to the other core, but it doesn't seem like there's much improvement than letting Windows manage it automatically.

Ideas?

 

[SynthDude2001]

I just let Windows do everything automatically (although I did install the AMD Dual Core Optimizer, which fixed timing issues in Unreal['98]-engine games). The only time I've gained from manually setting affinity was in a situation similar to the one you described - specifically, when I'm running two very CPU-intensive tasks, and they each tend to get in the other's way when swapping between cores (for lack of a better explanation). I was doing some x264 encoding and set that to one core, then launched FarCry and set that to the other core....everything (especially in FarCry where it matters) was perfectly smooth. (And it helped that I'd just upgraded my RAM to 2GB...)

 

[Cali]

I would just dl the AMD Dual Core Optimizer. Thats what i did. Windows will manage the CPU itself

 

[kmmatney]

Windows XP doesn't always do a good job of balancing the cpu work load. At my work, the only way we could get programs to run on the second core was to manually edit the EXE files using a program that hacked the header of the EXE. Only then did the program run on the second core. There were no problems with the edited EXE files, and they still work fine on single core systems.

 

[Saku]

here's a good thread on it, if you havent seen it.
http://www.xtremesystems.org/forums/showthread.php?t=81429

 

[harobikes333]

sweet replies guys

 

[coolingoff]

what about for conroes?

my e6400, scores really well on 3d marks 05, but the workload distribution is pretty bad.

my core 1 is almost always at 80-90% adn my core 2 at 10-20%.

any optimizers for the intel core 2 duo's

 

[Bobthelost]

It's the same optimisation if memory serves. Merely reposted on the AMD website to help with dissemination.