Quick Question

[JimiP]

Hello everyone,

I have a quick question for all of you. I have heard rumors that Windows XP will only recognize and use two of the four cores in a Quad Core CPU. Is this correct?

Personally, I do not believe this but I would rather be positive.

 

[Idontcare]

I can tell you from experience that WinXP SP2 Professional (32 bit) recognizes all 4 cores on Q6600 and QX6700.

Anecdotally I can also tell you I have never read of anyone having any issues either.

Edit: I do believe you MUST do a fresh OS install though...don't upgrade your CPU from dual to quad and expect the OS installed on the dual-core system to recognize your quad-core.

 

[PCTC2]

Windows XP will recognize all 4 cores. It's license is for 2 CPU's, not 2 cores. 2 CPU's means dual-socket SMP.

 

[sutahz]

Originally posted by: PCTC2
Windows XP will recognize all 4 cores. It's license is for 2 CPU's, not 2 cores. 2 CPU's means dual-socket SMP.

I like this answer, and im drunk! 😛 But yeah, F-it, why not do a fresh install w/ a new CPU? You need a fresh install annually anyways right? why not at the 3mo or 6mo point?
"See you in another life brotha"

 

[JimiP]

Thank you very much! I had my suspicions that this wasn't true that XP wouldn't recognize all four cores. It will be a fresh install too so that obviously won't be an issue.

Some guy at a store noticed that a friend of mine was purchasing a Q6600. He then started asking him if he was using XP or Vista. The guy said that XP won't recognize all four cores so he must upgrade to Vista. I had my suspicions from the start mainly because I noticed that the man telling my friend this was a store employee. LOL

Anyways, thanks for solidifying the facts for me!

 

[dajeepster]

I've only heard from 2 people that have had a problem with the QX9650(45nm) and a 680i chipset only recognizing 2 cores.

 

[sutahz]

Originally posted by: JimiP
Some guy at a store noticed that a friend of mine was purchasing a Q6600. He then started asking him if he was using XP or Vista. The guy said that XP won't recognize all four cores so he must upgrade to Vista. I had my suspicions from the start mainly because I noticed that the man telling my friend this was a store employee.

He could be (trying) to push product on a naive customer or maybe he's just a f'n retard who doesn't know a sound card from a NIC.

 

[Idontcare]

Originally posted by: dajeepster
I've only heard from 2 people that have had a problem with the QX9650(45nm) and a 680i chipset only recognizing 2 cores.

Hehe, I bet more than just two people are experiencing this "compatibility" problem with 45nm quads and i680...

Me loves me a forced/planned obsolescence and upgrade cycle! Economy FTW!

 

[LOUISSSSS]

Originally posted by: JimiP
Hello everyone,

I have a quick question for all of you. I have heard rumors that Windows XP will only recognize and use two of the four cores in a Quad Core CPU. Is this correct?

Personally, I do not believe this but I would rather be positive.

who told u winXp doesn't recognize all 4 cores?

 

[swankypimp]

For a while I ran my Xeon 3210 quad core with XP Home, and it recognized all four cores. The main issue is that the power users who demand quad core performance will want to use more than 3GB of RAM, which is all that XP and 32 bit Vista support.

 

[JimiP]

Originally posted by: LOUISSSSS

Originally posted by: JimiP
Hello everyone,

I have a quick question for all of you. I have heard rumors that Windows XP will only recognize and use two of the four cores in a Quad Core CPU. Is this correct?

Personally, I do not believe this but I would rather be positive.

who told u winXp doesn't recognize all 4 cores?

Sorry, I forgot to check back at this thread.

A store employee was trying to tell a friend of mine that WinXP wouldn't recognize all four cores. As said earlier in this thread, I believe he was just trying to sell Vista and make a sale on his ignorance. Just the way he was going about it made me think that he was BS'ing us.