Setting chip to duo core

bdpitbull

Junior Member
Dec 12, 2007
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Hello. Im having trouble knowing if my duo core is really running in duocore mode. i for one do not think it is. What steps do i take to check and how would i change it to run both cores if it is set to 1?

i poked around a little in bios, but the area under the chip is mostly greyed out and untouchable.

any help to find my way would be appreciated.

 

heyheybooboo

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2007
6,278
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Originally posted by: bdpitbull
Hello. Im having trouble knowing if my duo core is really running in duocore mode. i for one do not think it is. What steps do i take to check and how would i change it to run both cores if it is set to 1?

i poked around a little in bios, but the area under the chip is mostly greyed out and untouchable.

any help to find my way would be appreciated.


Right click on the taskbar, select Task Manager, Click Performance tab
 

bdpitbull

Junior Member
Dec 12, 2007
12
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0
I have done that and it appears to be one core working. i also have the multi meter v1.25 running on my vista and core 1 is always active whre as core 2 never shows a sign of life.

lets assume im running on 1 core on a duo core processor...how do i get it running?

thanx
 

Quiksilver

Diamond Member
Jul 3, 2005
4,725
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Can someone explain to me why he would need to head over to AMD's website for a patch for his INTEL processor? I think someone needs re-read his post.

Anyway do you have all the the latest updates installed? Namely this one if you have windows xp
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=896256
 

badnewcastle

Golden Member
Jun 30, 2004
1,016
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Originally posted by: QuiksilverX1
Can someone explain to me why he would need to head over to AMD's website for a patch for his INTEL processor? I think someone needs re-read his post.

Anyway do you have all the the latest updates installed? Namely this one if you have windows xp
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=896256

Topic Summary shows AMD chip while OP's post doesn't specify intel or amd.
 

Quiksilver

Diamond Member
Jul 3, 2005
4,725
0
71
Originally posted by: badnewcastle
Originally posted by: QuiksilverX1
Can someone explain to me why he would need to head over to AMD's website for a patch for his INTEL processor? I think someone needs re-read his post.

Anyway do you have all the the latest updates installed? Namely this one if you have windows xp
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=896256

Topic Summary shows AMD chip while OP's post doesn't specify intel or amd.

It's in Engrish and from what I can make out he mean't Core Duo or Core 2 Duo. If he meant what has in description then he confused me.
 

bdpitbull

Junior Member
Dec 12, 2007
12
0
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sorry if i am confusing anyone. i have a amd chip..

i run windows vista home premium 32 bit operating system. all i really want to know is how to run a program to see the 2nd core working somehow. i do not believe my computer is set correct to take advantage of the dual core processor. i went into bios but saw nothing easily adjustable.
from what i see on my multi meter 1.25 i am only using the 1st core not the 2nd. i need to know...if i do not have it set up correctly... how to get it right.


thanx sorry for the confusion.
 

error8

Diamond Member
Nov 28, 2007
3,204
0
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Originally posted by: QuiksilverX1
Originally posted by: badnewcastle
Originally posted by: QuiksilverX1
Can someone explain to me why he would need to head over to AMD's website for a patch for his INTEL processor? I think someone needs re-read his post.

Anyway do you have all the the latest updates installed? Namely this one if you have windows xp
http://support.microsoft.com/?id=896256

Topic Summary shows AMD chip while OP's post doesn't specify intel or amd.

It's in Engrish and from what I can make out he mean't Core Duo or Core 2 Duo. If he meant what has in description then he confused me.

He has an AMD chip, you see?
 

error8

Diamond Member
Nov 28, 2007
3,204
0
76
Originally posted by: bdpitbull
exactly which one do i need to download. many to choose from there...

and thank you

The "AMD Dual-Core Optimizer"
and the
"AMD Athlon? 64 X2 Dual Core Processor Driver for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Version (x86 and x64 exe) 1.3.2.16"
if I presume you have windows XP.
 

F1shF4t

Golden Member
Oct 18, 2005
1,583
1
71
Originally posted by: error8
Originally posted by: bdpitbull
exactly which one do i need to download. many to choose from there...

and thank you

The "AMD Dual-Core Optimizer"
and the
"AMD Athlon? 64 X2 Dual Core Processor Driver for Windows XP and Windows Server 2003 Version (x86 and x64 exe) 1.3.2.16"
if I presume you have windows XP.


He has Vista. So no need to download anything.

If you can see two cores in Task manager than its fine.
Get something like Prime 95 (v25.4) and load it up.
 

TuxDave

Lifer
Oct 8, 2002
10,571
3
71
Are you using a new motherboard or upgrading the chip in an older one. I had to update my bios to get my system to recognize the 2nd core.
 

bdpitbull

Junior Member
Dec 12, 2007
12
0
0
Ok i just updated to the beta 1405 bios for my motherboard. everything went smooth. but i still do not see any activity from core #2. Myabe i am expecting to be able to see something that you cannot. I just figured with multi meter 1.25 and or cpu-z i could see some activity from my dual core processor. Sorry if im missing something that everyone else takes fro granite.

 

VirtualLarry

No Lifer
Aug 25, 2001
56,587
10,225
126
What kind of PC do you show under Device Manager? Is it "ACPI Multiprocessor PC"? If it's not, then you have an issue.
 

heyheybooboo

Diamond Member
Jun 29, 2007
6,278
0
0
i still do not see any activity from core #2. Myabe i am expecting to be able to see something that you cannot.

Welcome to reality.

In many instances that second core is idle - though it seems to me WinV does a better job than XP of balancing loads across cores.

As Cupcake noted - run multi-core Prime
 

bdpitbull

Junior Member
Dec 12, 2007
12
0
0
in device manager it says. computer.. advanced configuration and power interface..(ACPI) PC

im looking right now for a place to download prime95
 

Zap

Elite Member
Oct 13, 1999
22,377
7
81
Originally posted by: heyheybooboo
i still do not see any activity from core #2. Myabe i am expecting to be able to see something that you cannot.
Welcome to reality.

Haha! Good one.

http://www.overclockers.com/tips01261/

I think that article can be applied to dual cores as well, though people will flame me for saying so. All too common people come around asking for recommendations for a basic office/internet machine, and are told they need some fast dual core (and a discrete video card). The dirty little secret is that most computers sit idle most of the time. No, I'm not talking about the person gaming for several hours or those who have Folding/SETI farms, but everyone else. Here's an excerpt from the linked article:

Most attention, too much attention, has been focused on quad-core processors. Yet if you asked most people why they wanted/needed a quadcore, their answer would boil down to "Because 4 is more than 2."
...
Now if you use programs that really take advantage of four cores (and I don't mean benchmark programs), then God bless you and go for it.

But if you buy four cores on a hope and a prayer that someday, somehow, it might do you some good, you've likely made a $100 charitable contribution to either AMD or Intel, a $100 you could have spent making a non-charitable contribution to the GPU or memory maker of your choice.
...
None of this is to say that quads are always a waste of money, that would be as silly as saying that they never would be. If you have a reason to buy a quad, certainly do so.

But before you buy, get yourself a reason, not a rationalization.

Back to the OP's question... run something like Orthos and you should see the second core utilized. Otherwise, it is a good thing that your CPU isn't magically being used when you're running CPU-Z and Multi Meter. If it is, then that might mean you are infected with a virus or other malware. :eek:

This reminds me of something I get asked occasionally, BITD... sometimes people would complain that their sound isn't working. When I ask them to explain, they said that they don't hear anything. So, I'll ask what they are doing on their computer that is supposed to play sound, and they say something like, "oh, I'm not doing anything, but isn't it supposed to play some sounds occasionally?" :laugh:
 

betasub

Platinum Member
Mar 22, 2006
2,677
0
0
Originally posted by: bdpitbull
Well i have never been able to triger core 2 to show me it is working is all i am saying.

Well why don't you run a multi-threaded app, or several intensive apps, so that the OS balances the load across the cores, e.g. Orthos stress test will attempt to run all cores at 100%.

Alternatively you can set an app to run exclusively on a particular core using Task Manager.
 

bdpitbull

Junior Member
Dec 12, 2007
12
0
0
My multi meter does not show any activity in core 2 no matter what orthos test i run. hmm interesting
 

myocardia

Diamond Member
Jun 21, 2003
9,291
30
91
Hard reset your BIOS. Crazily enough, it's almost always needed, anytime you switch from a single core to a dual core.