Computing.Net - Dual Core on or off?

Subject: Dual Core on or off?

Original Message

Name: danmpem
Date: January 20, 2008 at 19:56:46 Pacific
Subject: Dual Core on or off?
OS: XP
CPU/Ram: 2.8 GHz/2 GB RAM
Model/Manufacturer: Dell e520

Comment:

I have a Dell e520, Pentium D (64-bit Dual Core) 2.8 GHz, 2 GB DDR2 RAM, with Windows XP. There is an option in the BIOS to disable the dual core part of the processor. Are there any pros and cons to doing this?

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Response Number 1

Name: jackbomb
Date: January 20, 2008 at 22:46:19 Pacific
Subject: Dual Core on or off?

Reply: (edit)

Keep it enabled. There's no point in turning a dual-core processor into a single-core processor. If a legacy program doesn't take advantage of SMP, then it will only use one core.
3.2GHz on S939--E.T. no need phone home.
Opty 185 @ 3.2GHz
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Response Number 2

Name: alanscott
Date: January 22, 2008 at 10:33:52 Pacific
Subject: Dual Core on or off?

Reply: (edit)

You save power and less heat is generated
but you loose performance.
I think its basically pointless to turn off
one core
linuxant

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Response Number 3

Name: Cobra_R
Date: January 24, 2008 at 00:33:09 Pacific
Subject: Dual Core on or off?

Reply: (edit)

Turning off a core for notebook processors isn't pointless though becuase it helps save on battery life and Core 2 Duo mobility processors do this automaticly when the other core isn't needed. AMD dual core mobile processors don't have this feature yet.

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Response Number 4

Name: br84
Date: January 24, 2008 at 04:16:19 Pacific
Subject: Dual Core on or off?

Reply: (edit)

if there is a program that wont run on both cores or only needs one core then goto the task manager and set the afinity to just one processor. Right click on a process and goto set afinity.
Alternatevely, you could disable the multi-processor HAL in the device manager and change the driver for ACPI to single processor PC and back to multi processor PC when required.

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