Dual core: Does this appear as two processors to windows?

[EtherDragn]

The answer is yes it does.
I highly recommend getting a double dual core system. Once you see those 4 threads tear it up you'll know it was worth the cash.

[Sergio76]

Hi, I`m new around here, but I think you should place this thread under "Technical and Hardware".

Anyway, as dual core owner, I can answer both your questions with yes.
Yes, you can "set the affinity" for programs and maya will use both (or all) cores if you check "all processors" for rendering.

Hyperthreading (on Prescott cores - which I own) is not that useful feature for rendering because is designed to get information in processor`s pipeline if it is not 100% used, but rendering uses full power of all physical cores so the virtual processors have no room to fill in.

I`m very pleased with mine new dualcore processor, it has proved to be my best upgrade ever ("bang for the buck" wise) and I hope you`ll love it too ;)

[Vladislav-Ivanov]

I have Core 2 Duo T5500 1.66Mhz , was very expensive but it was worth it . I reckon for another 5 years I won't probably need any other upgrade except for RAM of coz and most likely a new video card when DirectX 10 comes out.

______________________

www.vladislav-ivanov.com (http://www.vladislav-ivanov.com)

[Wes_Brown]

Thanks guys!


(Yeah, I forgot about the hardware forum...sorry peeps!)

Will mental ray for maya allow you to use all those processors if I got double dual core or is it locked to one or two? I remember you used to have to buy more node liscenses for more than one processor.

[Ikarus]

I also had similar question to Wes's. The only thing I'm still uncertain of is, won't the dual core share the same amount of memory between the two cores, as apposed to the single core dual processors in which they have their own on board memory?

If you guys had a choice single dual core or dual processor(single core each), is it really the same?

[nemoo]

>If you guys had a choice single dual core or dual processor(single core each), is it really the same?

the answer to all your lifes questions is simple: quad core :)

[lots]

I also had similar question to Wes's. The only thing I'm still uncertain of is, won't the dual core share the same amount of memory between the two cores, as apposed to the single core dual processors in which they have their own on board memory?

If you guys had a choice single dual core or dual processor(single core each), is it really the same?
No. In most dual core CPUs, each processor has its own cache on board. Meaning if I have a Core 2 Duo E6600, each core has its own L1 cache, while sharing all 4MB of L2 cache. This sharing helps improve communication between cores. If you look at the Athlon64 X2, and similar Opterons, you will see that each Core on the CPU has its own L1 and L2 cache. These are basicalyl design differences between AMD and Intel, but usually most multicore CPUs have thier own cache on board. There is a problem that arrises with Intel chips, in which the connection to RAM is shared by both cores, though the cieling is high enough that this is not really an issue for dual core chips. Quad core chips, however, will most likely see this problem when fully loaded (at least ones from Intel)

AMD's design does not suffer from this, as the interconnect is superior on AMD platforms.

I'm not sure how Maya licenses MR, but I would take a guess and say that at least 4 processors/cores are covered by the MR license.

Dual core, and similarly any other multi core CPU (2 or more cores) are pretty much what you expect from the same number of single processors in one system. So, for example, a dual core single processor system (thats one socket, two cores) should give about the same performance as the same model processor that is only single core, but dual socket (2 cores, 2 sockets) Note, this assumes that everything about the processors is identical, except the fact that one is dual core and one is single core. The nice thing about multi core CPUs is that they give higher computing power for the space they consume, they also use less power than two processors, and they are a tad bit faster due to the die level integration between the two cores (as opposed to the system level integration of a 2 processor computer).

[newman]

I have Core 2 Duo T5500 1.66Mhz , was very expensive but it was worth it . I reckon for another 5 years I won't probably need any other upgrade except for RAM of coz and most likely a new video card when DirectX 10 comes out.


5 years, huh? I wouldn't bet on it.. :) 5 years is a very long time in this industry.

[salmonmoose]

The answer is yes it does.
I highly recommend getting a double dual core system. Once you see those 4 threads tear it up you'll know it was worth the cash.

Just thought i'd chime in. Whilst it does show up to the user as 2 threads, the CPU itself is only classed as a single CPU.

This is important because windows is licenced on a per-cpu basis, so a Windows XP Home computer can run a single dual core CPU, but not 2 Single Core CPUs

Similarly XP Pro will not support more than 2 CPUs.

[RPG2006]

Just thought i'd chime in. Whilst it does show up to the user as 2 threads, the CPU itself is only classed as a single CPU.

This is important because windows is licenced on a per-cpu basis, so a Windows XP Home computer can run a single dual core CPU, but not 2 Single Core CPUs

Similarly XP Pro will not support more than 2 CPUs.

That said I was reading today that the quadcores do run in xp, and as far as I understand they are basically two dies sandwiched together sharing one fsb. I'd therefore presume on that basis that they would be recognised as 2 cpus. No?

Forgive me if I've got the wrong end of the stick:)

RPG

[Srek]

I'd therefore presume on that basis that they would be recognised as 2 cpus.
Microsoft licences Windows based on sockets, not dies, regardless how excatly they are manufactured.
Cheers
Björn

[lots]

Indeed, MS licenses by sockets not by dies, or cores. This means you could have a 4 core CPU in a single socket and still fall within your license to use Windows XP Home and see all 8 CPUs.

If you move to two sockets you will then require XP Pro. If you move to more than 2 sockets, you will need Windows Server.

Single CPUs with multiple cores, for all intents and purposes are the same as having multiple CPUs with single cores. Similar performance gains and similar methods of programming.

[lots]

Double post...

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