At 09:31 AM 8/19/2004 -0700, Mark Rode wrote:
>At 10:34 AM 8/18/2004, you wrote:
>> >HT only works in XP or 2003 Server
>>
>>This is not correct. HT "works" with any multi-processor build of Windows
>>NT-based OS. With XP and 2003 it works BETTER because those systems know
>>the difference between a virtual processor and a physical processor. NT
>>and 2000 will not schedule the virtual processors as efficiently.
>
>Well, your're wrong, there are numerous technical articles about this,
>Here is Intel's HT support page
>
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>http://www.intel.com/support/platform/ht/os.htm?iid=ipp_htm+os&
>
>Microsoft* Windows* Operating System Desktop Based PCs
>The following desktop operating systems include optimizations for HT
>Technology and are currently eligible to carry the new IntelŪ PentiumŪ 4
>Processor with HT Technology logo:
>Microsoft* Windows* XP Professional Edition
>Microsoft* Windows* XP Home Edition
>
>The following desktop operating systems are not recommended for use with
>Hyper-Threading Technology. If you are using one of the following desktop
>operating systems, it is advised that you should disable Hyper-Threading
>Technology in the system BIOS Setup program:
>Microsoft Windows 2000 (all versions)
>Microsoft Windows NT* 4.0
>Microsoft Windows Me
>Microsoft Windows 98
>Microsoft Windows 98 SE
I am not sure where he is flat out "wrong". Intel simply states that using
an HT enabled processor on the older Windows products is not recommended.
This is not the same as saying that it won't work. Now we all know that
Windows 95, 98, and Me don't support more than one processor at all under
any circumstances, so it goes without saying. Windows NT and 2000 Pro on
the other hand DO support multiple processors. Like many things, it goes
far enough to be a disclaimer that if it doesn't work, then you are on your
own. Just like Intel doesn't recommend that you overclock your processor,
yet many people do. It has gained quite a cult following.
>-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Microsoft does say you can have limited support with Windows 2000 Advanced
>Server. But I have tried this, and real world use has shown that it isn't
>worth the effort. Note that XP Home supports HT, but not SMP.
>
>But lets look at some real world facts. I am running two HT PCs here. One
>is a P4 3.0 Ghz @ 800Mhz with HT and the other is a Dual Xeon 3.06 Ghz @
>533Mhz with HT. Both computers multi boot Windows 2000 Pro SP4, and Windows
>XP Pro SP1. On both computers Windows XP employs HT. In XP PRO, Device
>Manager, on the Xeon, I see four processors. In device manager on the P4 I
>see two processors. In taskmaster performance tab on the Xeon I see four
>processors. In 2000 PRO on the Xeon I see two processors in both device
>manager and taskmanager while on the P4 in Windows 2000 PRO I see a single
>processor.
My experiments and conclusions differ somewhat. I have access to, and have
worked extensively with, the following PC's..
P4 Xeon - single processor.
P4 Xeon - dual processor.
P4E (Prescott) - single processor.
All running Windows 2000 Pro.
With HT off, the single Xeon shows one CPU in task manager. The dual Xeon
shows two CPU's. The P4E shows one CPU.
With HT on, the single Xeon shows two CPU's. The Dual Xeon shows two CPU's.
The P4E shows two CPU's.
I attribute the fact that the dual Xeon with HT on only shows two CPU's is
because Windows 2000 Pro only supports two CPU's max.
I did try Windows 2000 Server on the dual Xeon once, and it showed 4 CPU's.
This supports that theory that Windows 2000 Pro only shows two simply
because it doesn't support more than two processors.
I have run some benchmark programs that are HT aware, and it does appear to
use both processors under Windows 2000 Pro but the performance results are
not impressive over running with HT off.
So from what I can tell, HT does work under Windows 2000 Pro, but it
doesn't utilize the technology very well.
Russ Poffenberger
Credence Systems Corp.
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