03-12-2005, 05:30 PM
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Junior Guru
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Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Sherbrooke, Québec
Posts: 182
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Windows - multi-processor
Hello,
I was assigned the hard task to choose which version of Windows I should install on a new server.
Valid choices are:
Windows 2000 Server
Windows XP Pro
Windows 2003
The machine has 4 processors, and this is the decisive point in my decision. I need to know which (if not all) of those Windows supports a 4-processor architecture.
I was unable to find a definitive answer from any website, not even Microsoft.com.
Thanks for your help
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03-12-2005, 06:00 PM
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Junior Guru Wannabe
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Join Date: Nov 2004
Location: USA
Posts: 78
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I belive...
Windows 2000 Server - upto 4 cpu's
Windows XP Pro - upto 2 cpu's
Windows 2003 - upto 2 cpu's
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03-12-2005, 11:08 PM
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Junior Guru Wannabe
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 49
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You should consider the enterprise edition. If you use 4 HT processors or 4 dual core processors - the OS will think you have 8 CPU's and this is supported only in the enterprise edition.
Enterprise edition will be the only OS able to take full advantage of 4 actual CPU's. If you want to be sure, there are trial editions for like $15 USD.
Last edited by riluve; 03-12-2005 at 11:17 PM.
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03-13-2005, 10:48 AM
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Junior Guru Wannabe
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Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 45
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Quote:
Originally posted by riluve
You should consider the enterprise edition. If you use 4 HT processors or 4 dual core processors - the OS will think you have 8 CPU's and this is supported only in the enterprise edition.
Enterprise edition will be the only OS able to take full advantage of 4 actual CPU's. If you want to be sure, there are trial editions for like $15 USD.
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Windows can discern between phyiscal and logical CPUs. Windows will only count physical CPUs, not logical ones. If standard supports 4 CPUs, then 4 Hyperthreaded CPUs will be supported.
-cameron
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03-13-2005, 01:10 PM
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Junior Guru Wannabe
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 49
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Quote:
Originally posted by cameronsto
Windows can discern between phyiscal and logical CPUs. Windows will only count physical CPUs, not logical ones. If standard supports 4 CPUs, then 4 Hyperthreaded CPUs will be supported.
-cameron
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Ah - sweet, but the dual core processors are on their way soon - or are they even out already?
Ha - it will have no clue then.
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03-13-2005, 01:17 PM
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WHT Addict
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 124
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Good news on the multicore too...
Microsoft software that is currently licensed on a per-processor model will continue to be licensed per processor, not per core, for hardware that contains dual-core and multicore processors.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/p...icensingPR.asp
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03-13-2005, 01:57 PM
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Junior Guru Wannabe
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 49
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Quote:
Originally posted by sunpost
Good news on the multicore too...
Microsoft software that is currently licensed on a per-processor model will continue to be licensed per processor, not per core, for hardware that contains dual-core and multicore processors.
http://www.microsoft.com/presspass/p...icensingPR.asp
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That may-be, but how would Windows itself know that it was dealing with only 4 processors with 8 cores and not 8 actual processors?
OK - with HT its possible sure, because the logical CPU shares cache with its "parent" physical CPU, Ergo LCPUs have a different ACPI entry type than PCPU's.
However, with a Dual core, BOTH cores are PCPU's each with their own cache and thus from the point of view of software they are just as real as two seperate CPUs - simply in one socket.
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03-13-2005, 06:25 PM
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WHT Addict
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 104
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Quote:
Originally posted by riluve
That may-be, but how would Windows itself know that it was dealing with only 4 processors with 8 cores and not 8 actual processors?
OK - with HT its possible sure, because the logical CPU shares cache with its "parent" physical CPU, Ergo LCPUs have a different ACPI entry type than PCPU's.
However, with a Dual core, BOTH cores are PCPU's each with their own cache and thus from the point of view of software they are just as real as two seperate CPUs - simply in one socket.
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Yeah what he said.
lol . . just too many acronyms for me.
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03-13-2005, 06:44 PM
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Junior Guru Wannabe
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 49
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Quote:
Originally posted by folsom
Yeah what he said.
lol . . just too many acronyms for me.
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Sorry - acronyms are a fact of life - except in the Mac world (which is ironic because Mac in another context is an acronym)
CPU = central processing unit - lol you have that one right?
HT = Hyper Threading - basically one CPU pretending to be two
LCPU = Logical CPU - basically a method to represent the "2nd" CPU in an HT CPU.
PCPU = Physical CPU - the actual thing you can hold in your hand and the "primary" CPU in an HT CPU.
ACPI = Advanced Configuration and Power Management Interface - a data structure the BIOS uses to tell the OS about the Motherboard and associated Hardware. In this case specifically it describes the CPUs available in the system.
Sooooooo here is my point - if there is no way for ACPI to specify two CPUs are in the same socket, the OS will never know: Is it a single CPU system with a dual core CPU or a Dual CPU system with two standard CPUs? As far as the OS is concerned, they are the same thing.
Last edited by riluve; 03-13-2005 at 06:50 PM.
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03-13-2005, 08:04 PM
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Carpe Diem
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Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Connecticut
Posts: 3,038
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Quote:
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Sooooooo here is my point - if there is no way for ACPI to specify two CPUs are in the same socket, the OS will never know: Is it a single CPU system with a dual core CPU or a Dual CPU system with two standard CPUs? As far as the OS is concerned, they are the same thing.
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Correct. The OS would treat all these the same.
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03-13-2005, 08:13 PM
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Junior Guru Wannabe
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 49
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Quote:
Originally posted by X-Gaming
Correct. The OS would treat all these the same.
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Soo, the implication is, if you have a 4 CPU system and the 4 CPU's are dual core systems - you would NEED to have 2003 Enterprise to make use of all of the computing power you have paid for - because it will think you have an 8 CPU system.
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03-13-2005, 08:31 PM
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Junior Guru Wannabe
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 49
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Its really nice that you have read their MARKETING literature, but read the FINE PRINT of the document you have presented:
Quote:
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Note that this brief does not address the ability of any individual software product or version to properly utilize hyperthreaded or multicore processors. In addition, software updates may be required to properly implement these policies.
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Ergo - there is no way for BIOS and ACPI to tell the OS if it is 8 seperate CPU's or 4 Dual cores. MicroSoft agrees with what I am saying, but they are trying to hoodwink people into thinking they don't.
Is that really a surpise?
Now - if they come up with a plan maybe a new version of ACPI and then YOU get a BIOS update, it can all be done. But they are counting on the ignorance and indifference of the public to get away with their scam.
BTW - good luck hoping for a new version of ACPI. I'll look into it to see if it is in process, but don't hold your breath.
Last edited by riluve; 03-13-2005 at 08:36 PM.
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03-13-2005, 08:37 PM
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WHT Addict
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Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 124
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Ok. you can pay for the Enterprise version.
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