Problem, xeon quad only showing 2 cores/2 threads

[BarbaricSoul]

I traded a used xeon quad for my c2d. The xeon arrived yesterday and I just installed it today. My problem is this-

My system specs are-

CPU- Xeon 3220 GO stepping
Motherboard- EVGA 750 FTW running SZ1I bios
RAM- 6 gigs DDR2 800 (2*2gig Crucial Ballistix/2*1 gig Crucial Ballistix Tracers)
GFX card- EVGA GTX 280
PSU- CM Real Power Pro 750 watt
OS- Windows 7 RC 7100 build 64 bit

I've looked all though the bios and can't find anything about the 3rd and 4th core being disable, infact all 4 cores show as enabled in the advanced chipset features. On the Bios post page durning boot up, the Xeon registers as 2 cpus, just like my e8400 does. Am I missing something or is there something wrong with the Xeon(damn I hope I'm just missing something)?

 

[FordGT90Concept]

One one the MCMs might be FUBAR....

1) Clear the CMOS. If that doesn't work...
2) Try a BIOS update. If that doesn't work...
3) RMA it.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

I cleared the CMO's while installing the Xeon(removed battery from the board for the whole process)

 

[Sihastru]

I would try a BIOS update.

Xeons based on Core2 architecture aren't normally supported on desktop motherboards, even if they work most of the time, it's a risk you take when you try an unsupported combination.

Why didn't you go with the Q6600 G0 instead and avoid all the fuss?

 

[BarbaricSoul]

My bio's are already updated to the EVGA recommended bio's for my motherboard.


I got the xeon from someone on these boards in a trade for my e8400 and alittle bit of cash. I still have my e8400 and cash(suppose to ship that out today), so I can still return the Xeon if there is a problem with it working on my mobo.

 

[sapetto]

Maybe some option in the BIOS must be enabled...

 

[BarbaricSoul]

I believe I tried enabling everything in the bio's. Might have missed something, I'll check.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

So someone else used the processor before you? Can they confirm four cores before they shipped it to you? It may have been damaged in transit. If it was insured, the courier should pay to have it replaced.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

I just remembered, I did the command prompt thing to allow windows to use 2 cores when I was running the e8400. Wonder if that could be the problem? Now if only I could remember how to do that again to set it to 4 cores.

 

[PaulieG]

I've honestly never seen this happen before, and I ran several Xeon chips on my 775 boards. Everything that I would try has already been posted here. I'd contact the seller. Maybe he can help out...

 

[sapetto]

Run -> msconfig -> Boot tab -> Advanced options -> Number of processors

 

[newtekie1]

I just remembered, I did the command prompt thing to allow windows to use 2 cores when I was running the e8400. Wonder if that could be the problem? Now if only I could remember how to do that again to set it to 4 cores.

That is your problem, you used a useless trick that actually hurts you in the long run.

Win+R
Type msconfig in the Run dialog
Hit Enter
Go to the Boot Tab
Click Advanced Options...
Make sure there is no check in the box next to Number of Processors:

 

[BarbaricSoul]

That is your problem, you used a useless trick that actually hurts you in the long run.

yep, problem fixed, thx guys.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

I just remembered, I did the command prompt thing to allow windows to use 2 cores when I was running the e8400. Wonder if that could be the problem? Now if only I could remember how to do that again to set it to 4 cores.

Why would you do that?

As long as it has the ACPI Multiprocessor driver loaded, it will use as many cores as it finds.


Glad you got it sorted without much heartache.

 

[BarbaricSoul]

Why would you do that?

I was still learning(like I am now also) when I did that.

 

[newtekie1]

It is actually a common thing that even experienced users do, so don't feel bad BarbaricSoul. It has been a "trick" since the Win2000 days. Some claim that it helps decrease boot time of Windows because it makes Windows use all the available cores the instant it starts to boot. And it might be true that it worked back with Win2000, I don't know as I never tried it, but with Win XP and Vista/7 it the difference isn't noticeable.

 

[Mussels]

a lot of people think its a useful thing, just because some bozo posted it as a tweak and it got spread around the internet.

it doesnt actually DO anything, and hasnt for a long time. the only purpose for that setting is to disable cores for testing - you have a quad core PC, and want to see if a program works single threaded... so you lower it to 1 core.

 

[Sihastru]

The only time you should use the boot cfg is only when you have a program that doesn't run at all on multicore CPU's (I never had the "pleasure"). In all other cases, multicore is faster. Period.

 

[FordGT90Concept]

The only time you should use the boot cfg is only when you have a program that doesn't run at all on multicore CPU's (I never had the "pleasure"). In all other cases, multicore is faster. Period.

Even in that case, you'd probably want to force it to use ACPI Uniprocessor driver instead of altering the boot files. With the uniprocessor driver, the OS will only detect one core no matter how many there are.