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Dual CPU hanging some applications

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fuzzywuzzy

Registered
Joined
Jan 16, 2003
Location
Toronto, Canada
Hi guys,

New to dual CPU....

At work we're having some issues with some standard-issue Dell dual CPU machines, and hoping you guys can figure it out...

- Is there any way to DISABLE 1 of the CPUs? We're running WinXP...

- Can we just pull out one of the CPUs, without formatting WinXP?

- Is there a method without re-installing WinXP?

We have a dual Xeon 1.5Ghz, and a dual P3-1.0Ghz setup..

UPDATE: Ok guys, I figured it out :)

- Use bootcfg.exe if you don't want to modify the boot.ini file yourself...

- add the '/numprox=X' option to the end of your parameter line, where X is the number of processors you want to use.

- Additional info about boot.ini options for WinXP here: http://www.microsoft.com/technet/tr...prodtechnol/winxppro/reskit/prmc_str_masc.asp
 
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What apps are you having trouble with?

Do you know how to set processor affinity for certain programs? You can tell the computer to just use one CPU, for certain programs. This may be a better solution, since you would still be able to use both CPU's for the OS and other applications, but if you just have one application that doesn't like using both, you can set it to just use one.

*EDIT* There is a thread on this subject, here:

http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=179384&highlight=affinity+permanent

There is a VERY informative explanation of how to do this, here:

http://www.jsiinc.com/subh/tip3500/rh3542.htm
 
I don't know about XP but in Win2k if you want to go to a singal cpu from a dual, you have to open device manager, go under computer and open whatever is there, open properties, goto driver tab, click update driver, click next, select "display a list of the know drivers for this device ....", click next button, then select the "show all hardware of this device class" Now select APCI PC, Do not select Standard PC, or any MPS option unless you have AT (pre 1996) power supply. I wouldn't recommend APCI Uniprocessor. It will give a warning, click yes, then click next, then finish.

Don't restart it. Shut down the computer. And now take out the second processor. IF you don't take the second processor out you'll may have to reinstall windows 2k on top of itself to fix the problem,because it will BSOD on starting your computer.
 
bulk88 said:
I don't know about XP but in Win2k if you want to go to a singal cpu from a dual, you have to open device manager, go under computer and open whatever is there, open properties, goto driver tab, click update driver, click next, select "display a list of the know drivers for this device ....", click next button, then select the "show all hardware of this device class" Now select APCI PC, Do not select Standard PC, or any MPS option unless you have AT (pre 1996) power supply. I wouldn't recommend APCI Uniprocessor. It will give a warning, click yes, then click next, then finish.

Don't restart it. Shut down the computer. And now take out the second processor. IF you don't take the second processor out you'll may have to reinstall windows 2k on top of itself to fix the problem,because it will BSOD on starting your computer.

You don't have to do it that way. You can leave the computer as an ACPI Multiprocessor PC, but just go to System Properties, Advanced Tab, Environmental Variable, then in the System Variables section, Edit the line that says NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS from 2 to 1, and restart. This is basically the same thing he did, just a different method.

Of course, even this isn't necessary if the problem is just one application. If it's just one application, then he can set the affinity for that one app, to just use one CPU, as I mentioned above.
 
I'm having trouble with 2 custom applicatiosn at work. They work fine together on single CPU machines, but we just figured out it goes wonky on dual CPU. They're 2 programs that control separate wallboard displays. Anyway.

I went through that website at the bottom, very informative...

Thanks for the info.

Still having issues now.... Oh no :(

cmcquistion said:
What apps are you having trouble with?

Do you know how to set processor affinity for certain programs? You can tell the computer to just use one CPU, for certain programs. This may be a better solution, since you would still be able to use both CPU's for the OS and other applications, but if you just have one application that doesn't like using both, you can set it to just use one.

*EDIT* There is a thread on this subject, here:

http://forum.oc-forums.com/vb/showthread.php?s=&threadid=179384&highlight=affinity+permanent

There is a VERY informative explanation of how to do this, here:

http://www.jsiinc.com/subh/tip3500/rh3542.htm
 
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cmcquistion said:


You don't have to do it that way. You can leave the computer as an ACPI Multiprocessor PC, but just go to System Properties, Advanced Tab, Environmental Variable, then in the System Variables section, Edit the line that says NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS from 2 to 1, and restart. This is basically the same thing he did, just a different method.

I was testing that on WinXP.... Didn't work... I always booted up with dual CPU, and it was always set back to 2. Maybe I have to SHUTDOWN, and not reboot? I'll try that.
 
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