SOLVED Help! My i7-2600 Shows Only 1 Core!

[Zirnz]

Hello Everyone, i have had this computer for a while and have recently began streaming on Twitch. I stream simple games like minecraft and world of warcraft.

I have a Intel Core i7-2600(non k) proccessor @ 3.4 GHz, and in CPU-ID it only shows that i have 1 core and 2 threads.

Here is proof: http://gyazo.com/c4e5367c0713aed2a49cf853a208ecf3

I know my processor is quad core because in bios it says the core clock is 3.4Ghz and the "count" section right under it says "4".

When i try to stream and use my processor to encode the frames, it cant keep up, and i think it is because my processor is using the same core to run the game and encode the frame.

Even when not streaming and just playing minecraft, an essentually simple game, my processor is running @ 100% usage as displayed by task manager, and i usually only have google chrome / skype / teamspeak and the game open. A few places have said that the i7 2600 can be better than the new gen i5 quad cores but i feel like it really isnt using its cores.

If anyone can help me get my proccessor to use more than 1 core, I WOULD LOVE IT! Thank you so much and if there is a possibility it is only single core i7, can u reccomend me a budget proccesor/motherboard for $250-$300.

Thanks!

 

[mimart7]

You have a bunch of power saving features enabled in your bios/uefi. Please post your system specs.

 

[Zirnz]

GPU: ASUS GTX 650 Ti BOOST
CPU: Intel Core i7 2600 @ 3.4GHz 2GB GDDR5
PSU: 500W Extreme Power Plus Cooler Master
RAM: 8GB DDR3 Dual Channel
1 TB Hard Drive
Im Not sure the exact MOBO, but it is a H67 Chipset, manufactured by gateway.
Here is the CPU-ID for it.

http://gyazo.com/8ac6a8a5de3150ecab8ccd9178d4bb7a

Thank you again! And what menu would the settings i need to disable be in the bios?

(This is a pre-built Gateway DX 4860 Computer that i have upgraded PSU and GPU)

EDIT: im a super noob, sorry if i left anything out. xD

 

[kmo_9000]

You probably turned off some of your cores in the bios.

 

[Mr.Scott]

You probably turned off some of your cores in the bios.

Not likely on an OEM mobo.

More likely W7 power profiles.

 

[mimart7]

Okay, so it's an oem. The bios is locked down. Try running Prime 95, if you have a 64bit os, get the 64 bit version. Run it while you have cpu-z open. Just let it run for a few minutes.

 

[Zirnz]

Prime-95 How do i run this, here is a screenie of what im looking @. Just noticed in this options window, it says my CPU has 2 cores o.o im so confused.

http://gyazo.com/e5649149c5c7e336eb76c984d1c59117

 

[mimart7]

It's the power plans in Win 7, that Mr. Scott was referencing. Go into your control panel, and click on power options, you should at least 2 power plans, balanced, and power saver. I bet you have power saver selected. You can try balanced, or if you have the option, performance.

 

[Zirnz]

It's the power plans in Win 7, that Mr. Scott was referencing. Go into your control panel, and click on power options, you should at least 2 power plans, balanced, and power saver. I bet you have power saver selected. You can try balanced, or if you have the option, performance.

I am using Balanced already, im going to switch to high performance and see how that goes.

EDIT: I switched to high performance and cpu-z still is only using 1 core - 2 threads for that prime thing, i shut down prime, it was running my cpu @ 100% usage for a good 5-10 minutes.

******Do you think it could be that my bios is outdated? My last bios update was in 2011. And when you said my bios is "locked down" how would i unlock it?

 

[unclewebb]

Run msconfig, click on the Boot tab, push the Advanced Options... button. Make sure the Number of Processors is NOT checked. Push OK and reboot so Windows can find your missing cores.

Some genius thought setting this to 1 would speed up the boot up process. All that does is it disables three quarters of your CPU.

The non-K CPUs also support limited overclocking. Try using Intel XTU to unlock this. These CPUs need at least the low power C3 state to be enabled so they can use full turbo boost. Disabling the C States will make this CPU run slower. Post a screen shot of RealTemp while running the built in XS Bench. You should be able to see close to your maximum multiplier during this test if your CPU is set up correctly. Your CPU has 4 cores + hyper threading so it can process 8 threads at a time. You have been missing out on a lot of performance, probably for a long time.

This version of RealTemp will show you what C States you have enabled.

RealTemp T|I Edition
https://www.sendspace.com/file/55yvry

 

[Zirnz]

Run msconfig, click on the Boot tab, push the Advanced Options... button. Make sure the Number of Processors is NOT checked. Push OK and reboot so Windows can find your missing cores.

Some genius thought setting this to 1 would speed up the boot up process. All that does is it disables three quarters of your CPU.

The non-K CPUs also support limited overclocking. Try using Intel XTU to unlock this. These CPUs need at least the low power C3 state to be enabled so they can use full turbo boost. Disabling the C States will make this CPU run slower. Post a screen shot of RealTemp while running the built in XS Bench. You should be able to see close to your maximum multiplier during this test if your CPU is set up correctly. Your CPU has 4 cores + hyper threading so it can process 8 threads at a time. You have been missing out on a lot of performance, probably for a long time.

This version of RealTemp will show you what C States you have enabled.

RealTemp T|I Edition
https://www.sendspace.com/file/55yvry

I dont know what the heck happened, but i did this, and went to restart my computer now i get a blue screen over and over again, i am on a different computer right now, WHAT HAPPENED!??!?!
EDIT: I just began a system restore of earlier today, once my computer gets up and running again i am going to try once more to uncheck that box and restart computer. If i get blue screen again, im just going to live with 1 core until i can afford a new mobo and processor.

 

[unclewebb]

Did you build this computer? Did you ever do any full load stability testing using Prime95 or something similar? Make sure your bios is set to default settings so your CPU is getting the appropriate voltage. Someone might have disabled cores on this computer for a reason, because they were not stable.

Instead of unchecking that box, you could try setting it to 2 and then reboot. If that works, try 3 and reboot and then try 4. See what CPU-Z shows for cores and threads.

Edit - I just remembered that you have hyper threading so you can adjust this from 1 to 8. The more threads you can get working the better.

 

[mimart7]

It's an oem, with a newer gpu, and psu.

 

[Zirnz]

Okay guys, i just reset to factory defaults and am in the process of re-downloading all my programs and everything i use. I actually opened up task manager and, bang, there it is, 8 small graphs, like WTFFF xD. Thank you all for the help though. This has been a rough day lol. Welp hopefully the performance increase from 1 core -> 8 core/threads is alot and worth this trouble.