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Windows XP Multi Core config - Does your OEM do it for you?

post #1 of 7
9/1/06 at 2:02am
Thread Starter 
Is your OEM notebook correctly configured in Windows XP to support Dual Cores (regardless if its Intel or AMD based)??

It is confirmed that Sager (as well as most other OEMs) DOES NOT configure this hotfix for their Dual Core notebooks. Sager's response. -Special thanks to Kilim.

Make sure that the pre-installed OS (Windows XP) was correctly modified to fully support your dual core CPU. I say this because I have done scouting around retail stores (BestBuy, Fry's, CircuitCity, etc) with notebooks and desktops.... turns out that 100% of all of the dual core systems that I looked at was NOT properly modified to fully support the dual cores within. Tsk Tsk.

The cooling, as well as your games, would be a lil F'ed Up if only one core is taking a full load if the setting for your Windows isnt set correctly.

Therefore (here's how to check -OR- do it yourself):
1) The mandatory Windows XP Hotfix Patch: KB896256 and the AMD Athlon 64 X2 drivers (Intel Core Duo doesnt need it) should be installed, if not download XP patch (mirror 1 mirror 2), AMD Athlon X2 Driver, (Core Duo's dont require a driver I think) and install them.
2) go to Start Menu > Run. Type REGEDIT and press enter.
The registry location: HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager should have a key named Throttle there, if not make it by right clicking, point at New > Key... name it Throttle.
3) (Still in registry) Inside Throttle key: should be a DWORD called PerfEnablePackageIdle with the value of 1. If not there, right click, point to New > DWORD... name it PerfEnablePackageIdle.
*** Note: You should type 1 in the Value data box to enable the performance state policy behavior (increases performance)
4) Quit Registry.
5) Now look at your boot.ini to make sure that the command /usepmtimer is there, by right clicking on My Computer go to Properties, click on the ADVANCE tab, then under Startup and Recovery click on Settings, then click on EDIT....make sure your boot.ini has the /usepmtimer in there (located in the last line), if NOT then just copy and paste /usepmtimer in there. (NOT the entire boot.ini example)

BOOT.INI example
[boot loader]
timeout=30
default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS
[operating systems]
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer

Restart your computer.
That's it!

NOTE: The BOOT.ini that I have given was meant for an example only. I would not recommend you to copy all of it and overwrite your own, unless if you are specifically using XP Pro SP2 on the first partition of the harddrive. Everyone else (XP Home, MCE2005, OEM pre-installed it onto different partition, etc.) should just add the /usepmtimer only.

FYI: The /usepmtimer in the BOOT.ini is a "switch" that forces the system to use a steady clock in place of the CPU frequency... for certain timing functions. Thats as basic as you can explain it.

Hope this helps, game on people,

-Gophn

P.S. this was originally posted (and became a Sticky) by in NotebookReview Forums. You can post on this or the other forum, any feedback or questions are welcomed.
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post #2 of 7
9/1/06 at 12:27pm
Thanks for the info. I assumed this was setup out of the box.
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post #3 of 7
9/1/06 at 12:49pm
Errrrrr - before you people go mucking around with system settings, please understand why you need to in the first place.

The reason for the hotfix: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/896256/en-us

(Specifically note: This solution favors performance gains over power savings. Although benchmark performance scores may improve, battery life could be negatively affected. Accordingly, this kernel policy change may be disabled by a registry key to allow for maximum flexibility.)

Reason to use /usepmtimer: http://support.microsoft.com/kb/895980/en-us

(Note that this usually for AMD's power saving technology.)

Also, please don't go downloading non-public hotfixes from random sites - just contact Microsoft Product Support Services and they'll give you the hotfix. The main reason is if there are any issues with the hotfix, they can contact you immediately and inform you of the issue.
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post #4 of 7
9/1/06 at 1:02pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gophn
<SNIP> 5) Now look at your boot.ini to make sure that the command /usepmtimer is there, by right clicking on My Computer go to Properties, click on the ADVANCE tab, then under Startup and Recovery click on Settings, then click on EDIT....make sure your boot.ini has the /usepmtimer in there (located in the last line), if NOT then just copy and paste it in there. BOOT.INI example [boot loader] timeout=30 default=multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\\WINDOWS [operating systems] multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(1)\\WINDOWS="Microsoft Windows XP Professional" /noexecute=optin /fastdetect /usepmtimer Restart your computer. That's it! NOTE: The BOOT.ini that I have given was meant for an example only. I would not recommend you to copy all of it and overwrite your own, unless if you are specifically using XP Pro SP2 on the first partition of the harddrive. Everyone else (XP Home, MCE2005, OEM pre-installed it onto different partition, etc.) should just add the /usepmtimer only. FYI: The /usepmtimer in the BOOT.ini is a "switch" that forces the system to use a steady clock in place of the CPU frequency... for certain timing functions. Thats as basic as you can explain it. Hope this helps, game on people, -Gophn P.S. this was originally posted (and became a Sticky) by in NotebookReview Forums. You can post on this or the other forum, any feedback or questions are welcomed.
If you are giving the boot.ini only as an example, why earlier in the post do you simply tell people to copy and paste it? By the time people read your disclaimer, it may be too late. EDIT: Snipped out part of the quote
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post #5 of 7
9/1/06 at 2:17pm
i've read these words before...on another forum...and isn't there already an open/current topic on this...why yes...yes there is.
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post #6 of 7
9/1/06 at 4:49pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by danimal1968
If you are giving the boot.ini only as an example, why earlier in the post do you simply tell people to copy and paste it? By the time people read your disclaimer, it may be too late.

I just went over this in another forum... I meant to copy and paste the /usepmtimer if you dont have it, not the entire boot.ini

However I can see the general understanding of "copy and paste it"

In any case, i updated it to fix the general-ness.

-Gophn
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post #7 of 7
9/1/06 at 5:05pm
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by Revenent
Also, please don't go downloading non-public hotfixes from random sites - just contact Microsoft Product Support Services and they'll give you the hotfix. The main reason is if there are any issues with the hotfix, they can contact you immediately and inform you of the issue.
The only reason why you see the hotfix on other sites, beacuse the one from Microsoft doesnt have it ready for download, you actually have to email them to get it, geez. So people got annoyed and just uploaded mirrors of the hotfix everywhere. check the CRC32 or other method hashes on the files that i mirrored if you want, they all match with the orginal. WindowsXP-KB896256-v3-x86-ENU.exe
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