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Is your multi-procecessor puter optimized?

 
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Baron
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PostPosted: Mon Sep 11, 2006 3:21 am    Post subject: Is your multi-procecessor puter optimized? Reply with quote

There seems to be an issue of many windows operating systems with hyperthreaded and dual core CPUs not being correctly configured. It may make a difference in how fast your computer crunches. By how much I can't be sure, but optimizing your system for dual core/hyperthreading could make your system run faster. I'm interested to hear if anyone is aware of any real gains in crunching performance after fixing this.

Read:

http://forum.notebookreview.com/showthread.php?t=60416

Also:

Computers that are running Windows XP Service Pack 2 and that are equipped with multiple processors that support processor power management features may experience decreased performance


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Hover
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 10, 2006 11:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I have no idea if mine is optimized or not. If anybody tries it out and it works, please tell.
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Javapersona
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 11, 2006 3:03 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think I may have mentioned this before, so if I am repeating any of this, excuse me. It might be new for someone. Cool

AFAIK for multiple cores: defintely set up for both.

For Hyper Threading it usually depends on the size of your L2 cache. My experience is that if your L2 >= 1 MB, enabling HT is beneficial. If you have 512k, HT will decrease performance for most projects because the split (~ 512/2 =256) causes too many cycles for swapping at the cost of crunching.

My Xeons that have 512: Not using HT.

My P4's that have 1 MB: Using HT.

Hope that helps.


(Wish I had some dual cores to play with. #Scatter )
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KWSN - Sir Brian C.......
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PostPosted: Thu Oct 12, 2006 8:20 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Javapersona wrote:


(Wish I had some dual cores to play with. #Scatter )



If you do, go for the new conroes (Intel core 2 duos). they so much less power you don't need to run so much cooling and so you don't need to spend a fortune on silent fans......

PS one thing to be aware of wit dual cores if your a games freak, is that not many games are really multithreaded and so will only work on one of the cores.....

so a game may actually run slower on say an AMD x2 3800 compared to an AMD64 3600!!!!.....

but for Shrubbing they're great!

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Sir Magnus Barelegs
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

So now I have to go around and turn HT on when I get to the office today. #Afro
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sir Magnus Barelegs wrote:
So now I have to go around and turn HT on when I get to the office today. #Afro



be carefull about HT...... i

it only really works well for shrubbing if your CPU has a large (2mb) level 2 cache, as it ends up having to swap the cache out to RAM for each thread, if the Project app uses large variable datasets or codebases. People have seen that 2 HT WU's may actually take longer than 2 non HT WU's on CPU's with 512k or even 1mb of L2 cache........


Ni!
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Sir Magnus Barelegs
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

KWSN - Sir Brian C....... wrote:

it only really works well for shrubbing if your CPU has a large (2mb) level 2 cache, as it ends up having to swap the cache out to RAM for each thread, if the Project app uses large variable datasets or codebases. People have seen that 2 HT WU's may actually take longer than 2 non HT WU's on CPU's with 512k or even 1mb of L2 cache........


podunk only has 1MB cache so I'll have to watch that one. roastbeef on the other hand has 4MB. Both are multiprocessor Xeon boxes.
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:31 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sir Magnus Barelegs wrote:
KWSN - Sir Brian C....... wrote:

it only really works well for shrubbing if your CPU has a large (2mb) level 2 cache, as it ends up having to swap the cache out to RAM for each thread, if the Project app uses large variable datasets or codebases. People have seen that 2 HT WU's may actually take longer than 2 non HT WU's on CPU's with 512k or even 1mb of L2 cache........


podunk only has 1MB cache so I'll have to watch that one. roastbeef on the other hand has 4MB. Both are multiprocessor Xeon boxes.


Xeons should be OK..... Wink Wink Wink Wink

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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:38 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'm keeping any eye on these things......


http://www.intel.com/products/processor/core2quad/

or how about a macpro workstation running XP with a couple of these (Xeon 5300)

http://www.intel.com/pressroom/kits/events/idffall_2006/pdf/intel%20quad%20core%20processor%20update%20%e2%80%93%20sept.%202006.pdf
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Sir Magnus Barelegs
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PostPosted: Wed Oct 25, 2006 6:33 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Yeah I wish Core2Quad were out (and affordable) now.

I'm going to be replacing a number of older slower machines at home (see diodon, tuna, and bluegill) within the next couple of months and it will probably be with a new home-rolled dual Xeon box (dual core each, of course). So MythTV gets the priority on the processors but anything Myth doesn't want can be used for shrubbing.
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Sir Magnus Barelegs
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PostPosted: Fri Oct 27, 2006 11:30 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

OK I've been putting the SSE2 optimized clients on my Xeons today... had to take the BIG multi-xeon box out of the loop for awhile (shrubbing was apparently slowing down the real work it had to do and I got complaints).

I didn't see an optimized client for an Athlon64/Linux though. Is there such a beast? I'm just using whatever comes with Ubuntu Edgy when you apt-get install the boinc client.
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Baron
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 2:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Hover wrote:
I have no idea if mine is optimized or not. If anybody tries it out and it works, please tell.


Well I did install the hotfix and modify the registry and boot file, but I haven't really noticed any major performance gains afterwards. My computer doesn't start any faster and I notice that programs take the same time to start Rolling Eyes

I do think that there should be some long-term crunching performance gains after the hotfix is installed though, since it's supposed to correctly calculate an increased target performance state.

Sorry about the late response. I haven't had time to check out the boards lately.

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Baron
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PostPosted: Tue Oct 31, 2006 2:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Sir Magnus Barelegs wrote:


I didn't see an optimized client for an Athlon64/Linux though. Is there such a beast? I'm just using whatever comes with Ubuntu Edgy when you apt-get install the boinc client.


This might be one. Not sure if it's for AMD.
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