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

The Windows fragmenting utility is very inefficient and does not analyze the drive to see if you need to defrag or not.

Diskeeper is the most widely recommended Windows defrag progam for its ease of use and efficiency... as well as it taking over the Windows utility after you install it.

 

Good to know. After I format my desktop next week, I'll be sure to put it on.

When you say takes over, does it delete the Windows version, or just overwrite it and have the shortcut point to it instead of Windows' version?

 

Diskeeper just becomes the default system defragger.

So even when you choose Defragment option in the Properties of a HDD... it will open Diskeeper instead.

 

Hi Gophn, and once again: THANK YOU for your help and gentleness (and for my English skills too )

I´m a sort of "fundamentalist" when it comes to hdd health , so I periodically check it with "chkdsk /F" and once in a while with "/R" command, and I´ve been using Raxco PerfectDisk 8 for a while and have no complaints about it so far. Therefore, in my humble opinion, it is not related with hdd

Corcerning background unneeded programs, I tried even removing them all, but the failure still remains...

The one thing left to do is to try newer video drivers from laptopvideo2go, I was once discouraged to do that 'cause I read it gave different problems to a few people (vertical lines, black outs, overheat, etc), but beeing disconcerted as I am, I´m willing to try anything new in the pursuit of a definitive solution

I´ll let you know how it goes, if you have some further information 'bout my problem, please let me know too, I would be eternally grateful

Btw: Do you know if is there any specific driver for the CrystalBrite LCD screen? Or do I have to stay with the default Xp PnP driver?


Kindest Regards

 

Hello...

Well, after replacing forceware drivers with newest ones from laptopvideo2go, the general stuttering still remains...

Every fail attemp leaves me even angrier than before, I just hate this annoying conflict

Once again I would like to than thank Gophn for your assistance and kindness. If you have some "breaking" news 'bout this issue please let me know, as well as with the previous question regarding Lcd drivers

Kind Regards

 

There are no LCD drivers really.

The stuttering seems very software based.

I would try:
- the stock/stable drivers
- for CPU, if you did a wPrime 32M test, you will know if its the CPU or not.... more than likely not.
- then I would recommend to do a MemTest86+ to make sure its not the memory.

 

Thanks alot man this guide is GREAT

 

Hello all,

My first post, from a novice....I came across this site by accident, and reading some of this thread found it very interesting, but with 60 pages long, will take me a month to read all posts.. So was wondering if someone could help me out here..
I have ordered a new PC (delivery date 1st April) the specs are:

(CPU)... AMD ATHLON 64 X2 6400+ (3.2GHz)
(Motherboard)...ASUS M2N32-SLI DELUXE
(Ram)...4GB CORSAIR XMS2 800MHz (2x2GB)
(HD)..750GB SERIAL ATA II HARD DRIVE WITH 8MB CACHE
(Graphics)..512MB GEFORCE 9600GT PCI Express (x2 SLI)

I already have a Genuine Windows XP Pro/SP2 disc..so will be installing this myself. OK, my question is this:...Would I still need to D/L the tools from post #1 As the first post in this thread is nearly two years old, is the tools in there, still needed? Would they also be of benefit?
Sorry if this has been discussed here before, but I just don't have the time to read ALL this thread..

Many thanks for any help in advance..

Best wishes.....Swifty

 

Welcome to the NBR forums.

If you are using Win XP (32-bit) w/ SP2, then YES...

you will need to:
- download and install the AMD Drivers
- download and install the XP hotfix V4
- add the registry entry

Thats it.

Although you can just bypass all of this if you install Service Pack 3 (which updates the kernel with full multi core utilization)... the official release should be out anytime now.

 

Thank you for your quick response...I will be installing Win XP/SP2 (32-Bit) although I also have XP 64-Bit, but having read a lot on the net, I find that, I am very disappointed about the lack of software available for 64-bit OS (including Vista)...So I have decided, (and already know that having 4GB Ram, that Win XP 32-bit, will only see 3.xxGB) to stick with XP 32-bit.
I think that will be a better trade off..(losing about 1GB of Ram) then having problems with software compatibility, at least for the time being....
Thanks again for you help....I shall download and install from post #1...I have also read about SP3...How MS, puts off the release date, But have now read that release of SP3 will be summer 2008 (which could mean, from now, till Oct 2008??)
I feel sure I will be here, reading threads/post, as I think this site to be full, of useful info.
Thanks agin my friend..

Best wishes.....Swifty

 

I did this and didn't see an increase in 3dmark06

I did the hot fix for multi core

 

if you did everything (hotfix, registry throttle update, etc), then I would not worry.

Core 2 CPU's have not shown much improvement, but does not hurt in anyway since it would guarantee a full utilization of the quad-core.

You sometimes see more of an improvement with a CPU benchmark like wPrime.

 

I believe that this benefits the X2s much more than any of the Core CPUs from Intel.

 

It actually worked well to dual-core CPU prior to the Core 2's.

The Core Duo's and AMD X2's has shown the best improvements in XP 32-bit with this config.

 

Sorry if this is off topic or has been mentioned before but I've read through almost the entire thread. If Core 2 duos get little performance increase from this hotfix does that mean that SP3 will also show little performance increase with a core 2 duo as well?

This is really bothering me. There is a reason why I didn't spend the extra 5$ and get the quad Q6600 on my notebook since I figured there was better XP support for Core 2's then there were for quads.

 

XP SP3 will update the kernel to that of the Vista 32-bit kernel... almost identical.

So SP3 does give an overall update for utilizing your resources (CPU, memory, etc...)

I would not worry about the benchmarks too much, as long as your system is healthy and performing its tasks well, then that what matters.

 

Windows XP Service Pack 3 Release Candidate 2 Refresh

 

So SP3 won't be officially released as finished (i.e. no more RC) until the summer?

 

That is what it is looking like right now.

 

SP3 will be released this month, in the 21th.

 

Here's the complete table for the release info of SP3. It's technically not available for download until the 29th. The 21st is for OEMs and such.

http://www.neowin.net/news/main/08/04/15/windows-xp-sp3-release-dates

 

I know dude. But the first ever release date is the 21st. But we can all wait until the 29th anyway...

 

Does any of this apply to using 2003 server?

 

no, this only applies to XP 32-bit.

OS's that proceed XP 32-bit should already be utilizing multicore CPUs or multi-CPUs.

 

Hi Gophn

One silly question: I have downloaded sp3 using Windows Update; Do I have to uninstall this multi-core update??? I guess myself the answer must be "no", but I preffer to check it with "experts" ;-).

There is no need to install this patch after a "fresh" xp install with sp3, am I right???

Thanks so much for you help =)

Kind Regards =D

 

no,

you do not need to do any multi-core fix after installing SP3... since it will already be integrated into the Service Pack.

 

Thanks!!! ;-)

 

Although the multi-core fix is supposed to be included with SP3, somebody tested with vmware and reported that it's actually not active.

One thing I noticed is that the PerfEnablePackageIdle registry entry discussed on MS' KB896256 web page is not present with a clean SP3 install. This entry is automatically added to the registry by the KB896256-v4 hotfix when installing it on an SP2 system.

Perhaps adding the registry entry is all that's needed to enable the multi-core fix in SP3?

 

the registry entry is not needed to my knowledge.

the kernel update from the SP3 should integrate the multi-core config into XP without any additions to registry or boot.ini

I will test this and update this thread for the final time.

 

Thanks, looking forward to your findings.

 

Is the SP3 only for XP32 bit? what about 64bit??

 

Its only for XP 32-bit.

 

Can anyone confirm whether this hotfix is needed when utilizing Windows XP SP3?

I'm about to recieve my new computer so I need to know for sure.

 

SP3 included all the previous hotfix.

 

Has any body figured out how to get this fix on an SP3 system? It worked fine on SP2, then i did a fresh install with sp3 and now it doesn't work. The system is basically a single core processor. SP3 won't let you install the hot fix and the regedit hack and boot.ini entry do nothing. Got E6600 core 2 duo 2.4 on abit ab9 pro. Testing running dvd shrink and trying to do something else!

Thanks.

 

This fix is NOT required for SP3 , since it`s already built in.
SP installs should be made fresh, right after the OS installation for safety...

 

But my system is running like a dog with only one core functioning properly. I run anything intense like dvd shrink it uses just one core and everything else is really slow, just like a single core machine. I did sp3 straight after fresh install. Anybody have any ides?

 

might i ask how do you know if it is running only one core?

 

Well you have to use a multi-threaded program to really see all cores being utilized.

DVD Shrink in an old program that is only single-threaded.

Go get WPrime and run a 32M test (set Advanced settings > 2 threads)

 

Being a new member, I am still trying to catch up on all of this new stuff. Question would this hotfix apply as well to a desktop with an Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 2.40GHz?

Thanks.

Dick

 

Yes if you are using XP SP2.

If you updated to SP3, then you do not need it.

 

What about an AMD CPU under SP3, do I need to install any of the AMD-specific stuff? This laptop has always seemed like a dog, especially compared to the Intel-based lappie I bought my now ex-wife , and SP3 just seems to have made things worse in general rather than better...

Greg

 

You still need to install the AMD drivers, regardless of which OS you use.

 

I had a question about this thread.

Why do we have to edit the registry and do all those other things, shouldn't all we have to do is install the Microsoft Patch or am I missing something?

(I'm on an Intel)

 

Welcome to the NBR forums.

Installing the hotfix did not add the registry key, even MS told you to manually add it.

But this thread's life is up since Service Pack 3 already has the multi-core fix integrated.

 

Ok so the patch just installed needed files but you still had to in a sense, "activate" it but SP3 has everything already installed and configured and needs no registry editing?

 

As far as my tests went, SP3 has got it all ready to go.

 

I <3 you, now I can play earth 2150 again!!

 

What about XP 64 bit SP2? Does it need any tweaks?
There is no mention of it in the first post. (hint: there should be)
I tried searching but I couldn't find any solid info.

 

XP 64-bit (and all Vista versions) does NOT need any multi-core patches or hotfixes.