Why would I want a Dual CPU setup?

[vibe666]

I'm in the running for a new system and as a true geek I want the fastest I can get, so why would I want to spend lots more cash on a 2CPU system?

I was thinking along the lines of an Athlon MP/XP 2000+ setup

I know that if I have 2CPU's I need an OS that can use them. no problem WinXP Pro should sort that out.

I understand the concept of multi-threaded OS's and applications, that (in a nutshell) special instructions have to be written into the software to allow the data to be split and processed in parallel by each CPU. Am I on the right track?

As I understand it if an application isn't multi-threadded it will simply just run off 1 CPU (I'm assuming they register as CPU1 and CPU2 and that CPU1 will do all the work that isn't multi-threadded leaving the other CPU idle).

I read something in a newsgroup about a certain multi-threading module' (Not sure of the exact name) that improved performance of dual CPU systems but I am unsure if this is true or not.

AFAIK Adobe Premiere and some other 'high-end' apps use multi-threading. What are some common ones? I know I could use both CPU's with SETI@home :D:D:D

So what I'm asking is:

a) Am I on the right track?
b) Either way can someone make things a little clearer about the whole 2CPU thing?
c) If I sell a kidney and go for a 2CPU system what speed increases can I expect? In) A:- Games (which ones are supported, if any?). B:- Apps (Which ones) and C:- Overall system performance.
d) Am I going to need double the RAM to keep up with the extra CPU? how much would you reccommend?
e) Am I going to get a significant speed increase over a single CPU system with the same CPU? (percentage wise)

***viBe***
:xNEW STUFF::xThe Sysopt.com Users 2002 SETI@home team website is 'Under Construction'. If you would like to contribute to the site or the team have a look HERE (http://www.sysopt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=111092).

[vibe666]

some of my questions hav been answered ib the 'XP or MP?' thread that's floating about.

here is a LINK (http://www.hardwarezone.com/articles/articles.hwz?cid=2&aid=395) with info on App and OS speed increses and details on using XP's in an MP board.

the test showed LOTS of heat, which raises another question or two.

Assuming 2xMP's run significantly cooler than 2xXP's, is it possible and by how much to OC if I used MP's? Maybe with a Watercooling setup (in the future)?

[Ankerson]

I have a Dual P3 1ghz machine and all I can say is once you go Dual you never want to go back.

Dual machines run smoother than singles, and are great for multitasking.

So if you do alot of Multitasking on your machine (Ever see it bog down, or slow down when you are doing several things at once)
then yeah a Dual machine is for you.

[vibe666]

so even if an application isn't multi-threaded if I am running 6 different things at once the load will be spread over both CPU's?

i.e. outlook, Internet explorer, word using one CPU and Excel, photoshop and frontpage on the other?

or wouldn't it work that way?

[Mr. Thompson]

vibe666 - I think you have the concept down. :) You may enjoy this thread. (http://forums.2cpu.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=21693&pagenumber=1)

[bob05]

Originally posted by vibe666
so even if an application isn't multi-threaded if I am running 6 different things at once the load will be spread over both CPU's?

i.e. outlook, Internet explorer, word using one CPU and Excel, photoshop and frontpage on the other?

or wouldn't it work that way?

May I reccommend keeping the motherboard drivers/BIOS updated?:D

[Ankerson]

Originally posted by vibe666
so even if an application isn't multi-threaded if I am running 6 different things at once the load will be spread over both CPU's?

i.e. outlook, Internet explorer, word using one CPU and Excel, photoshop and frontpage on the other?

or wouldn't it work that way?


You forgot to add Playing Quake 3 or Unreal Tourn and burning CD's in the background on top of the other things you said. :D

[Ankerson]

I have never had my Dual machine slow down on me.:D

But I am running SCSI hard drives too.;)

[vibe666]

are there any games that could actually benifit from 2CPU's? apart from burning CD's while I'm playing Q3 that is.

I've been told that Q3 isn't multithreaded but what about other games? are there any out there for us to take advantage of?

***viBe***
:xNEW STUFF::xThe Sysopt.com Users 2002 SETI@home team website is 'Under Construction'. If you would like to contribute to the site or the team have a look HERE (http://www.sysopt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=111092).

[Ankerson]

Not at this this time. There aren't any games that are multithreaded.

They say Quake 3 is, but it doesn't benifet for it.

[vibe666]

I could go out and buy a nice Asus A7V333 RAID MoBo with an XP 2200+ and lots of PC2700 RAM, a GF4 Ti4600 and 2x 80+GB ATA133 7200rpm RAID 0.

what would be the fastest setup for a 2CPU AMD system? I couldn't find a 2CPU 333Mhz MoBo with support for the things in my top list, am I looking in the wrong places or will the 266Mhz board still be fast compared to my 1CPU setup? (all things considered)

***viBe***
:xNEW STUFF::xThe Sysopt.com Users 2002 SETI@home team website is 'Under Construction'. If you would like to contribute to the site or the team have a look HERE (http://www.sysopt.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=111092).

[Ankerson]

Dual AMD MP2100+ would be the fastest AMD setup.

Not to keen on Dual AMD stuff, don't build them. Haven't heard any good things about the motherboards yet.

Have built some Dual Xeon machines, but don't know your budjet.;)

To build a Dual Xeon 2.4GHz machine you are looking around $3000 US min.

[Alex Iannuzzi]

You could also use the Dual CPU's for SETI@HOME as it allows dual cpu for 2 data files. One CPU does one file and the other does the second data file all at once. :) :) :)

[vibe666]

I already knew about the SETI@home thing Alex. whay do you think I'm interested in the first place? ;) ;) ;)

[Alex Iannuzzi]

Hehehe. :p