I thought I would relay this information. Many of you may find it useful.
Microsoft indicates that it is not possible to chnage from a Single Processor PC to a Multiprocessor PC using an image. They do specify options that allow you to perform the change using Sysprep.
If you want to make a single processor install of XP dual processor (and the hardware supports it) you can use Sysprep to make the change.
In the SYSPREP.INF file you can add:
(from the MS Site before they tell you a single processor image can not be used on a multiprocessor machine) [Unattended]
UpdateHAL = "hwid,%windir%\inf\hal.inf"
In the preceding example, hwid is either MPS_MP or ACPIAPIC_MP.
If the [Unattended] section is missing you can simply add it or if it is there add the UpdateHAL line at the end of the Unattended section.
If i tried it in XP I would get the choice for my current PC type or a standard PC. After reading several documents at MS, they assured me that the HAL that was installed could not be changed. They had 5 or 6 different HAL's, but nothing would let me select it in device Manager. I experienced exactly what their website told me I would see.
I will look in safe mode again, but I tried it on two systems today and resolved this by useing Sysprep.
Per the MS aritcle I posted, I have this installed
Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC
With that HAL installed it will only allow changes to these HAL types:
(Halacpi.dll)
• Standard PC
• Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC
That is where the problem is. MS redesigned XP so you could not change the installed HAL without reinstalling (or using sysprep). In order to change, I would need to make my ghost image with these HAL choices during setup:
"ACPI Uniprocessor PC", ACPI APIC UP HAL (Halaacpi.dll)
• Standard PC
• Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI) PC
• ACPI Uniprocessor
• ACPI Multiprocessor
Read the article closely. Down at the bottom are several numbered statements. 2 and 3 apply to my situation.
What you need to do is re-install. What I mean by this is an "UPDATE" install. The process is: 1. bootup Windows XP, 2. Load the XP CD and when the menu is displayed select install, 4. Select update current system, 5. It will re-load the every thing without losing your setting or the program ,etc. The only draw back is you will have to reapply any windows update patches again. Your can avoid this if you use a slip stream XP with SP2.
I hope this help you. This is what I did to get my XP system to see two logical processors.
I did two repair installs. The HAL was not updated on either repair install. I could only select options for a uni-processor PC when I had put an image on a dual CPU machine.
I had to force the HAL update using Sysprep. A reqular repair install kept the same HAL both times - 1 CPU. My other other option was a complete reinstall which I did not want to do. That would ruin settings. The sysprep route kept all setting like a repair install would.
Just so you know this thread is a couple months old. The problem was we built a XP Ghost Image using a Dell Precison 340. It had one CPU. It is a P4 A CPU. This emans that it is a single CPU machine with no Hyperthreading.
When we put the Ghost on a Dell Precision 220 Windows only identified One CPU. After performing some research we found that Windows installed a 1 CPU HAL. A repair install would not fix it. The repair simply reinstalled the same HAL. I tried twice. MS stated in a knowledge base article this was by design and I would need to format and reinstall. This wasn't an option as the machien was completely setup and it would take me four hours to redo it. I didn't want to lose settings and applications.
I found out that Sysprep had the option noted in the first post in this thread. This option allowed me to run sysprep and force XP to reinstall the HAL for a Multi-processor PC.
The BIOS is the latest offered and it was an update for ACPI in XP. The problem was the ghost build on the first PC.
The only two options available to force XP to install the Multi-processor HAL was to format or use Sysprep because the original machien was a Uni-processor only PC.
rraehal,
You have to bootup windows XP and then put the XP CD in and then do a update not install. Your setting will not be changed and the HAL will be changed to Mult Processors. But first make sure in the BIOS you have enable HT.
I hope this helps.
Manny
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