2 CPUs displayed as 4

stand · 06-01-2004, 02:42 AM

Hi all,

I have SuSe 8.0 running on 2 CPUs server. I'm curious
why it is displayed as having 4 CPUs.

From #top

CPU0 states:0.0% user,0.0% system,0.0% nice,100.0%
idle
CPU1 states:0.0% user,0.0% system,0.0% nice,100.0%
idle
CPU2 states:0.0% user,0.0% system,0.0% nice,100.0%
idle
CPU3 states:0.0% user,0.0% system,0.0% nice,100.0%
idle

Thanks,
Stand

SBing · 06-01-2004, 03:14 AM

If you've got anything like HT (hyper threading) on the cpus, that'll make each of them show up as two each.

I don't personally have HT (a little too poor for that!) but a friend of mine does, and I am able to compile something on his machine _and_ play UT2k3 at 1600X1200, full graphics etc with a drop of only 3fps or so.

So for all purposes, 2 HT cpus really do act as 4.

Of course if you don't have HT then the above text was pointless ;)

Steve