Tweaking Dell Precision 390 P4-361 3GHz with FX3500

Matt Elias · Post by **Matt Elias** » Fri, Feb 23 2007, 8:36PM

I saw eCabinet Systems running on a new Precision 390 P4 3GHz system and when I checked how much CPU usage it was using, it showed only a maximum of 50%. I checked the affinity settings on the ecabinet process, there was the option of cpu0 and cpu1. I checked to make sure that it wasn't a dual core and cpuz confirmed a single core 3GHz P4 is in the socket. I understand that a hyper-threading cpu can show as two in XP but it seems like something is restricting ecabinets to only half the cpu potential! As I said, this is a brand new system running XP Pro SP2. Suggestions please?

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Fri, Feb 23 2007, 9:17PM

That is because eCabinets is designed only for a single core processor. Hyperthreading acts like a dual core when it is reported by the OS.

Matt Elias · Post by **Matt Elias** » Fri, Feb 23 2007, 9:21PM

Does disabling the hyper-threading allow eCabinet to the whole processor?

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Fri, Feb 23 2007, 9:26PM

Does it show 50% on each or just on one?

Matt Elias · Post by **Matt Elias** » Fri, Feb 23 2007, 9:40PM

I hope this doesn't get confusing. For clarity sake, I will rate each processor (as XP sees it in the task manager - performance tab) from 0/10 - 10/10. If the affinity is set to both, then one will show ~ 7/10 and the other ~3/10 (ie a total of 10/20, 50% in the process tab). If I set the affinity to only cpu0, then cpu0 will show 10/10 and the other will show 0/10 (total of 10/20, 50% in the process tab) and vice versa. I am not on-site at the moment but I am collecting as many ideas as possible for when I go back.

On my own system, core 2 duo, eCabinet will also use ~30% of one core and ~70% of the other (affinity to both). If I set the affinity to only one core, that core sees 100% and the other nothing. That being said, at first glace I thought Dell sent him a dual core but system properties and cpu-z both show a single core P4 361 cpu. It also feels like windows would like to use both cores to their full potential when running eCabinet, as it seems to split the load to both already.

Thanks for your time, I appreciate it!
Matt

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Fri, Feb 23 2007, 10:11PM

Okay, what you are seeing on either computer is eCabinets running on one CPU (or core) only. The usage reported by TM can be confusing and misleading.

When you see 50% being reported for a hyperthreading CPU, you are actually using 100% of the CPU, but TM doesn't report it correctly. The Windows Management Interface for multi-processor computers is designed for multiple physical CPUs, not hyperthreaded single CPUs. Multi-core CPUs are actually two physical CPU chips in a single package, each with its own data and memory paths. Hyperthreaded CPUs have a single data and memory path and cannot actually perform multiprocessing.

You really should not fiddle with processor affinity. What that does is tell Windows that a particular program is allowed to run only on a particular CPU. If that CPU is busy and the other CPU is idle, the idle CPU will not be used for that program. The best policy is to let Windows do what it is there for and allocate resources as needed.

WMI/TM is a poor tool at best for monitoring system performance. The hooks provided into the operating system provide information well enough but the presentation of that information is not entirely accurate. It is generally good enough to see a runaway process or a memory hog but not much more than that.

Matt Elias · Post by **Matt Elias** » Fri, Feb 23 2007, 10:17PM

Alright, thanks for sharing your knowledge. Any suggestions for a good system monitoring tool to see proper usages? Also, is there any benefit in updating the Quadro drivers that Dell has pre-installed? If so, would the proper procedure be to uninstall the drivers, run driver cleaner, reboot, load new drivers, reboot?

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Sat, Feb 24 2007, 8:01AM

WMI/TM generally provides all of the information needed for user purposes. Other tools are designed more for tweaking the last ounce of performance from applications during development.

Definitely get the latest Quadro drivers from the nVidia website.

You don't need to uninstall existing drivers first, the driver installation takes care of everything in the correct order.

One other thing to look at is your virtual memory setting. I have an article for setting virtual memory on eCabWorld. It is located in the Tips & Tricks area of the Member's Lounge.

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Sat, Feb 24 2007, 8:59AM

Matt

Let me correct one thing I said about driver installation. nVidia recommends that existing drivers be uninstalled first. Here is a link to their Driver Installation Hints page.

Sorry for any confusion.

Kerry Fullington · Post by **Kerry Fullington** » Sat, Feb 24 2007, 10:04AM

Dan,
If we are running Dean's \"Quadro Tweak\", will installing new drivers mess that up?
Kerry

DanEpps · Post by **DanEpps** » Sat, Feb 24 2007, 10:33AM

I reinstall it after updating drivers