Hi, Following a recent hardware failure, I got a new CPU and motherboard. The motherboard is an Intel D865PERL running the latest (P19) BIOS. The CPU is: - P4 - 2.40A GHz - mPGA478 package - 533 MHz FSB - 1 MB L2 Cache Hwinfo tells me this: % hwinfo --cpu 01: None 00.0: 10103 CPU [Created at cpu.290] Unique ID: rdCR.j8NaKXDZtZ6 Hardware Class: cpu Arch: Intel Vendor: "GenuineIntel" Model: 15.3.3 "Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz" Features: fpu, vme, de, pse, tsc, msr, pae, mce, cx8, apic, sep, mtrr, pge, mca, cmov, pat, pse36, clflush, dts, acpi, mmx, fxsr, sse, sse2, ss, ht, tm, pbe, pni, monitor, ds_cpl, cid Clock: 2394 MHz Cache: 1024 kb Units/Processor: 1 Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown /proc/cpuinfo reads: % cat /proc/cpuinfo processor : 0 vendor_id : GenuineIntel cpu family : 15 model : 3 model name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz stepping : 3 cpu MHz : 2394.520 cache size : 1024 KB physical id : 0 siblings : 1 fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : no coma_bug : no fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid level : 5 wp : yes flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe pni monitor ds_cpl cid bogomips : 4718.59 I'm running the latest kernel available via YOU: % uname -a Linux twain 2.6.5-7.95-smp #1 SMP Thu Jul 1 15:23:45 UTC 2004 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux Every indication I have suggests that I have fully HTT-supporting hardware and software, yet I cannot seem to confirm any performance advantage from HyperThreading. If I type "1" into "top", it says "Sorry, only one cpu detected". Is there some way for me to confirm that all the necessary pieces are in place and all the necessary configuration options properly chosen so I actually get the benefit of HyperThreading. Likewise, is there an empirical test I can perform that will show me the performance advantage of HTT? I finally dug around enough to find the following in /var/log/boot.msg: <6>CPU: Trace cache: 12K uops <6>CPU: L2 cache: 1024K <6>CPU: Hyper-Threading is disabled <7>CPU: After all inits, caps: bfebfbff 00000000 00000000 00000080 <6>Intel machine check architecture supported. <6>Intel machine check reporting enabled on CPU#0. <6>CPU#0: Intel P4/Xeon Extended MCE MSRs (12) available The third line is, of course, the telltale sign that I'm not getting HTT benefits. I should also point out that the rest of my system, including all PCI boards, hard drives and CD/DVD ROM and recorders as well as the cabinet and power supply are the same ones that were in the old, now-defunct system. The initial setup of SuSE Professional 9.1 did not install the SMP kernel, of course. After I got the new CPU and motherboard installed and running, I used YaST to install the kernel-smp package from the original distribution media and then used YOU to upgrade it via the Internet to 2.6.5-7.95-smp. One thing that confuses me is the repeated use of the phrase "Supporting Hyper-Threading Technology" or some such. That phrase, for example, is printed on the box of the CPU I'm using (right under the text "Pentium (r) 4 Processor"). Similarly, on the box in which the motherboard was shipped, the following statement appears (in 12 languages, no less): "HYPER-THREADING TECHNOLOGY: Using HT Technology with this desktop board requires an HT Technology-enabled processor, chipset, BIOS and operating system. See www.intel.com/info/hyperthreading for information." It seems kind of odd to say you need an HTT-enabled chipset and BIOS when those components are part of the product itself. In reviewing the past few months of the mailing list archives for posts pertaining to Hyper-Threading, I found some refences to enabling HTT support in the BIOS. I went through every BIOS configuration and information page (including the ones that are only accessible when some other option is suitable chosen) and could find no overt reference to Hyper-Threading. Can anybody help me understand this business better and find out unequivocally and unambiguously whether I am currently using HTT on my new system and if not, how to enable it? Thanks! Randall Schulz
Hello, again, I think I've figured out the problem with my elusive Hyper-Threading. Apparently I was confused by two things: 1) The text "Supporting Hyper-Threading Technology" on the CPU box 2) The "ht" feature in the processor information (hwinfo & /proc/cpuinfo) (1) can be understood as being a generic box used by all Pentium 4 processors. (2) is still a mystery to me. According to the table at http://www.intel.com/design/Pentium4/prodbref/, this processor does _not_ incorporate Hyper-Threading. If anyone can help me understand why the "ht" feature is shown in the processor flags, I'd appreciate it. Is anybody else willing to admit being fooled^Wconfused by the P4 packaging? Randall Schulz On Saturday 31 July 2004 15:46, Randall R Schulz wrote:
Hi,
Following a recent hardware failure, I got a new CPU and motherboard.
The motherboard is an Intel D865PERL running the latest (P19) BIOS.
The CPU is:
- P4 - 2.40A GHz - mPGA478 package - 533 MHz FSB - 1 MB L2 Cache
Hwinfo tells me this:
% hwinfo --cpu 01: None 00.0: 10103 CPU [Created at cpu.290] Unique ID: rdCR.j8NaKXDZtZ6 Hardware Class: cpu Arch: Intel Vendor: "GenuineIntel" Model: 15.3.3 "Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz" Features: fpu, vme, de, pse, tsc, msr, pae, mce, cx8, apic, sep, mtrr, pge, mca, cmov, pat, pse36, clflush, dts, acpi, mmx, fxsr, sse, sse2, ss, ht, tm, pbe, pni, monitor, ds_cpl, cid Clock: 2394 MHz Cache: 1024 kb Units/Processor: 1 Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
...
Hi, Randall, Add ht=on in lilo or grub boot parameter list On Sunday 01 August 2004 01:46 am, Randall R Schulz wrote:
Hi,
Following a recent hardware failure, I got a new CPU and motherboard.
The motherboard is an Intel D865PERL running the latest (P19) BIOS.
The CPU is:
- P4 - 2.40A GHz - mPGA478 package - 533 MHz FSB - 1 MB L2 Cache
Hwinfo tells me this:
% hwinfo --cpu 01: None 00.0: 10103 CPU [Created at cpu.290] Unique ID: rdCR.j8NaKXDZtZ6 Hardware Class: cpu Arch: Intel Vendor: "GenuineIntel" Model: 15.3.3 "Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz" Features: fpu, vme, de, pse, tsc, msr, pae, mce, cx8, apic, sep, mtrr, pge, mca, cmov, pat, pse36, clflush, dts, acpi, mmx, fxsr, sse, sse2, ss, ht, tm, pbe, pni, monitor, ds_cpl, cid Clock: 2394 MHz Cache: 1024 kb Units/Processor: 1 Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
/proc/cpuinfo reads:
% cat /proc/cpuinfo processor : 0 vendor_id : GenuineIntel cpu family : 15 model : 3 model name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz stepping : 3 cpu MHz : 2394.520 cache size : 1024 KB physical id : 0 siblings : 1 fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : no coma_bug : no fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid level : 5 wp : yes flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe pni monitor ds_cpl cid bogomips : 4718.59
I'm running the latest kernel available via YOU:
% uname -a Linux twain 2.6.5-7.95-smp #1 SMP Thu Jul 1 15:23:45 UTC 2004 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
Every indication I have suggests that I have fully HTT-supporting hardware and software, yet I cannot seem to confirm any performance advantage from HyperThreading. If I type "1" into "top", it says "Sorry, only one cpu detected". Is there some way for me to confirm that all the necessary pieces are in place and all the necessary configuration options properly chosen so I actually get the benefit of HyperThreading. Likewise, is there an empirical test I can perform that will show me the performance advantage of HTT?
I finally dug around enough to find the following in /var/log/boot.msg:
<6>CPU: Trace cache: 12K uops <6>CPU: L2 cache: 1024K <6>CPU: Hyper-Threading is disabled <7>CPU: After all inits, caps: bfebfbff 00000000 00000000 00000080 <6>Intel machine check architecture supported. <6>Intel machine check reporting enabled on CPU#0. <6>CPU#0: Intel P4/Xeon Extended MCE MSRs (12) available
The third line is, of course, the telltale sign that I'm not getting HTT benefits.
I should also point out that the rest of my system, including all PCI boards, hard drives and CD/DVD ROM and recorders as well as the cabinet and power supply are the same ones that were in the old, now-defunct system. The initial setup of SuSE Professional 9.1 did not install the SMP kernel, of course. After I got the new CPU and motherboard installed and running, I used YaST to install the kernel-smp package from the original distribution media and then used YOU to upgrade it via the Internet to 2.6.5-7.95-smp.
One thing that confuses me is the repeated use of the phrase "Supporting Hyper-Threading Technology" or some such. That phrase, for example, is printed on the box of the CPU I'm using (right under the text "Pentium (r) 4 Processor"). Similarly, on the box in which the motherboard was shipped, the following statement appears (in 12 languages, no less):
"HYPER-THREADING TECHNOLOGY: Using HT Technology with this desktop board requires an HT Technology-enabled processor, chipset, BIOS and operating system. See www.intel.com/info/hyperthreading for information."
It seems kind of odd to say you need an HTT-enabled chipset and BIOS when those components are part of the product itself.
In reviewing the past few months of the mailing list archives for posts pertaining to Hyper-Threading, I found some refences to enabling HTT support in the BIOS. I went through every BIOS configuration and information page (including the ones that are only accessible when some other option is suitable chosen) and could find no overt reference to Hyper-Threading.
Can anybody help me understand this business better and find out unequivocally and unambiguously whether I am currently using HTT on my new system and if not, how to enable it?
Thanks!
Randall Schulz
-- ************************************************ *** with best regards *** Andrei Verovski (aka MacGuru) *** Mac, Linux, DTP, Programming Web Site *** *** http://snow.prohosting.com/guru4mac/ ************************************************
Andrei, On Sunday 01 August 2004 01:35, Andrei Verovski (aka MacGuru) wrote:
Hi, Randall,
Add ht=on in lilo or grub boot parameter list
I've looked at the kernel sources, and I don't think there is such an option. The closest thing to a HT-specific option is "acpi=ht", which is described as enabling just enough ACPI to allow Hyper-Threading. Note that I'm using kernel 2.6.5 (-7.95-smp, installed via YOU). It appears I was simply misled in my belief that my CPU incorporated Hyper-Threading. As I posted earlier, the P4 CPU features chart on Intel's Web site (http://www.intel.com/design/Pentium4/prodbref/) indicates that this processor does not include Hyper-Threading. This is consistent with the absence of the Hyper-Threading enable option in the BIOS setup screens, which according to the BIOS manual is only displayed when the processor installed supports Hyper-Threading. The only thing that still puzzles me is the presence of the "ht" feature in the CPU feature list in /proc/cpuinfo and "hwinfo --cpu". Randall Schulz
On Sunday 01 August 2004 10:27 am, Randall R Schulz wrote:
It appears I was simply misled in my belief that my CPU incorporated Hyper-Threading. As I posted earlier, the P4 CPU features chart on Intel's Web site (http://www.intel.com/design/Pentium4/prodbref/) indicates that this processor does not include Hyper-Threading.
I wouldn't worry about it much..... Hyperthreading is a mixed bag. It allows you to split the cycles on your cpu between two threads running at half-speed or one thread running at full speed. If you take your full-speed cpu (no HT) and spread it across the two threads using the normal task switching, you are going to get pretty much the same effect. There is no free lunch. -- +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ + Bruce S. Marshall bmarsh@bmarsh.com Bellaire, MI 08/01/04 11:27 + +----------------------------------------------------------------------------+ "Time is the best teacher; unfortunately it kills all its students."
Did you check your bios setup - That's the first and obvious thing to do. If enabled I should be "active" to my limited knowledge. At least it's recognized here and I didn't pull any whizzles or bells at install time. Johan Søndag den 1. august 2004 00:46 skrev Randall R Schulz:
Hi,
Following a recent hardware failure, I got a new CPU and motherboard.
The motherboard is an Intel D865PERL running the latest (P19) BIOS.
The CPU is:
- P4 - 2.40A GHz - mPGA478 package - 533 MHz FSB - 1 MB L2 Cache
Hwinfo tells me this:
% hwinfo --cpu 01: None 00.0: 10103 CPU [Created at cpu.290] Unique ID: rdCR.j8NaKXDZtZ6 Hardware Class: cpu Arch: Intel Vendor: "GenuineIntel" Model: 15.3.3 "Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz" Features: fpu, vme, de, pse, tsc, msr, pae, mce, cx8, apic, sep, mtrr, pge, mca, cmov, pat, pse36, clflush, dts, acpi, mmx, fxsr, sse, sse2, ss, ht, tm, pbe, pni, monitor, ds_cpl, cid Clock: 2394 MHz Cache: 1024 kb Units/Processor: 1 Config Status: cfg=no, avail=yes, need=no, active=unknown
/proc/cpuinfo reads:
% cat /proc/cpuinfo processor : 0 vendor_id : GenuineIntel cpu family : 15 model : 3 model name : Intel(R) Pentium(R) 4 CPU 2.40GHz stepping : 3 cpu MHz : 2394.520 cache size : 1024 KB physical id : 0 siblings : 1 fdiv_bug : no hlt_bug : no f00f_bug : no coma_bug : no fpu : yes fpu_exception : yes cpuid level : 5 wp : yes flags : fpu vme de pse tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic sep mtrr pge mca cmov pat pse36 clflush dts acpi mmx fxsr sse sse2 ss ht tm pbe pni monitor ds_cpl cid bogomips : 4718.59
I'm running the latest kernel available via YOU:
% uname -a Linux twain 2.6.5-7.95-smp #1 SMP Thu Jul 1 15:23:45 UTC 2004 i686 i686 i386 GNU/Linux
Every indication I have suggests that I have fully HTT-supporting hardware and software, yet I cannot seem to confirm any performance advantage from HyperThreading. If I type "1" into "top", it says "Sorry, only one cpu detected". Is there some way for me to confirm that all the necessary pieces are in place and all the necessary configuration options properly chosen so I actually get the benefit of HyperThreading. Likewise, is there an empirical test I can perform that will show me the performance advantage of HTT?
I finally dug around enough to find the following in /var/log/boot.msg:
<6>CPU: Trace cache: 12K uops <6>CPU: L2 cache: 1024K <6>CPU: Hyper-Threading is disabled <7>CPU: After all inits, caps: bfebfbff 00000000 00000000 00000080 <6>Intel machine check architecture supported. <6>Intel machine check reporting enabled on CPU#0. <6>CPU#0: Intel P4/Xeon Extended MCE MSRs (12) available
The third line is, of course, the telltale sign that I'm not getting HTT benefits.
I should also point out that the rest of my system, including all PCI boards, hard drives and CD/DVD ROM and recorders as well as the cabinet and power supply are the same ones that were in the old, now-defunct system. The initial setup of SuSE Professional 9.1 did not install the SMP kernel, of course. After I got the new CPU and motherboard installed and running, I used YaST to install the kernel-smp package from the original distribution media and then used YOU to upgrade it via the Internet to 2.6.5-7.95-smp.
One thing that confuses me is the repeated use of the phrase "Supporting Hyper-Threading Technology" or some such. That phrase, for example, is printed on the box of the CPU I'm using (right under the text "Pentium (r) 4 Processor"). Similarly, on the box in which the motherboard was shipped, the following statement appears (in 12 languages, no less):
"HYPER-THREADING TECHNOLOGY: Using HT Technology with this desktop board requires an HT Technology-enabled processor, chipset, BIOS and operating system. See www.intel.com/info/hyperthreading for information."
It seems kind of odd to say you need an HTT-enabled chipset and BIOS when those components are part of the product itself.
In reviewing the past few months of the mailing list archives for posts pertaining to Hyper-Threading, I found some refences to enabling HTT support in the BIOS. I went through every BIOS configuration and information page (including the ones that are only accessible when some other option is suitable chosen) and could find no overt reference to Hyper-Threading.
Can anybody help me understand this business better and find out unequivocally and unambiguously whether I am currently using HTT on my new system and if not, how to enable it?
Thanks!
Randall Schulz
participants (4)
-
Andrei Verovski (aka MacGuru) -
Bruce Marshall -
Johan Nielsen -
Randall R Schulz