Dual Processor System... using only 1

[SparkMonkeyHellion]

Okay, I'm not very familiar with dual core technology yet, as my Mac came out just before dual core became standard...

I'm running 7zip on a LARGE folder (14 GB) and it's got one core pegged, the other is just kinda chillin.

I'm running XP Pro 32-bit I believe... if I installed 64-bit edition would that make it automatically use both Cores?

Also, is there a way I can make Task Man show which processes are running on which CPU?

Basically, I just need a crash course in Dual Core technology!

PS: I right-clicked on the 7zG.exe and looked at "set affinity" and it's set to both Cores... I guess the program is just not set to use more than 1 core... I'll try the 64 bit version next...

 

[Yami]

32-bit or 64-bit will make no difference, if a program isn't programmed to use multiple cores it won't.

 

[Kharn]

Do you mean dual core or two physical processors as XP an most versions of vista wont fully utilise Dual physical processors.

 

[SparkMonkeyHellion]

the processor in my machine is a Pentium D which I have never seen before... I dunno if this was like... first run dual core tech or what...

 

[carnageX]

It's one of the earlier dual core CPU's. Like Yami said, it won't make a difference whether you have 32 or 64bit; it matters if the program is multi-threaded (can take advantage of multiple cores).

 

[SparkMonkeyHellion]

I guess I am SOL then... I tried to install the 64 bit version of 7zip and it said "Not supported on your CPU"

Oh well... it already finished.

Do newer dual cores just act like a single CPU so the program doesn't matter?

 

[carnageX]

Program still matters. The program matters because most programs are coded for a single core, so they don't try and look for another core to be there. I know WinRAR is multi-threaded, so you could look into using that instead of 7zip.

 

[Yami]

Do newer dual cores just act like a single CPU so the program doesn't matter?

Nope.

 

[Lexluethar]

As everyone else has already said it has to do with the programs you are using. Since the program you are using doesn't support dual cores, it only recognizes one so it is only using one.

 

[SparkMonkeyHellion]

yeah, we have a new license of WinRAR, I just don't have access to the install yet :'(