Multiple CPUs

[Scott]

I have a Windows 2003 Standard Server install on my server. If I install a
2nd CPU Processor, will Win 2003 auto-detect the processor or will I need to
re-install Win 2003?

If it auto-detects, will it give me 100% of the chips performance? I read
where a user discussed installing a 2nd processor in a Win 2003 server, but
having to do additional softwarwe configuring and ending up with the 2nd
processor not giving 100% because it was detected by an existing Win 2003
instance, instead of installing Win 2003 with a refresh install.

Any input would be appreciated.

 

[AllenM]

No. This is a hardware related issue and I recommend you contact the
manufacturer as to how to properly install an additional CPU. When Windows
starts up it will automatically recognize the second CPU.

"Scott" wrote in message
news:ut3f073RKHA.4028@TK2MSFTNGP05.phx.gbl...
>I have a Windows 2003 Standard Server install on my server. If I install a
>2nd CPU Processor, will Win 2003 auto-detect the processor or will I need
>to re-install Win 2003?
>
> If it auto-detects, will it give me 100% of the chips performance? I read
> where a user discussed installing a 2nd processor in a Win 2003 server,
> but having to do additional softwarwe configuring and ending up with the
> 2nd processor not giving 100% because it was detected by an existing Win
> 2003 instance, instead of installing Win 2003 with a refresh install.
>
> Any input would be appreciated.
>
>

 

[John John - MVP]

This should help:

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/888729
How to add processors to a computer that is running Windows Server 2003
or Windows XP Professional x64 Edition

John

Scott wrote:
> I have a Windows 2003 Standard Server install on my server. If I install
> a 2nd CPU Processor, will Win 2003 auto-detect the processor or will I
> need to re-install Win 2003?
>
> If it auto-detects, will it give me 100% of the chips performance? I
> read where a user discussed installing a 2nd processor in a Win 2003
> server, but having to do additional softwarwe configuring and ending up
> with the 2nd processor not giving 100% because it was detected by an
> existing Win 2003 instance, instead of installing Win 2003 with a
> refresh install.
>
> Any input would be appreciated.
>
>

 

[Leythos]

In article ,
sbailey@mileslumber.com says...
> I have a Windows 2003 Standard Server install on my server. If I install a
> 2nd CPU Processor, will Win 2003 auto-detect the processor or will I need to
> re-install Win 2003?
>

If your existing CPU is a Dual Core or Hyper-Threaded CPU, your server
has already loaded the multi-cpu HAL and supporting code, adding a
second CPU will be seen and used as necessary.

The thing you need to understand is that adding a second CPU, or 8,
doesn't give you a 100% increase/benefit in performance, it's about how
applications are threaded and what can be done in parallel or what can
be moved to another CPU.

In my case I always do a Dual CPU server, and in old ones that means 2 x
CPU + 2 x Hyper-Thread paths. I will configure MS SQL to use CPU 2 & 3
and not use CPU 0 & 1.

Since you can't really control the OS or Exchange, they will make use of
CPU 0 first, then CPU (HT) 1 second and then the other actual CPU/HT if
needed, but they almost never hit them - with SQL you can tell it to use
the Second CPU+HT and your server will see benefit from it.

In reality, a second CPU gains you about 30% in my experience.

Now, with the new R710 servers from Dell with Dual Quad Core, newest of
the CPU's, they make better use of the multiple cores and 2008 seems to
make much better use, spreading the load more evenly.

--
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voice inside you that most civilians don't even hear -- Listen to that.
Trust yourself.
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