Dual Core CPU installation

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PSU Brian

Weaksauce
Joined
Jun 24, 2004
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When moving from single core to dual core CPU, does the OS have to be reinstalled? Or, is it just plug it in and the OS sees them both? I have a new X2 4200+ on the way and reinstalling the OS is going to suck because I won't have time for that for at least another week :(

I have a feeling I know what the answer is going to be already and I don't like it :(

-Brian
 
If you're upgrading from a single-core CPU to a dual-core CPU, reinstalling Windows is strongly recommended. The Windows HAL may not be updated correctly if you simply install the X2 CPU without a Windows reinstall.
 
I had that feeling... If I didn't need my computer every day for school stuff it wouldn't be such a problem to reinstall.

Perhaps I can get lucky and have it run stable long enough till I have some time.

-Brian
 
I know exactly what you mean, tonight everything screwed up with my PCI fan, and of course I had a 3 page paper and a test and another paper due tomorrow, so I decided the rattling of my PCI fan was too annoying, didn't know what I was getting into and ended up taking an hour and a half.
 
Well all I did when I switched to dualcore AMD 4400 was update BIOS and boot up windows and blah it worked (to my surprise) windows instantly recognized both cores and im running XP pro (pre sp2 at the time) and then i had some problems in games so i finally updated to SP2 and no problems and also installed microsofts manual dualcore patch and all is good. Right now I have 6 tabs open in firefox, iTunes playing music,unzipping a 1gb file,and r1pp1ng a DVD w/ no hindeges to performance.
 
No reinstall here, just popped in the X2 and went on my way. Been using the same install for about 3 months now, 1 with a 3000+ and 2 with a 3800+.

Not one problem
 
incomudro said:
Right now I have 6 tabs open in firefox, iTunes playing music,unzipping a 1gb file,and r1pp1ng a DVD w/ no hindeges to performance.
Click to expand...

Very impressive... I don't suppose you could play BattleField 2 now with all that happening? :p

But the other day, I was recording via Capture Card, Had Photoshop CS2 open and making graphics, Was talking on MSN, Had some Firefox windows open, And Downloading all at the sametime. I can't say it was running like it normally was... Photoshop was pretty laggy but still doing its job.

All on a Single Core AMD Athlon 32bit 2600+ ;) (ain't that a fancy name? =P)

and PSU Brian, If I was you. I would still do a re-format when you get some serouis time on your hands :)
 
incomudro said:
also installed microsofts manual dualcore patch and all is good.
Click to expand...

Do you have a link to that patch? I am going to try and just replace the CPU for now, should be here tomorrow :D. I'll do a reinstall of windows in a week or so when i get a chance.

Any one want to buy a 3500+ ??

-Brian
 
Unless you can patch manually (wasn't aware you could), you'll have to reinstall to get the SMP (symetric multi-processing) kernel.
 
Reinstall in the strict sense of the word? Not reformat, right? I just did that because my damn HD died, but I've got a 3800+ X2 on the way, and I really don't want to rebuild everything, again. But if it's an in place reinstall, all I'm loosing is a chunk of time...

 
PSU Brian said:
I had that feeling... If I didn't need my computer every day for school stuff it wouldn't be such a problem to reinstall.

Perhaps I can get lucky and have it run stable long enough till I have some time.

-Brian
Click to expand...
I upgraded from a 3200+ to an X2 3800+, took 2 reboots, no reinstall. Runs fine atm.
 
Volkum said:
Unless you can patch manually (wasn't aware you could), you'll have to reinstall to get the SMP (symetric multi-processing) kernel.
Click to expand...
No, you do not need to do that. I have done it without. I have two CPU monitors in the task manager, I can run 2 instances of FaH at full speed...

Reinstall is not required, but recommended.
 
Thanks for the replys, I am going to give it a shot with out doing anything with windows tomorrow. At least if UPS's website isn't lying to me about the delievery. I'll probably end up formatting and reinstalling everything in a couple of weeks anyways, just really don't have the time right now with all the school projects I have going on.

-Brian
 
UPS decided to pay me a visit a whole day early. Just installed my new X2 4200+ with no problems. Windows saw the new cpu and made me restart and then the 2nd core showed up. I can't believe how much faster windows actually loads now. I have at least a dozen things loading when windows starts and it would usually take a while, now its sooo much faster! :D :D

-Brian
 
There is no need to reinstall windows. The only change you have made is going from single core to dual core. That is about as significant as changing mice.
 
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