Topic: Hyper Threading Option

[dnf999]

Hi guys!!

Im a bit of a novice when it comes to PC's (as you will tell by my question!).  But would appreciate any help!!

Basically I have a Pentium 4 3.0Ghz Processor - Im not if it has Hyper-Threading or not??! How can I enable this - and will it be beneficial?

Thanks!!!

[Sandra]

I think that if it has hyperthreading then its already enabled as its part of the technology of the chip itself that has it. If it hasnt got it then you cant add it and enable it  

[Dack]

Hyperthreading only works if the chip AND motherboard support it. Simplest way is to look in the system properties and see if Windows thinks you've got two processors fitted.

Hyperthreading can give an improvement in program execution but can also cause problems with applications that don't like multi-processor systems (spent 2 weeks trying to work out why a Jav application I had to interface to kept crashing sporadically before switching HT off - also some soundcard drivers don't like it).

HT is also only supported under Windows XP (pro and home) - not sure if the latest Linux distros support it - and not recommended for any other Microsoft OS.

[acechan]

If your motherboard has a 775 Chipset, then you can consider that you're "hyperthreading" compliant. If this is the case, its BIOS will have a "Hyperthreading" setting (under CPU or ChipSet config), you can turn it "on" or "off" from there.

Now the the use... You'll need it only if you plan to run 2 applications that have to run simultaneously, for example: Game and Video Capture  (if you want to capture the images while you're playing)... With Hyperthreading you'll be able to run 2 tasks with the same priority, as if you had 2 processors.

... but if you don't need this functionnality, the computer will be slightly faster if you disable it. On my high-end PC, for example, the whole system is about 7% faster with the Hyperthreading disabled.