Athlon 64 X2 - Windows only recognises one core. Help!

deathwalker666 · 31 Dec 2006 at 18:24

Hi hope someone can help me with this as Im really stressing...

I just bought an AMD Athlon 64 X2 4400+ and Windows XP will only recognise one core. Ive updated my motherboard BIOS to the latest version, installed the X2 drivers for the new CPU and I also even reinstalled Windows XP using the 'repair' feature. The only thing left to do is to do a total format of my operating system and then installing it fresh. This seems a bit extreme though, and before I have to do this, Im hoping someone can offer me an alternative solution.

This is what CPU-Z shows, notice that the code name, package and technology fields are blank :confused:

CPU-Z

Also, when checking my device manager I noticed that although there is only one CPU listed there, my Computer is still listed as an ACPI uniprocessor PC (Which is correct right?). Heres how it looks:
Device Manager

Oh, and task manager only shows 1 CPU window.

Motherboard is an Asus A8N-Sli Deluxe.

If anyone can give me some idea as to what the problem might be, then please let me know! I'd be very grateful.

Many thanks.

Jokester · 31 Dec 2006 at 18:26

You want to right click that ACPI Uniprocessor, select Update Driver then manually select the Multiprocessor one.

Jokester

trojan698 · 31 Dec 2006 at 18:26

You want it to show a multiprocessor PC, not uniprocessor, it's fixable without a reinstall but I can't remember how

deathwalker666 · 31 Dec 2006 at 19:38

Hi, thanks for the quick responses.

I manually set it to multiprocessor but with no luck. Anyone else have any suggestions?

Ixon · 1 Jan 2007 at 00:23

You might have one dead core. :eek:

Wingz · 1 Jan 2007 at 03:52

try uninstalling the uniprocessor in device manager then reboot the pc and see if it will update to multiprocessor.

deathwalker666 · 1 Jan 2007 at 14:38

Hmmm, the uninstall option isnt selectable for the ACPI multiproccessor. Im getting rather scared now that one of the cores may indeed be dead

Im going to do a clean install of XP anyway, as this is the only thing left I can think of, and as Ive got a new HD to install, it isnt that much of problem.

Ill let you know how it goes. If that doesnt fix it then I think Ill just eat the processor and go buy a conroe.....

OC_A64 · 1 Jan 2007 at 14:42

deathwalker666 said:
Hmmm, the uninstall option isnt selectable for the ACPI multiproccessor. Im getting rather scared now that one of the cores may indeed be dead

Im going to do a clean install of XP anyway, as this is the only thing left I can think of, and as Ive got a new HD to install, it isnt that much of problem.

Ill let you know how it goes. If that doesnt fix it then I think Ill just eat the processor and go buy a conroe.....

If one core was dead you probably wouldn't even have the machine booting.
Sounds like windows hasnt loaded the ACPI drivers properly for some reason. Re-installing should sort the problem out.

Ixon · 1 Jan 2007 at 14:45

It would still boot if only one core was working.

NathanE · 1 Jan 2007 at 15:39

Just goto Update Driver and select ACPI Multiprocessor PC. Job done.

sativa1874 · 1 Jan 2007 at 16:02

Ixon said:
It would still boot if only one core was working.

When one of the cores on my C2D failed it wouldnt boot.

ghgh · 1 Jan 2007 at 16:26

Ive seen another post with a c2d and when one core failed it didnt even POST. but am not sure whether the same is true with an x2.

I reckon you'll end up having to format it and reinstall XP personally given when you've already tried.

deathwalker666 · 1 Jan 2007 at 16:32

This is messed up....

I formatted the HD, reinstalled windowsXP, updated my BIOS, Installed all the latest drivers and still no luck! Device manager still states that its a uniprocessor PC, and when I do change it to a multiprocessor PC it appears to make no difference, task manager still only shows one graph

I know this might sound like a stupid question, but if Windows does not detect the second core, does that mean Im not getting any of its processing power? Or does it still function normally, but Windows simply doesnt recognise it?

If the second core is dead, I have no idea what to do. As I bought it second hand, Im not sure if Ill get a refund.

PaulProteus · 1 Jan 2007 at 16:51

When you enter the BIOS is the processor recognised as a dual core Athlon?

ghgh · 1 Jan 2007 at 16:52

deathwalker666 said:
This is messed up....

I formatted the HD, reinstalled windowsXP, updated my BIOS, Installed all the latest drivers and still no luck! Device manager still states that its a uniprocessor PC, and when I do change it to a multiprocessor PC it appears to make no difference, task manager still only shows one graph

I know this might sound like a stupid question, but if Windows does not detect the second core, does that mean Im not getting any of its processing power? Or does it still function normally, but Windows simply doesnt recognise it?

If the second core is dead, I have no idea what to do. As I bought it second hand, Im not sure if Ill get a refund.

damn that is very strange.

even if you reboot after setting it to multi processor it makes no difference? keep uninstalling it and reinstalling multi processor, it might just work one time.

if windows doesnt detect the second core it cant be used....have no idea what you can do other than send the seller and email explaining what you have tried to do to rectify the problem and that it all points to the second core being knackered.

MikeTimbers · 1 Jan 2007 at 16:57

You could try booting off a live Linux CD like Knoppix and see if it sees the processor.

deathwalker666 · 1 Jan 2007 at 17:12

Cheers for the help and suggestions all, but still no luck.

PaulProteus said:
When you enter the BIOS is the processor recognised as a dual core Athlon?

The processor is recognised as a dual core athlon yeah, but it only lists one processor there, and Im pretty sure there should be two listed. If it isnt even recognising two cores in the BIOS, then thats very worrying :eek:

Ill try changing between unicore and multicore a few more times. If still no luck, do you think its safe to say one of the cores is screwed?

lukeharvest · 1 Jan 2007 at 17:19

Sounds to me that its most definately a BIOS problem and you haven't activated both cores.

Owenb · 1 Jan 2007 at 17:36

deathwalker666 said:
Cheers for the help and suggestions all, but still no luck.

The processor is recognised as a dual core athlon yeah, but it only lists one processor there, and Im pretty sure there should be two listed. If it isnt even recognising two cores in the BIOS, then thats very worrying

Ill try changing between unicore and multicore a few more times. If still no luck, do you think its safe to say one of the cores is screwed?

You could run some benchmark that benifits a lot from dual cores and compare it to results from various sites.

Jokester · 1 Jan 2007 at 17:52

Owenb said:
You could run some benchmark that benifits a lot from dual cores and compare it to results from various sites.

I would do this, try running 3dmark06 and see what CPU scores you get.

Jokester