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Disabling cores!

MooMoo444

MooMoo444

MooMoo444

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I read somewhere you can disable cores so it doesnt use them? Like turning them off or something.

I like the idea of it as I could put it on singlecore mode overnight downloading to save power maybe?

Do I make sense?
 
Here are instructions on how to disable the Dual/Quad -Core functions of your Core Quad/Duo for a specific program.

1. Press Ctrl-Alt-Del which will bring up the task manager.
2. Click on the Processes tab and scroll until you find the programs executable (eg anyapp.exe).
3. Right-click on anyapp.exe and click on the bottom entry in the menu which says "Set Affinity...".
4. You should have 2/4 options there CPU 0, CPU 1, etc.
5. Untick one (or more but leave one) of the boxes (doesn't matter which).
6. Click OK.

Works on XP not tried it on Vista.;)
 
Last edited:
Thanks, but not what I meant :(

I mean to turn cores off in BIOS or something? I had a look but don't know what I'm looking for to be honest
 
MooMoo444 said:
Thanks, but not what I meant :(

I mean to turn cores off in BIOS or something? I had a look but don't know what I'm looking for to be honest
Click to expand...

The last MB I had that allowed that was an ABIT AN8 Ultra (939) & that disappeared in a BIOS update. Maybe someone will post if its possible with Core2's.
 
msconfig -> Boot -> Advanced options

Tick the box for "Number of processors" then choose how many processors you would like enabled when Windows boots. Make sure to OK everything.

:cool:
 
I think that's only for the initial boot. Once the desktop appears Windows will start using all the cores.

Anyway I see no point in disabling any cores. You'd save next-to-no power, and Windows will only use what it needs anyway.
 
If you want to save power, undervolt your cpu.

If you aren't doing anything cpu intensive, speedstep will turn down your multi and reduce power loss anyway.
 
MooMoo444 said:
That cant be right >_> the box was unticked and the default value was 1. Though it uses all 4 like that??
Click to expand...

If the box is unticked then Windows will use all cores by default.

As I suggested earlier, tick the box, select how many cores you would like enabled, reboot.

When you get back to the desktop open up a program like Prime to confirm the number of enabled cores.

It's as simple as that.

I think disabling redundant cores for overnight downloading is a pretty good idea, but I'm not sure how significant the power savings would be.

As others have suggested, things like Speedstep and reducing vcore will further boost power savings.
 
MooMoo444: i also got a MSI p7n mobo, clock your cpu to 3ghz (or to 2.4 by selecting "set optimal settings"), if your downloading you don't really need the extra clocks. In the bios you have an option to save to bios profiles, maybe set one for gaming/cpu intensive stuff and one for downloading/web surfing etc. if you dont know how to overclock let me know and i can give you the rough voltages you should be using. (0.0000 isn't the cpu total voltage, is how much volts you want to add onto your default VID)
 
RYB said:
msconfig -> Boot -> Advanced options

Tick the box for "Number of processors" then choose how many processors you would like enabled when Windows boots. Make sure to OK everything.

:cool:
Click to expand...

this will definately disable cores,i have just been out to fix a pc for someone who said his quad core was broken and only running on one core.

Turns out he had been reading about speeding his bootime up somewhere and had messed with the advanced settings in his boot options,he had ticked the box and put 4 in thinking the pc will now boot using 4 cores.

He then noticed no difference in the time it took to boot so changed the no back to 1 but forgot to untick the box and so he turned off 3 cores and instructed the pc to just use 1 core.

Easy money earned,and a little knowledge is a dangerous thing.
 
Go to the enviromental variables in the Advanced tab of System Properties. Change the "NUMBER_OF_PROCESSORS" Variable to 1. Reboot.
 
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