Q6600 is being detected as a dual core cpu

barmyllama · 16 Jan 2011 at 12:10

I bought a second hand Q6600 and Abit IP35 Pro motherboard as an upgrade for second PC. I have noticed that Windows Task Manager only shows 2 graphs, device manager only shows 2 CPU's, CPU Z only shows 2 cores and Real Temp only shows 2 cores. But all of these correctly identify the CPU as a Core 2 Quad Q6600.

The POST screen in the BIOS detects it as 2 CPU's. There isn't an option in the BIOS to enable or disable any of the cores.

I have removed the CPU from the board and refitted it.
All clock speeds are default.
The BIOS is flashed to the latest.
I have re installed Windows 7
MSCOFIG advanced boot options only lists 2 CPU's
Rescanning for hardware changes in device manager shows only 2 CPU's
Diabling the CPU in device manager, restarting PC and redetecting hardware only find 2 CPU's.
I have tried disabling/enabling the following in the BIOS: C1E Function, Limit CPUID MaxVal and Virtualization Technology.

Does anyone else have any other suggestions to try? My Google powers have failed to come up with anything else.

Thanks in advance.

Firegod · 16 Jan 2011 at 12:20

If the POST screen is only showing 2 cores, then don't waste your efforts within Windows, the issue lies with the mobo. It would be different if the POST screen showed 4 cores, but Windows only showed 2.

Have you reset the CMOS yet? Or loaded "default settings"?

barmyllama · 16 Jan 2011 at 12:50

Firegod said:
If the POST screen is only showing 2 cores, then don't waste your efforts within Windows, the issue lies with the mobo. It would be different if the POST screen showed 4 cores, but Windows only showed 2.

Have you reset the CMOS yet? Or loaded "default settings"?

Yeah done both of those.

Sometimes the POST screen says 1 CPU at first and then it changes to 2.

The CPU must have 2 damaged or disabled cores and is just functioning as a dual core, if that's possible.

Justintime · 16 Jan 2011 at 13:16

Inspect the cpu socket for bent/missing pins, had a similar issue when user bent a few pins and a Q9450 only saw two cores.. Also check the cpu with another board if possible. I could swear i used a Q6600 on the release BIOS version of that mobo years ago, so BIOS version should not matter, maybe it was a B3 though i suppose, not sure if G0 needed an update.

barmyllama · 16 Jan 2011 at 14:09

I checked for bent pins in the motherboard socket before I refitted the CPU.

Checking the CPU in another board isn't possible.

Gashman · 16 Jan 2011 at 14:13

well Q6600 are in essense two dual-core conroe style processors strapped together on a PCB are they not..? is it not possible that one of the dual-cores is dead and hence your reason for suddenly loosing two cores? :confused:

MooMoo444 · 16 Jan 2011 at 14:15

Theres options in most BIOS'es nowadays to disable individual cores - even flashing etc might not change this, so you'd have to go in manually and dig around for it, make sure its got all enabled.

If that's not the problem, then it would appear one half of your CPU has bit the dust.

Snakedoctor · 16 Jan 2011 at 14:17

Access msconfig and under Boot tick the box for "Detect HAL" and reboot.

N00bbuilder79 · 16 Jan 2011 at 14:26

I'd take a good look in the BIOS, chances are 2 of the cores have been disabled.

matthab · 16 Jan 2011 at 14:54

I agree 2 cores are disabled. My mainboard did this when I jumped to a e6600 > q6700.

Also it maybe worth checking the mainboard supports quads. Im pretty sure it does but worth a look.

barmyllama · 16 Jan 2011 at 15:21

I've looked at every single option inthe BIOS and here is no option to enable or disable cores.

Gashman · 16 Jan 2011 at 15:21

barmyllama said:
I've looked at every single option inthe BIOS and here is no option to enable or disable cores.

mine doesn't have any notable option for that either. sort of motherboard do you use?

barmyllama · 16 Jan 2011 at 15:23

Snakedoctor said:
Access msconfig and under Boot tick the box for "Detect HAL" and reboot.

That option isn't there.

barmyllama · 16 Jan 2011 at 15:24

Gashman said:
mine doesn't have any notable option for that either. sort of motherboard do you use?

It's in the original post.

An Abit IP35 Pro.

Gashman · 16 Jan 2011 at 15:29

barmyllama said:
It's in the original post.

An Abit IP35 Pro.

indeed, somehow my tired eyes managed to miss that!

sounds increasingly like one of your dual-cores is dead. since your motherboard doesn't have an option to disable/enable cores you can't have exactly accidently disabled them.

worth noting a compatriot at work had a Q8300 where half the CPU died, though the other half kept working perfectly fine, until he replaced it with an i5.

Diggsy · 16 Jan 2011 at 16:41

Have you tried removing the CMOS battery (whilst CMOS reset switch is enabled) and leaving it out for AT LEAST 15mins?

barmyllama · 16 Jan 2011 at 18:57

Diggsy said:
Have you tried removing the CMOS battery (whilst CMOS reset switch is enabled) and leaving it out for AT LEAST 15mins?

Nope, but I will give it a go and report back.

Stop It Rawr · 16 Jan 2011 at 19:03

barmyllama said:
Nope, but I will give it a go and report back.

It may be worth a go, as the Motherboard may be still using a Microcode for a dual core processor.As others have stated, the Core 2 Quads are basically 2 Dual Cores on one die, so one idea may be to load up CPU-Z and check what cache is detected.

If CPU-Z says 1x 4096Kbytes for Level 2 cache then one of the CPU blocks has been disabled for one reason or another and may be damaged beyond use.

Avathar77 · 16 Jan 2011 at 19:10

Is there a function in bios to enable/disable hyper threading? Have you tried changing that?

matthab · 16 Jan 2011 at 20:15

Avathar77 said:
Is there a function in bios to enable/disable hyper threading? Have you tried changing that?

Q6600 doesnt have Hyper threading!

Starting to sound like dead half. Have you got another rig to test it in?