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Subject: Re: Intel doesn't garantuee P4 has hyperthreading in the CPU

Author: Vincent Diepeveen

Date: 07:15:53 11/18/02

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On November 18, 2002 at 01:28:17, Terry McCracken wrote:

>On November 17, 2002 at 13:58:43, Vincent Diepeveen wrote:
>
>>Hello,
>>
>>If i read the below section of the intel programming guide very well,
>>then i interpret that as:
>>
>>  a) only the Xeon MP has hyperthreading and not the normal P4s,
>>     not even P4s sold as Northwoods.
>>
>>  b) even the Xeon MP you should not assume that it supports hyper
>>     threading. In fact something that gets sold as Xeon MP you should
>>     still not assume that it supports hyper threading, but instead
>>     one must assume that only after specifically questionning the cpu
>>     whether it can do it.
>>
>>Intel IA-32 programming manual. Page 247 (of 780):
>>"
>>7.6.1 Implementation of Hyper-Threading Technology in IA-32 Processors
>>
>>Intel's Hyper-threading Technology was introduced into the IA-32 architecture
>>in the Intel Xeon processor MP and in the later steppings of the Intel Xeon
>>processor. Both of these processors implement Hyper-Threading Technology with 2
>>logical processors per physical processor. When reading the following sections
>>(and other sections in this book that refer to this technology), assume that all
>>references to the implementation of Hyper-Threading Technology in the Intel Xeon
>>processor MP also apply to those later steppings of the Intel Xeon processor
>>that implement Hyper-Threading Technology.
>>
>>Intel recommends that software not rely on IA-32 processor names to determine
>>whether a processor supports Hyper-Threading Technology; but instead, it should
>>use the CPUID instruction as described in Section 7.6.5, "Detecting
>>Hyper-Threading Technology".
>>"
>>
>>Vincent
>
>Careful, Intel sues!

Not at all. They now claim only the > 3Ghz P4s will have hyperthreading
enabled, but that's an easy claim, because i cannot check it as the
fastest P4 i can test now is 2.53Ghz. With some luck soon also 2.8Ghz P4.

At the time the > 3 Ghz P4s are there within say a 6 months or so,
of course those statements will have been forgotten.

The only official statement is that the group of processors which
*might* support SMT is the Xeon MPs and only
after you ask the cpu a CPUID and when that response is positive
*then* it supports it.

So they give ZERO garantuee simply yet.

Best regards,
Vincent



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