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

Author: Vincent Diepeveen

Date: 08:01:05 11/18/02

Go up one level in this thread


On November 18, 2002 at 10:58:35, Robert Hyatt wrote:

>On November 18, 2002 at 10:15:53, Vincent Diepeveen wrote:
>
>>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
>
>
>It isn't only the xeon MT.  The MTs are certified for 4-way and 8-way, but the
>other xeons are also doing hyperthreading.  The 2.8's in particular.  This is
>from experience, not from guessing, btw...

Not a single P4 i tested so far with the 'smt' turned on is doing it Bob,
of course i do not do a CPUID in DIEP to check whether the chip is supporting
it.

The statement from intel is very clear. *nowhere* they garantuee it works
and at the Xeon MP it might work after you do a CPUID.

The results posted by Nalimov here are all from dual Xeon MPs.

Best regards,
Vincent



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