Questions tagged [cpu]

The part of a computer responsible for performing computations, often referred to as a processor.

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Where does power consumption go in a computer?

Today we had a weird discussion over lunch: What exactly causes power consumption in a computer, particularly in the CPU? (ETA: For obvious reasons I don't need an explanation why a hard drive, ...
Joey's user avatar
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How does increasing the number of transistors in a chip increase its speed?

Is the only purpose of transistors in a CPU to act as the switches that define its instruction set? And if so then why does increasing the number of transistors increase its speed?
tyler's user avatar
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What is a good program to check CPU properties?

My computer is running an AMD Phenom II quad core CPU but it didn't come with the piece of software that I see people have in a lot of YouTube videos. The software is kind of like the ATI Catalyst ...
Tim's user avatar
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Is USB RAM or a USB processor a feasible concept? [closed]

Is USB RAM or a USB processor a feasible concept for development?
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4 answers
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Slowing down cpu speed

How to slow down my laptop cpu so that it does not overheat?
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2 votes
2 answers
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Alternative to Rhythmbox that's light on CPU

I'm running Ubuntu Lucid on my netbook, and I like listening to music while doing other stuff. Problem is: Rhythmbox is constantly consuming 7-9% of my CPU while it's playing. Now, 9% might not seem ...
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Will just a couple of thermal "trip" shutdowns typically damage a CPU?

The short version If a CPU gets so hot that the system turns itself off because of a thermal trip signal just a couple of times, is it likely that the CPU will be damaged? Or does the trip do its job,...
T.J. Crowder's user avatar
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PC won't post after replacing mobo

I am trying to fix an older HP desktop (~2 yrs old) that didn't seem to have video working. The video card on the machine was integrated. After some debugging, it looked to be the mobo, so I went out ...
Dan's user avatar
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2 answers
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CPU for desktop/server [duplicate]

Which is the difference between a server and a desktop CPU ? Why should I buy a Xeon processor for a server why don't use instead a simple Intel quad 4-core CPU for a desktop PC ?
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9 votes
5 answers
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What is more important for speed: Processor Speed or RAM? [closed]

I am about to buy a desktop, I narrowed it down to two choices, both are virtually identical (even in terms of price) but one has 4 GB of RAM and a 3.7 GHZ CPU the other has 8GB of RAM and a 2.7 GHZ ...
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2 votes
2 answers
12k views

How to check (on Windows) if CPU is 64-bit compatible?

I'm converting old Windows desktop machines from 2005-2009 into cheap Ubuntu Linux servers. I want to know which ones can handle a 64-bit OS and which can't. I read that some x86 CPUs are 64-bit ...
Bill Paetzke's user avatar
5 votes
2 answers
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Upgrading laptop processor

I have a Dell Studio 17. It's a few years old, and I wanted to upgrade the processor. It currently has an Intel Core 2 Duo T5750 @ 2.00GHz My question is how can I find out which processors are ...
the Ben B's user avatar
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How many ALUs does a single core cpu have?

or does depend on the model?
user37577's user avatar
2 votes
4 answers
3k views

CPU load, USB connection vs. NIC

In general, and understanding the answer may vary by manufacturer and model (and driver, and...), in consumer-grade workstations with integrated NICs, does the NIC rely on the CPU for a lot of help (...
T.J. Crowder's user avatar
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Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor vs Intel® Core™ i3 Desktop Processor?

Intel® Core™2 Duo Desktop Processor vs Intel® Core™ i3 Desktop Processor? Which CPU is better to buy ? Intel® Core™ i3-530 Processor (4M Cache, 2.93 GHz) (it supports DDR3 also) or Intel® Core™2 ...
metal gear solid's user avatar
2 votes
2 answers
800 views

8051 MCU debug board function

In school I have written many programs for an 8051 compatible CPU. But I never actually knew how our "debug" sets worked. I mean, we test our programs in special sets, which actually allow you to very ...
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2 answers
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Windows Media Player crashes on startup after CPU upgrade

I upgraded my CPU, reactivated Windows Vista etc. But WMP has stopped working. It just crashes almost immediately after starting up. If I look in Event Viewer it mentions the source as being "...
nbevans's user avatar
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Is a 2006 Mac Mini’s processor upgradeable to a Core 2 Duo?

I have a Mac Mini with Core Solo 1.5GHz, 512mb RAM, 60gb HDD, etc... I know, it's very old but since it's lying around here, I wanted to bump it up for general usage and some experimental iPhone ...
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4 answers
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Is there a list of Windows services that can be turned off to save resources?

Every time I open up my task manager and look at the tasks running, it appears to me that there has got to be a bunch of junk running in there that I don't want or need and would be better off turning ...
scunliffe's user avatar
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12 votes
3 answers
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How picky are CPUs in terms of how evenly the thermal compound is?

I'm in the midst of building a computer (this is my first time). When I first put the heatsink on the CPU, I was a little off center. Some of the thermal compound came off, so when I re-centered ...
David Oneill's user avatar
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5 votes
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SSE2 - SSE4.2 Compatibility

I am considering the purchase of some software (AutoCAD) that requires the CPU to support SSE2. My PC's CPU is an Intel® Core™ i5-650 Processor, which supports SSE4.2. Basically what I am ...
Jim Fell's user avatar
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Effects of enabling DVFS in a CPU

I came up with this energy regulating software called Granola while reading at Ghacks.net I downloaded and installed the software but you need to enable the DVFS function in the CPU. I booted up and ...
soul's user avatar
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3 votes
2 answers
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My system show extremely hot processor temperature

I've build a small miniITX system with Pentium 4 processor. It works fine but there's extremely hot temperature is shown by the CPU sensor, around 120 C. Of course this is causing the fan run ...
user34300's user avatar
4 votes
2 answers
5k views

Linux 'top' utility wildly inaccurate (more so for multi-CPU/core hardware)?

After using top for long time, albeit basically, I have grown to distrust its % CPU column reports. I have an 8-core (quad core Intel i7 920 with hyperthreading) hardware, and see some wild numbers ...
Armen Michaeli's user avatar
0 votes
1 answer
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CPU I/O communication

I know there is this question already discussed, but I still don´t understand something, so please just help me clarify it. What I understand there is 2 way to do I/O aka communicate from CPU with ...
user32569's user avatar
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2 votes
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What does CPU Time consist of?

What does CPU time exactly consist of? For instance, is the time taken to access a page from the RAM (at which point, the CPU is most likely idling) part of the CPU time? I'm not talking about ...
Opt's user avatar
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6 votes
2 answers
502 views

Intel data bus of Intel 80486 and above CPUs

Why do Intel 80486 and above CPUs have a double 32-bit internal data bus? ALU is still 32 bits wide, so what is the extra 32-bit bus for?
JustAGuy's user avatar
1 vote
2 answers
113 views

If I exchange the CPU, must I reinstall the OSes? (swapping cpus from one *nix-like to another)

as suggested by the title, I want to change CPU: actually I have two computers, one with Ubuntu running on an AMD Athlon 64 dual core 5200+ and the other with FreeBSD running on an AMD Sempron single ...
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6 answers
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Why are GPUs cheaper than CPUs?

What are the technological reasons whereby GPUs are cheaper than CPUs?
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1 answer
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Recommended CPU upgrade for Dell Vostro 220 with Intel E7300 processor?

I've got a Dell Vostro 220 with an E7300 processor (Intel Core 2 Duo @ 2.66Mhz, LGA775 socket) and I'm thinking about upgrading my processor so I can run Windows Server 2008 R2 with Hyper-V, which ...
Justin Grant's user avatar
6 votes
2 answers
13k views

What does "cpuid level" mean?

For an example, I put just output from 1 core of a 16 core machine. What does the output mean by "cpuid level" of "6"? Also, what do "bogomips" of "5992.10" and "clflush size" of "64" mean? ...
user35153's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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How to calculate the setting for BCLK with Core i7?

Help me figure out the proper calculation for overclocking a Core i7. Given that: the default maximum memory speed is 1333MHz, the motherboard supports up to 2200 MHz by overclocking, and it has a ...
Chris_45's user avatar
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7 votes
2 answers
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Intel Pentium D & Intel Core 2 Duo

Are the Intel Pentium D and Intel Core 2 Duo processors the same?
Paul's user avatar
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48 votes
3 answers
35k views

What is the difference between hyper-threading and multiple cores?

In a conversation with the network administator, I mentioned that my machine was a dual-core. He told me it was not. I brought up the task manager, went to the perfomance tab, and showed him that ...
Josh Stodola's user avatar
3 votes
3 answers
10k views

Does one need to have a compatible CPU to access BIOS?

Suppose that a motherboard doesn't ship with a BIOS that supports your CPU. Can you still get into BIOS and flash it without the correct CPU? For example, does it automatically downgrade from 6-core ...
Chris_45's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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Is my processor Intel Pentium D a dual core?

My processors is an Intel(R) Pentium(R) D CPU 3.00GHz. Does the D mean that my processor is a Dual Core?
Paul's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
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How do I enable CPU throttling on an Athlon X2 4200+ under Windows 7?

My desktop computer is constantly running at 2200MHz even at idle load, and the fan is always at full speed. Cool'n'Quiet is enabled in the BIOS, but the options to set the Maximum and Minimum CPU ...
lzm's user avatar
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0 votes
1 answer
189 views

Proper approach to debug PC startup problems (POST)

My CPU was heating up to around 65 deg C and last time this had happened (about a year ago), I got thermal paste put between the CPU and heat sink and this managed to get it down to about 45 - 50 ...
saurabhj's user avatar
  • 127
19 votes
4 answers
31k views

What's the proper way to remove thermal paste from a CPU?

I'm replacing the heatsink on my CPU, and want to clear the current thermal paste. What should I do?
Marcos Lara's user avatar
11 votes
2 answers
458 views

My 386sx refuses to start in cold days

My old computer refuses to start in cold days. So, in really hot days (about 40ºC / 104ºF ) or even hotter, this PC usually starts, but in cold days, it wont. When the temperature is not in the "...
RSilva's user avatar
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2 answers
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No visual, no beep

So Win7 just updated and attempted to restart the PC but I received no visual and no beeping sound. I started to unplug all unnecessary hardware components so now all that's left is my boot hd. And ...
user avatar
6 votes
1 answer
2k views

ffmpeg encoding on QuadCore

I am trying to push my server's CPU cores to the max, but no success. Encoding 2-pass style, set my "-threads" to 128 . When running 2nd pass , the CPU seems to be at 98% usage, but first pass run ...
Gotys's user avatar
  • 251
2 votes
5 answers
442 views

Memory and CPU optimizers: Are they gimmicks?

Are tools which analyse which enable you to use all your CPU cores and also tools which help you to regain memory (can't think of any just yet but seen plenty) a gimmick? Do these tools really work?
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4 votes
1 answer
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What is the best way to prove a processor is overheating / running too hot?

recently I noticed that my sister's laptop was getting very very hot when it sat on my lap, she had also complained that it just turned off on her without warning... so I decided to run Coretemp and ...
Cheesegraterr's user avatar
6 votes
4 answers
49k views

CPU Temperature required for auto-shutdown

At what temperature do most motherboards/cpus power down to prevent damage? And what determines this? Is it the bios, the motherboard, the cpu itself? I have a cpu that stays on in the bios until ...
Tomasi's user avatar
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0 votes
2 answers
379 views

What's the Minimum System Spec Recommended For Developer Laptop [closed]

I'll be regularly running Visual Studio 2010 Professional, SQLServer Express, Office and at least 1 virtual environment running a Linux Distro. I want the machine to be snappy and responsive even when ...
DaveDev's user avatar
  • 353
3 votes
1 answer
2k views

Understanding top output in Linux

I'm trying to determine the CPU usage of a program by looking at the output from Top in Linux. I understand that %us means userspace and %sy means system/kernel etc. But say I see 100%us. Does this ...
Rayne's user avatar
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19 votes
3 answers
16k views

Why is 64 bits version called AMD64 and 32 bits version called i386? [duplicate]

I have never understood this. This is what I know: You need a 64 bit OS if you want to handle more than 2 GB RAM. Else, a 32 bit OS is sufficient. So on Ubuntu's homepage you can download either 64 ...
ajsie's user avatar
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30 votes
1 answer
25k views

Ubuntu: AMD64 vs i386?

I can't understand what these are even though I've read articles about them. Does it have something to do with 32 bits and 64 bits CPU? So why is it saying "AMD"64 and "i386"? AMD is a label just ...
ajsie's user avatar
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3 votes
1 answer
294 views

What do the Speed0x controls do in SpeedFan?

I'm monitoring my PC for suspected overheating, and I want to know what the Speed01, Speed02, and Speed03 controls do in SpeedFan? Specifically what does the Speed03 set to 41 mean? My CPU is an old ...
Matthew Lock's user avatar
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