Dual Processors

[johno5]

I'm new to this Upgrading game, and I would like to know if it is possible to "piggy back" two Intel Cellron processors on one motherboard. My current processor is a 466 cellron and I've just bought a 1GH cellron with the Intention of a straight swop until a friend of mine mentioned being able to have dual processors is this the case? If so would it be feasible to “piggy back” my 466 & 1GH chips.
Any help or comments would be useful.
Thanx.

 

[ngagne]

Unless you have a specifically designed application that utilizes multiple processors, there is no point. Even P4 processors which claim to run on a 400MHz FSB are useless to most. Their 400FSB is really 4 100MHz busses, and most software does not utilize those pipes. Exceptions would be such software as video editing, and WinXP.

While I am not sure that having dual procs running at different speeds is even possible, you would be better off going with a single proc system. You'd be restricted by your mobo to the lowest FSB speed (i.e. the 466 chip), this would degrade the performance of your faster chip.

 

[ErikZ]

Yeah, first you have to look at the board and see if if you have a place to plug in two chips. Second, the chips have to be the same.

No point??? Bah! What's the point of building your own system when you can get a system that costs just as much from the store? What's the point of buying a 1Ghz processor when your current processor is just fine? What's the point of getting a 19" bigger monitor? That 15" one still works just fine!

Sheesh.

 

[ngagne]

When I said that there was "no point", I was referring to the fact that not many applications were designed to use multiple processors. Having multiple processors in your system will only be effective if the SW is designed with multiple processor architecture in mind.

Go ahead and spend the money on a second 1GHz processor. You'll never know the difference unless you're running server software or are doing professional quality video editing.

My point is that the money is better spent elsewhere.

 

[therayster]

ngagne:
While you are correct about needing software specifically designed to handle multiple processors, you didn't metion that you also need an operating system that will handle SMP, like Unix or WinNT/W2K. Even if the apps supports splitting instructions across multiple CPUs it won't without the right OS. However, assuming you had an SMP compatible OS I think it's slightly misleading to say you get no increase in performance. You're apps might not run any faster, but you'll have tons of baseline overhead, i.e. Quake won't run any faster on it's own as it only sees one CPU, but you'll be able to run Quake full speed and rip MP3s in the background which you couldn't do on a single processor machine of otherwise comparable specs. This is possible on a dual because the OS can run itself and Musicmatch (or whatever) on the second CPU.

 

[osuman]

johno5,
In addition to what many people are saying here about the software being able to utilize the dual processors, there is a larger more important concern. I think you should check the compatibility of your motherboard with putting a 1ghz chip in it. It would suprise me if the same board would support both a 466mhz processor and a 1 ghz, regardless of both at the same time. In any case, you should check your motherboard specs to be sure it can use that much faster of a chip. Most likely, you will have to upgrade your M/B too. This would be the time to consider dual processing. If you decide it's what you want to do (it is much more expensive) then that's when you need to consider things such as O/S support and benefits gained.

 

[johno5]

Thanx every1
that was alot of help.
osuman thanx 4 ur input. I have checked M/B and it will Handle the larger chip and to My friend (who checked this out) & my surprise the M/D also has the capacity to run the dual procs. So here goes.
Thanx All