4Core CPU on vmWare Windows XP virtual machine

[genTaliaru]

I have installed a WIndows XP professional on vmWare ESXI.

ANd settet 4 cpus to it.

But if i log into windows view the settings. There is my problem

Device manager show ia have 4 CPUS, bu the Windows Task manager performence tab show only one CPU core.

My question is does the windows XP realy use the 4 CPU core's? I 'am confused by it.

[a_p_]

Windows XP (as well as Windows 7) only support 2 physical CPUs.

Virtual CPU's presented to a VM are always seen as "physical" CPUs by the VM.

In VMware Workstation 7 and - as a currently unsupported feature in ESX4 - it is possible to present the virtual CPUs as multi-core CPUs.

André

[genTaliaru]

Andre says : in ESX4 - it is possible to present the virtual CPUs as multi-core CPUs

But how?

[a_p_]

see http://www.yellow-bricks.com/2009/06/04/per-processor-licenses-for-your-application/

However, I think it is limited to a licenced version only.

André

[Jackobli]

And we hope, André will explain you also, why - in general - it makes not much sense to use more than one vCPU!

[a_p_]

And we hope, André will explain you also...

Actually a good and really important point, but - no - I'm not going to explain that here. There are already a lot of documents and posts about "How many vCPUs" and "CPU scheduling" that I think, it does not make much sense to explain that here again.

André

[genTaliaru]

Bu i havent got still solved my problem

If yuo said windows XP can support up to 2 physical CPU but my VM windows doenst show more than one

I downloaded the software cpuid from http://www.cpuid.com/ an this software show also one CPU

[a_p_]

Make sure the VM is configured correctly.

Operating System: Windows XP

Number of CPUs: 2

André

[genTaliaru]

yes i did that.

Cpus : 2 and OS WIndows Xp Pro (32)

Is this matters, i have also a Windows 2003 small business VM and there is configured 4 cpus.

[a_p_]

How was the VM configured when you setup the XP machine (how many CPUs)?

Maybe worth to take a look at http://support.microsoft.com/kb/309283/en-us

About the vCPU configuration of your VM's (as Jackobli correctly mentioned). It's not a good practice to overcommit CPU's. Best practice is to use as less as possible and just as many as really needed. Overcomitting CPU's could reduce your overall performance significantly!

André

[genTaliaru]

Before the install it was set to 2 CPUS

[genTaliaru]

I want to that XP user maximues capabilities of the CPU, cause the XP is gonna calculate hard calculations of sheet optimization.

I have tried everything, but still no use so far.