Windows XP only detects 1 core with my amd 4400 dual-core system

[SolMiester]

Slider, If you still cant select the proper HAl for your processore, I suggest doing a repair of XP, booting to the CD, and selecting 'Repair'

 

[SolMiester]

Slider, when you installed the operating system, as the motherboard BIOS only saw 1 processor core, the windows operating system only loaded with HAL (Harware abstraction Layer) drivers to control 1 cpu core. Now that BIOS is fine, window required new drivers to control 2nd core, so yes, windows only running on 1 core.

I am unsure why you dont have the drivers to swap listed when we go to change them as I do with my single core cpu install, however, as above, a windows xp repair should do the trick by deleting config files only and reinstalling its drivers and configuration files. Only take 5 min to do on your system, and you will need to service pack and update again.

 

[Slider821]

I went through the repair setup thing after booting from my cd, but I got stuck when it had me choose which windows drive to repair. There was only one option to choose (i have windows installed on only one drive) and so I chose that one, and then it just said
C:\Windows

and it wanted me to type something in...
Im going to do it one more time, but I'm unsure of what it asks me to do after that step.

 

[SolMiester]

You should not have to type anything! After pressing 'Esc", it will search for current windows installations, and show you the result, you go okay and off it goes deleting exist config files and replacing with new ones

 

[Slider821]

Press any key to boot from CD...
I hit enter.
It boots up, after everything is set up, it gives me an option screen. I hit 'r' to Repair current windows installation, and it then asks me to choose the drive that windows is on, then it gives me a C:\Windows and it has a bunch of commands that I can choose. None of them is Config or Delete config or anything of the like. I am just as frustrated as you are, hehe.

EDIT: I just checked my C:\\Windows\Config folder and it is empty, set to 'view hidden files and folders'

 

[icarus4586]

I've never had the repair console do anything except what it's doing for slider. I figured all it was useful for was manually copying files and such.
If you haven't done too much on this install, it might just be easier to do a clean re-install of XP. If you wanted to try the x64 version, I'd say go for it. I've had it running on my system for the past couple months with good success. The only thing I haven't been able to find a driver for is my printer. Since I don't often use my printer anyway, I'm over it. Look up your hardware first to make sure it's compatible, but most stuff is.

 

[SolMiester]

Slider, The repair function has found the current install of windows at C:\windows, you then hit enter for it to repair. We are not talking about the recovery console here!

 

[Slider821]

haha SolMiester, I had just about given up hope and then I decide to do the option "Install windows XP" instead of use recovery console. Well after 35 minutes of repairing, it is back to my desktop, pratically nothing works (including the internet connection setup wizard, so I can't go on the internet with my desktop, 56k = lame), except now it reads my AMD 4400 X2 dual core, and is showing two graphs!

Thanks soooo much to Solmiester and RichUK and everyone else who has helped me on this topic.
I will be downloading the new updates for windows and getting everything back to working again, but I don't (think) I need help with that. Thanks so much again, I couldn't have figured it out without you guys.

 

[Duvie]

Oh you guys are geniuses....This has been solved many times before...I run home...always have and dual core has worked since the day I got it about 4 months ago...

Interesting sidebar...about 3 days ago window did some updates and now....

windows HAS ONE GRAPH....1 core fully loaded is now just 50% on one graph....2 cores of FH loaded and I have 100%...i double checked it with someof my encoding and everything is right.....Microsoft must have changed something...make sure multi is enabled in system properties, have 2 cpus there as well, and you should be fine...

 

[SolMiester]

Duvie, we weren't looking for medals mate, just trying to help the poster! Jeez, whats with the troll?

 

[Topweasel]

Wow, Just read this in a hurry, so If I missed it please tell me. But if your seeing two entries in the Device manager then your system reconizes it. Have you gone to task manager, then view, their should be a selection for graphs. If their is choose one graph for each CPU.

Edit:

Just got to look at a HT machine. If you go to the performance tab on the task manager, got to view, CPU history, Choose One Graph Per CPU.

 

[Slider821]

See, I was seeing two entries in Device manager under Processors, and in System, it showed that I had the correct processor (amd 4400 x2) but when I went into task manager > Performance > View > CPU History > the box was grayed out to check. That was my main problem...after my first problem had been resolved.



As a summary of the whole 4 page post, I shall recap the procedures to fix this problem.

If your system doesn't know what processor you are using:
Use AsusUpdate(Or your motherboard company's update utility which can be found on the CD) and choose 'Update BIOS from a file". Download the most recent bios update from the ASUS website (can be found here (BIOS version 1017) . Click next and browse for the file you just downloaded, click Open.
The update utility will proceed with updating your BIOS, when complete it will ask you to restart. Once restarted your motherboard should recognize the CPU.

However, because XP was installed when the motherboard DID NOT recognize that I had a Dual Core processor, it installed the ACPI for a Unicore processor only (Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager > +Computer). If your ACPI says 'ACPI Multiprocessor PC', then windows recognizes the dual core properties of the processor. If it says 'Advanced Configuration and Power Interface PC', then follow these steps to correct it.
1. Click Scan for Hardware Changes
2. Click on Update Driver > Install from specified location (advanced) > Don't search > then choose the 'ACPI Multiprocessor PC' from the list.

If 'ACPI Multiprocessor PC' is not on the list, then windows did not install it when windows was installed becuase Windows did not see a need for it (It initally thought you had a single core processor). You will have to do a repair to windows (or a fresh install, whichever suits you)

To Repair:
Insert the windows installation cd and reboot computer, then 'hit any key boot from disc...' after system restarts.

Do NOT do the Recovery Console, rather hit Enter to "install Windows XP"
Windows will follow a few more steps and then start repairing your OS. This took me 35 minutes and I needed to re-enter my CD key, so be prepared. After it was complete, Windows XP recognized my correct CPU in the Cntl Pnl > System, in the Device Manager under Computer, and in the Task Manager, I was able to see two graphs and Choose View > CPU History > 'One graph per CPU' or 'One graph, all CPU's'.

This is my complete Fix.

Thanks again

 

[harobikes333]

I'm going to put this in my favorites for when I build my dual core

 

[SolMiester]

The moral of the story........is to ensure you flash the BIOS to recognise your CPU before installing Windows...LOL