I have changed the "Computing Preferences" to 8 cores but Boinc doesn't seem to be able to see that there are 8 available for it to use. The Windows Vista 64bit system I am running is able to see all 8 cores and so I am stuck as to how to get Boinc to notice them all. Anyone know how to fix this please?

My system consists of...
1 x Intel Skulltrail, i5400 Express 771x2 PCI-E (x16) DDR2 ECC/Non-ECC 800MHz,
4 x 2GB Corsair DDR2 PC2-6400 (800MHz), 240 Pin, ECC Fully buffered, CAS 5-5-5-15,
2 x Intel Xeon E5472 3.00GHz Quad Core Processor
2 x XFX GTX280 1Gb PCI-Express Graphics card
1 x Vista Ultimate + SP1

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

Where did you change the preferences? On the web site or in your local advanced preferences in BOINC Manager?

I ask as the latter will override any of the same preferences on the web site. So if you set them on the web site, but the local preferences still say to use 50% of the processors, BOINC will only use 4.

That touches a second possibility... Which of the two options you set for it to use. In the local Advanced preferences for BOINC 6.2.19 you will only have the "On multiprocessors, use at most xxx% of the processors" preference, but on the web site it also has the option "On multiprocessors, use at most x processors"... this latter option is only for BOINC 5.10 and before, it will be ignored by BOINC 6 and above.

---

I had a look in the Boinc Manager Options on my pc now and there is nothing in there about how many processor cores it should use, everything else is set to max in there though as it was on the website.

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

See BOINC Manager->Advanced view->Advanced->Preferences->Processor usage.
"On multiprocessors, use at most xxx% of the processors" must be set to 100%. Anything lower and it will use less cores.

Same for the preferences in the global computing preferences.

---

Yeah I always use the advanced view and its set to 100% all the time.

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

OK, you sure that your BIOS is set to use all cores (or Hyperthreading in case your Xeons use that)? BOINC will read what the OS is telling how many cores there are to use.

Have you tried exiting BOINC fully and restarting it?

Does CPUZ see all 8 cores?

---

Ok, I just downloaded and ran CPUZ and it can only see 4 cores as well.
When I look in the Hardware on my pc though it says there are 8 cores.
I would have to reboot and check the bios to see if Hyperthreading is set, so I shall do that and come back to you on that issue.

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

Ok, I rebooted and went into the bios and couldn't find anything that mentioned Hyperthreading at all even after going through all the tabs and sub menus.

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

I just checked in the task manager on windows and it is only showing 4 cores. This is very wierd. I'm figureing now that it has to be something windows though. I shall have a look on google and see what I can find.

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

Bad news here............

Intel at this page says no hyperthreading on this CPU.

Unless I have found the wrong CPU (I hope).

---

Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....

According to this website...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-threading
A processor with Hyper-Threading enabled is treated by the operating system as two processors instead of one.

I don't want that so it looks like I don't need hyperthreading anyway. :oS ?

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

According to this website...
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hyper-threading
A processor with Hyper-Threading enabled is treated by the operating system as two processors instead of one.

Correct......4 actual cores + 4 cores with Hyper-Threading = 8 cores in the OS.

Your CPU apparently does not have Hyper-Threading so your left with 4 actual cores.

---

Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....

Ok, so does that mean that the 8 cores I have are all using 2 cores each to produce what looks like 4 cores or is my computer only going to use 4 cores to run boinc.

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

It means that your CPU has 4 actual cores on it and that is what is being used by the OS and Boinc.

[edit] If you wanted 8 cores you should have a cpu with 4 actual cores plus hyperthreading which would appear to the OS and Boinc as 8 cores.

---

Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....

But I have 2 x Quad core cpu's installed.
Is it even possible to get this pc to use all 8 cores in running boinc?

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

I just checked in the task manager on windows and it is only showing 4 cores. This is very wierd. I'm figureing now that it has to be something windows though. I shall have a look on google and see what I can find.

IT is ALSO possible that the BOOT.ini has a RESTRICTION for cores..I dont know WHY but I HAVE seen this before. I "borrowed" a file from another machine to fix my QUAD and ended up temporary crippling it to ONE core. Hope this helps.
When you were USING CPU-Z did you change the DROP down box to show Processor # 1 or Processor #2 it is on the BOTTOM left of the FIRST page of it. I would ALSO make sure I am using the LATEST version of that as I know there were some corrections made to recognize some of the NEWER processors.

Sorry BorgVampire, I was not aware that the Skulltrail MB was a dual CPU configuration. Someone more familiar with this should help you further.

---

Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....Boinc....

It means that your CPU has 4 actual cores on it and that is what is being used by the OS and Boinc.

[edit] If you wanted 8 cores you should have a cpu with 4 actual cores plus hyperthreading which would appear to the OS and Boinc as 8 cores.

HE has 2 CPUs on his machine EACH with 4 cores.. no hyperthreading NEEDED or else it would show as 16 cores. THE problem is getting it to RECOGNIZE his second CPU.

AND YES it is possible to use 8 cores to crunch for SETI on one machine there are others with the SKULLTRAIL that SHOULD be able to help you more with this problem I would imagine.

OK Geek@Play, thanks for the help you did give so far though anyway.

RQ2000 - I opened up CPUZ again and it is version 1.49 December 2008.
There is a drop down box with the words Processor #1 inside it but it is greyed out and will not open.

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}

OK RQ2000 I have left myself subscribed to this thread and so I can just hope that someone with a Skulltrail notices it and helps me out.
I am however much relieved to find that it is possible to run 8 cores on the Skulltrail for boinc as that is the main reason I bought the pc parts and built it.
It also cost a lot of dosh to do it and I would be well p***ed off it I had misplanned the build so badly.
Thanks for your help also and thanks to Ageless as well.

I shall wait and see who else notices my problem.

---

Resistence is futile! {evil cackle}