topic Disable processors in ProLiant Servers (ML,DL,SL)

Disable processors

s.lansley — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 10:09:24 GMT

Hi,

Does anyone know out there if it is possible to have say four cpu's in a DL580 but have one or more disabled using the BIOS?

The reason I ask, is that in the near future I may wish to upgrade Windows 2003 to support increased numbers of cpu's without having to take the server down for any length of time

Cheers

Si

Re: Disable processors

Andrzej Kowalik — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 10:24:04 GMT

You do nat have such option available.
You can always see all processors.
iCOD is in PA-RISC...

regards
Andrzej Kowalik

Re: Disable processors

s.lansley — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 10:50:35 GMT

Thanks Andrzej

I thought that might be the case.

Do you if the fact is mentioned in any HP documentation?

Cheers

Si

Re: Disable processors

Andrzej Kowalik — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 12:00:03 GMT

I know that processor disabling is NOT mentioned in any HP document ;-)...
I never heard about such feature in x86 servers.

regards,
Andrzej Kowalik

PS. I knaw, I am only forum user, and any links to HP documents...
Andrzej Kowalik
HP MASE High Availability & Clustering
HP ASE Proliant Servers
:))

PS. Maybe boot.ini switch /numproc, is a way to workaround problem?
AK

Re: Disable processors

Brian_Murdoch — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 13:51:37 GMT

Hi,

If you have a Uniprocessor HAL loaded and 4 physical CPU's installed it will only "see" one CPU. This is common in Windows 2000 when the wrong HAL is loaded. In your case you could use this to limit the CPU's.

I don't know if that suits but it should do the trick other than whip the CPU's out.

Regards,

Brian

Re: Disable processors

s.lansley — Tue, 18 Apr 2006 14:13:43 GMT

Hi Guys,

Thanks for your input.

I hadn't thought of looking at it like that Brian, that might be the way to go.

Cheers again

Si

Re: Disable processors

Hugo Teerds — Thu, 20 Apr 2006 13:44:18 GMT

Brians solution is ok for seeing only one processor, however the computer needs a restart to use the other HAL. So it only works for you when that down-time is acceptable.
Haaving said that, I do not know of any other way to accomplish what you ask.

Hugo.

Re: Disable processors

Stephen Kebbell — Fri, 21 Apr 2006 02:16:50 GMT

Hi,

The BIOS will always see the processors, but you can use the /numproc=x option in boot.in to force Windows to only use x CPUs.

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833722/en-us

Regards,
Stephen