Windows shows 4 CPU's instead of 2

[Ran Perry]

I have installed Win2000 Server and it show four CPU's instead of two!!
The Bios show two CPU's. How can I fixed that?

Server - Compaq ML 370

[Andrew Kwiecien]

Hyper-Threading - look it up

[Ran Perry]

Can you be more specific?

Thanks.

[Chris Moran · Accepted solution]

In most cases, you won't want to fix it. It's a good thing :)

However, if your software is licensed per CPU, this might cause you some heartache. In most machines I have looked at (not a 370 sorry), there is a setup option in the BIOS that allows you to disable hyperthreading.

I forget exactly when the Hyperthreading technology was added to the P4 CPU, but it lets the system "see" TWO processors when only one is physically present. In your case, you're lucky enough to have two of these chips so you get to see FOUR.

Intel are really cagey about how this stuff works, so I am guessing that they somehow uncouple the parallel execution units inside the CPU. But I might be a long way off there...

Cheers,