Is it worth the trouble to use 2 CPU's under W2K or NT 4.0

I would like some info from anyone that knows the advantages of them.

Thanks,

Exactly what troubles are you referring to?

I'm not having any trouble. I just want to find out some info on running Dual CPUs under either W2K or NT 4.0

I have 2 PIII 600's and a Supermicro P6DBU MB and just want to know if it's worth the trouble.

Well, IMHO, SMP does make a large difference to the OS as a whole.
(Anyone that has studied Multiprocessor systems and Distributed systems in computer science should back me up on this).

The main factors to consider are how much multi-tasking you will be doing, how many multi-threaded apps are you using, and you should realise that it will NOT be twice as fast (as Amdahls law suggests).

The other factor to consider is whether your apps are CPU bound or I/O bound (do they spend most of their time computing, or is there a lot of HD access?) If the latter, SMP will make little difference, as even one CPU would be waiting on the I/O.

However, in general use and when multi-tasking (given enough ram), an SMP system is wonderful. Especially if you have REAL multi-threaded apps (or run two copies of the same non-multi threaded apps at once)

So, in answer to your question - it IS worth the trouble. Even if it's just for the EXPERIENCE.

Morto.

Dude.. hehehe..
its like.. a volvgwagen and a jaguar.. hehehe

BUt of course is worth all!!! SMP it will be address to the next generation of pc for home users. Its been there for quite awhile for Servers and Power user Pc's. In the next millennium most of the software structure and OS will be talking advantage of SMP.
Windows 2000 its not address for home users.
It is simple as Win98 but wont have all the multimedia advantages of Win98.

Now MS is developing Windows "Millenniun" for people that are not interested to move to NT tech. In the first Q of 2001 we are getting another edition of Windows, the code name is "Neptune". This windows will provide everything that Win98 and Millennium has, but with the diference that it will have some NT touches like (SMP, Network Optimize, A REAL KERNEL!) and it will be address for home and multimedia users. Gaming and all that stuff.

Lets see what happends but im pretty sure that the future in computers is SMP.

You talked about this new "Neptune" os comming out... Isn't that what win2000 is? I mean it does all you business stuff... all your networking stuff... its stable but it has plug and play support. Open Gl support. And 95% of the games now probalby play on it. I mean it is NT more than it is win98 but almost every game or so that comes out now is NT compatable. I guess I don't see microsoft waisting there time with all these different verations of there OS... I got windows 2000 RC3 now and really like it. I got dual cpus and it's stable for the most part. When it becomes final I am getting it because I am just tired of win 98 and want something new... Not just another remake like 98 was to 95.

ASiDiE

The long term MS plan has always been a convergance of the different OSs. That is, one code-base for all the versions.

This can already be seen in the NT world - workstation, server, advanced server, data centre, enterprise, etc.

Ms had origianlly planned that w2k and the next rev of 9x would be the convergance point between the domestic and business worlds, but for a number of reasons that isn't happening this time round - instead the domestic user is getting "millenium".

The next rev of all the should be the convergance point, once all the IHVs start to make WDM drivers.

Regarding SMP, ALL GAMES WILL BENEFIT from an extra CPU under an SMP OS, as the OS itself is multi-threaded. You won't see 100% speed-up, maybe 10-15%

Also, if you run more than 1 app at the same time, like burn a CD, browse the web, IRC, USENET and stuff, SMP is for you!!!

I have an ide burner, and I can play qaake2, behold the beauty of smp