How to make Windows 2008 R2 see 4 CPU cores, with two single core processors , Hyperthreading enabled

Question

I had server with old Xeon DP and Windows 2008 R2 , With hyperthreading enabled OS saw 2 CPU cores. Recently I've added second same Xeon DP , but OS steel sees 2 CPU cores. I did uninstall all cpu's as in Microsoft KB (tried reinstall also).

The situation is : Two same processors are in server.

• When hyperyhreading is enabled, OS sees 1 processor (in system info
  window) with 2 CPU cores (in task manager). (device manager shows 4
  CPUs)

• When HyperThreading is disabled, OS sees 2 processors (in system info windows) with 2 CPU cores (in task manager). (device manager shows 2 CPUs)

How to make Windows 2008 R2 see 4 CPU cores, with two single core hyperthreading-enabled processors ?

Solution

After hours of digging into ways to change HAL in Win2008R2, I've met advice in technet to another question to edit advanced boot setting via msconfig (lowering cpu number , concerning that exact question).

I did following: run msconfig.exe under boot tab click advanced options and unchecked "Number of Processors" checkbox. It was checked with number 2 (maximum allowed number present in list) before.

Then I rebot and voila! Have 4 cores present in Task Manager. Have 4 numbers available in the list in "Number of Processors" in advanced options in msconfig.

Shaitan Have no idea why and when boot options were changed before problem arises but now everything is ok.

Comments

[David Schwartz]

What edition? This may well be a licensing issue.

[Giordano Ferrari]

As @DavidSchwartz said, which edition are you using? Also, it must be the same exact model/part number Xeon as the one currently installed. Sometimes, you can buy the same model - however, it could be a little different. I've run into this issue with Dell before. I would double check to make sure they're identical.

[Zoredache]

If you boot a Linux LiveCD does it see all the processors you expect?

[SalimQrdl]

WIndows 2008 R2 Standart edition, Both Procs are are completly identical same part number, This is HP dl 380 g4 with two Xeon DP Irwindale 3.6 Ghz 2mb. On same server model this two procs were seen as 4 cpu cores in win2008r2 but hyperthreading was enabled during OS install. As I understand there are settings in windwos registry that are controlling os behavior about number of cpu and cores. OS device manager sees 4 cpu cores with Hyperthreading enabled and 2 cpu cores with Hyperthreading disabled

[SalimQrdl]

Actually I had 3 servers : 1 with 1 xeon 3.0 , 1 with 2 Xeon 3.2 , 1 with 2 xeon 3.6 (second and third servers had 4 CPU cores wisible). Last with 2 xeon 3.6 died (ilo not intializing) so I replaced 1 CPU on first server with two CPUs from last server.

[SalimQrdl]

Well I've checked what @Cole said. Indeed CPUs are different first Family/model/stepping/revision F 4 3 N0, second is F 4 A R0, It is strange cause I had 4 CPU cores with this CPUs on another server win2008r2. Maybe I have to swap 1st and 2nd CPU, move newer stepping to 1st cpu socket.

[SalimQrdl]

I've tried what @Zoredache said. Linux from SmartStart cd shows /proc/cpuinfo as follows: Processor N , Family, model, stepping, phisicalID, siblings, cores : Proc0/15/4/3/3/2/1 ; Proc1/15/4/10/0/2/1; Proc2/15/4/10/0/2/1; Proc3/15/4/3/3/21; So Linux see all 4 CPU cores hyperthreading works. Windows device manager also shows 4 CPUs, howewer e.g.CPU-Z sees only 2 (1 cpu 2 threads if HT enabled, 2 CPU 1 thread each if HT disabled)

[SalimQrdl]

Well I've tried 2 completly same CPUs event stepping and revision were equal. Same picture. On another same server with same OS this 2 CPU show 4 cores in task manager. What type of licensing issue it could be? This is win2008 r2 standard edition Volume licence (actually my manager gave me product key).