OT: dual-core or 64 bit?
Rick Stevens
rstevens at vitalstream.com
Wed Jan 31 00:43:43 UTC 2007
On Tue, 2007-01-30 at 23:03 +0000, David Fletcher wrote:
> On Sunday 28 January 2007 22:07, Jonathan Berry wrote:
> > On 1/28/07, Mick Mearns <off_by_1 at yahoo.com> wrote:
> > > Hi list;
> > > this is off topic.
> > >
> > > I was wondering which is better a dual-core x86 cpu or an x64 cpu?
> > > Which is actually faster/better in "normal" use?
> > > How about installation problems and hardware cost?
> > >
> > > I am not planning any upgrades just yet but am curios.
> >
> > Why not get a dual-core x86_64 CPU? All the AMD dual-core chips are
> > 64-bit and Intel's Core 2 Duo is 64-bit. Personally, I like AMD
> > better. There is really no reason to get a 32-bit only CPU anymore.
> > If you don't want to run 64-bit yet, you can still run 32-bit just
> > fine. And a 64-bit installation gives you the choice to run both.
> >
> > Jonathan
>
> If the List doesn't mind me staying off topic (it's closer to topic than
> servicing a Chevy pickup gearbox I think ;-) ):- Next time I build a new
> computer I'd like to be sure that I can run a Xen kernel with full
> virtualisation. Then when I occasionally need to poke a little finger into
> the Dark Side I can do so without having to shut down and reboot, and keep
> the damned thing backed up so I don't ever need to do a fresh install again.
>
> As I Understand It, if I go for an AMD chip I need to be sure to buy one that
> incorporates technology called Pacifica. Only thing that's troubling me about
> this is, I can't find any mention of Pacifica in connection with AMD chips in
> the component shops.
>
> Also, I believe I can't do it on this P4 computer because it can only do what
> is called paravirtualisation, requiring hooks to be added to the guest OS.
> Which is probably why I could run the 98SE installation CD OK when I played
> with it but it wouldn't boot.
>
> So, List, is the little bit I think I know about virtualisation correct?
>
> Are there chips available now that have Pacifica (such as the AMD Opterons) or
> are they not out yet?
Yes, they're out. The "official" name for Pacifica is "AMD-V". The
Athlon64/X2 series has AMD-V, as does the Opteron 1xxx,2xxx and 4xxx
series (e.g. Opteron 1210).
If you "cat /proc/cpuinfo", look at the flags string. AMD chips with
AMD-V will have the "svm" flag. Intel chips will have the "vmx" flag.
I have an AMD Athlon64/X2 and an Opteron 1210. Here's the procinfo
for each. First, the Athlon64/X2:
[root at labrat1 ~]# cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
vendor_id : AuthenticAMD
cpu family : 15
model : 75
model name : AMD Athlon(tm) 64 X2 Dual Core Processor 4600+
stepping : 2
cpu MHz : 2405.042
cache size : 512 KB
physical id : 0
siblings : 1
core id : 0
cpu cores : 1
fpu : yes
fpu_exception : yes
cpuid level : 1
wp : yes
flags : fpu tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr mca cmov pat pse36
clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp lm
3dnowext 3dnow pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm cr8_legacy
bogomips : 6014.10
TLB size : 1024 4K pages
clflush size : 64
cache_alignment : 64
address sizes : 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management: ts fid vid ttp tm stc
And now the Opteron 1210:
[root at bigdog ~]# cat /proc/cpuinfo
processor : 0
vendor_id : AuthenticAMD
cpu family : 15
model : 67
model name : Dual-Core AMD Opteron(tm) Processor 1210
stepping : 2
cpu MHz : 1808.283
cache size : 1024 KB
physical id : 0
siblings : 1
core id : 0
cpu cores : 1
fpu : yes
fpu_exception : yes
cpuid level : 1
wp : yes
flags : fpu tsc msr pae mce cx8 apic mtrr mca cmov pat pse36
clflush mmx fxsr sse sse2 ht syscall nx mmxext fxsr_opt rdtscp lm
3dnowext 3dnow pni cx16 lahf_lm cmp_legacy svm cr8_legacy
bogomips : 4521.67
TLB size : 1024 4K pages
clflush size : 64
cache_alignment : 64
address sizes : 40 bits physical, 48 bits virtual
power management: ts fid vid ttp tm stc
Note the "svm" flags on both machines. Both chips are AM2 sockets and
they're both dual-core.
----------------------------------------------------------------------
- Rick Stevens, Senior Systems Engineer rstevens at vitalstream.com -
- VitalStream, Inc. http://www.vitalstream.com -
- -
- The gene pool could use a little chlorine. -
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