Someone answer this question...

[liambiscuit]

Ok... Got a notebook for X-mas. Dual core processor, real sweet gaming PC for a notebook, but i ran into... I was going to say problem, but it more of a question. look at this. (VISTA HOME x64, HP Pavilion dv5 BTW)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/17676123@N02/3175203799/

(Anyone mind telling me how to actually display the image on the forum?, thanks)

The top is under Start -> Right click on Computer -> Manage -> In the window that opens, hit device manager

Under processors, i have TWO. I understand i have a Dual Core processor, but that should show up as one processor, shouldn't it? and the processors are labeled BOTH as dual core so... Do I have two processors? computer error?

On bottom, is a screenie of Task Manager.

This is even odder (to me, never owned a dual core [or quad for that matter] in my life) there are TWO sections under CPU usage history...

Bottom line... well question... is Do i have dual processors or not? Is that enough information? If not, Is there a way to check on my own?

Thanks in advance
Arti

[patio]

A dual core will show up this way...
A Quad which i have shows up as 4 CPU's...
This is normal and has more to do with how Windows reports things than any flaw in your system.

Enjoy the new machine.

[liambiscuit]

Aaw... *censored*. was hoping for 2 CPU's =P

[BC_Programmer]

a Dual Core CPU, at it's core (pardon the pun) is two CPUs.

I believe the only difference between a Dual Core and two CPUs is that the cores share Cache.

[fgdn17]

a Dual Core CPU, at it's core (pardon the pun) is two CPUs.

I believe the only difference between a Dual Core and two CPUs is that the cores share Cache.

no they may share cache...not always. google it...

[BC_Programmer]

usually they will have their own L1 Cache.
but will share the L2 Cache.

If a board supports two processors which both have on-Die L1 and L2 cache, then they're caches will be independent.

Difference being two Processors that are P3-s or up or K6-2's or up will both have independent L1 and L2 cache RAM whereas a Dualcore almost always shares the L2 cache while some models will have separate L1 caches for each processor to decrease the need to synchronize the CPU's access to the cache.