A definitive answer on dual processors...

I'd like to know the following... this would probably be a question directly for Art. I looked around on the forum and haven't found much on this.


IF I have a dual processor system, IS there a process, specifically the pulsing engine or whatever, that I can select, and give high priority and affinity to one processor, so as to avoid hiccups when I do something rash like zoom in on a tool path or change screens while the machine is running?

Any thoughts?

Andy Baker

Is there any answers to this question?
Is there any advantage in having two or four cores?
 

I think the OS decides which processor to use for any one task and doesn't make this a user selectable thing. Or does it ?.
It was certainly shown in the early R.I.S.C. computers that multiple processors allowed multitasking and faster throughput of code but that was before the availability of 3GHz plus home PC's.

Tweakie.

something rash like zoom in on a tool path or change screens while the machine is running

I don't have a definitive answer for you. If you get blips on the driver test screen, while the test is running, ie; you  move the mouse or whatever, then you know that you are affecting Mach's process.  When dry running a program I do just about anything, but, when actually running a the machine, would recommend not playing around.

In diagnostics you will find a pulse frequency reading and the closer to and more stable to the Kernel speed the better.
My Assus pc has an AMD 64x2 and i see no change in the pulse frequence when fooling around as compared to some of my other pc's which will change significantly.


RICH

Thanks,

I think the OS decides which processor to use for any one task and doesn't make this a user selectable thing. Or does it ?.

Through a combination of the task manager and a program called Prio you can set which processor a process is allowed to execute on. (Prio saves your settings that task manager forgets)

I have had a disaster or two which taught me not to play with the PC while cutting, which is also the reason I wondered about the idea of presetting all processes except those involved with Machs driver to execute on one CPU and leave the other exclusively for that process... 
Might have a play one day....