What's required to take advantage of a 64-bit or dual core CPU?

[Toasty]

Title says most of it, but here's some example questions:

1. Can a 64-bit application run on a 32-bit OS, but still take advantage of a 64-bit processor?

2. How do programs take advantage of dual core processors:
Does the OS have to be written for dual core CPUs, but then make it seem to the program like it's giving it regular threads?
Does the OS not have to be special, but the program has to be written specially for dual core CPUs?
Do both the OS and the program have to be written specially for dual core CPUs?

Sorry if that's worded a little awkwardly, but I'm pretty clueless as to what goes on under the hood.

 

[dukenukem]

In order to take advantage of a 64bit program you wil nedd windowsxp 64 version if i'm not mistaken.For dual cores the games and programs have to be programmed to recognize it's a dual core and take advantage of it so in other words if the program or game isn't coded to support it it won't take advantage of bothe cores.

 

[Eagle]

In order to take advantage of a 64bit program you wil nedd windowsxp 64 version if i'm not mistaken.For dual cores the games and programs have to be programmed to recognize it's a dual core and take advantage of it so in other words if the program or game isn't coded to support it it won't take advantage of bothe cores.

Thats correct and incorrect at the same time, generally 64 bit applications are meant for Windows x64, however some were made before it was out (aka FarCry 64). The latter of the two do not require a 64 OS, they are technically not fully 64 bit, but they do take some advantage of the processor.

 

[Doomulation]

To take advantage of dual core, the applications need mostly only be multi-threaded (use more than one thread), as each thread will run on a different processor generally. Or maybe not. That's up windows to decide...

 

[Toasty]

Okay, so 64-bit applications can take advantage of 64-bit processing without a 64-bit OS, but not many do? (I get that right?) As far as dual core processors, though...

For dual cores the games and programs have to be programmed to recognize it's a dual core and take advantage of it so in other words if the program or game isn't coded to support it it won't take advantage of bothe cores.

To take advantage of dual core, the applications need mostly only be multi-threaded (use more than one thread), as each thread will run on a different processor generally. Or maybe not. That's up windows to decide...

... :blush: I'm still a little confused. Guess I still need a little clarification. Thanks.

 

[Stezo2k]

Okay, so 64-bit applications can take advantage of 64-bit processing without a 64-bit OS, but not many do? (I get that right?) As far as dual core processors, though...

... :blush: I'm still a little confused. Guess I still need a little clarification. Thanks.

nah i'm pretty sure that you need a 64 bit os to run any 64 bit designed software

 

[Toasty]

:huh:

 

[Doomulation]

64-bit compiled software will ONLY run on a 64-bit OS. 32-bit software will run on both 32-bit OS and 64-bit OS.

 

[jdsony]

64-bit compiled software will ONLY run on a 64-bit OS. 32-bit software will run on both 32-bit OS and 64-bit OS.

True although some 32-bit software has some problems with Windows X64. For Dual cores software has to be written to take advantage of both cores but the real advantage is being able to do multiple things at once without getting the slowdown you get with single core cpu's. Being able to encode a movie or zip files while playing a game for example. You don't need special software to take advantage of that.

 

[Toasty]

Being able to encode a movie or zip files while playing a game for example. You don't need special software to take advantage of that.

Cool, that's exactly the kind of stuff I wish I could do now. So no special software or OS would be required to take advatage of that? (I see dual cores in my future. )

 

[Doomulation]

Nope. Windows automatically splits threads on both cpus, so both the game and your background tasks will get cpu time.

 

[Toasty]

:drool::bounce::bouncy::bounce::drool:

That's cool. Thanks for the info.

 

[Eagle]

Cool, that's exactly the kind of stuff I wish I could do now. So no special software or OS would be required to take advatage of that? (I see dual cores in my future. )

AMD is working on a dual core 64bit proccessor. Then you can get the best of both worlds.

 

[-Shadow-]

I thought the current Dualcore Athlons are capable for 64bit lain:

 

[Clements]

Yep, all Athlon64s are 64-bit, including the Athlon64 X2s.

 

[Eagle]

Yep, all Athlon64s are 64-bit, including the Athlon64 X2s.

I wasnt aware the X2s were released lol. Ok, well you can have the best of both worlds now then.

 

[Stezo2k]

I wasnt aware the X2s were released lol. Ok, well you can have the best of both worlds now then.

yeah, they've been out for about a month or 2 mate

they aint cheap, but they've just bought out a x2 3800 which is much better value for money apparently they overclock well too

 

[Toasty]

Yeah, I've been looking through lots of them and I'm definitely going to put off buying a new CPU until I can afford one of these X2's.

 

[Doomulation]

Power hungry, hum, hum...
Ah, food!
Okay, the point is, dual cores suck up more power which equals to higher costs.

 

[Clements]

While that's true of the Pentium D, the Athlon X2 CPUs utilise the 90nm process, so use less power than the 130nm single core Athlon64 CPUs, and slightly more than the 90nm single core CPUs. Interestingly, the X2 4800+ consumes less power than all of the 90nm Pentium 4 CPUs.

http://www.anandtech.com/cpuchipsets/showdoc.aspx?i=2410&p=2
http://techreport.com/reviews/2005q2/pentiumd-820/index.x?pg=15