Hyper-threading

[Illumineo]

My application uses multiple-threads and is a kind of AI simulation or
ALife. This works fine but I was wondering if and how one can make use
of hyper-threading in C#?
Thanks for any hint, Francois

_______________ _____________
The Netron Project,
http://netron.sf.net

[Frans Bouma [C# MVP]]

Illumineo wrote:

My application uses multiple-threads and is a kind of AI simulation or
ALife. This works fine but I was wondering if and how one can make use
of hyper-threading in C#?

.NET threads are mapped on OS threads, so the OS will schedule these
threads and therefore if hyperthreading is enabled, the threads will
take advantage of that.

FB
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get LLBLGen Pro, productive O/R mapping for .NET: http://www.llblgen.com
My .NET blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/fbouma
Microsoft MVP (C#)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Dante]

Just a silly question: How do I enable hyperthreading? Is this an option in
the C# project or an option I have to set somewhere in the control panels or
is this a build in feature of the processor?

Ciao
Dante

"Frans Bouma [C# MVP]" <pe************ ******@xs4all.n l> schrieb im
Newsbeitrag news:Oi******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP09.phx.gbl...

Illumineo wrote:

My application uses multiple-threads and is a kind of AI simulation or
ALife. This works fine but I was wondering if and how one can make use
of hyper-threading in C#?

.NET threads are mapped on OS threads, so the OS will schedule these
threads and therefore if hyperthreading is enabled, the threads will
take advantage of that.

FB
--
------------------------------------------------------------------------
Get LLBLGen Pro, productive O/R mapping for .NET: http://www.llblgen.com
My .NET blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/fbouma
Microsoft MVP (C#)
------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Dante]

Thanks for the answers.

Well, then hyperthreading is just an eye catcher: As long I have a
hyperthreading CPU and an application with threats I get the Hyperthreading
technology for free, am I right?

Hyper, hyper...
"Wayne" <Me******@commu nity.nospam> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:ed******** *****@TK2MSFTNG P12.phx.gbl...

However, if it wasn't enabled when you installed windows I don't believe you will have the correct HAL and therefore may not be able to take full
advantage of the multi CPU's. You will need to install the correct one once you enable HT.

In Device manager you expand the Computer node, if you see multiprocessor PC (or something that indicates more than one CPU) you are fine. However, if
you see Uniprocessor PC, you'll want to go to it's properties and update
driver. Choose the driver manually to install. You will want to use the
Multiprocessor driver that matches the uniprocessor driver you have, in my
case it is an ACPI driver. Be sure you don't select the wrong one.

In the past I did some experimenting and found I could go from Multi to Uni in my machine, but was unable to go back to multi. Hopefully it was because I switched from one to the other. If you can't upgrade the driver to get the multi, you will need to reinstall windows with the HT enabled.

If all goes well you should see two CPU windows in the performance tab of
the Task Manager.

--
Thanks
Wayne Sepega
Jacksonville, Fl
"When a man sits with a pretty girl for an hour, it seems like a minute. But let him sit on a hot stove for a minute and it's longer than any hour.
That's relativity." - Albert Einstein

"Ollie Riches" <ol**********@p honeanalser.net > wrote in message
news:#I******** *****@TK2MSFTNG P15.phx.gbl...

hyper threading is enable by in the BIOS setting of the machine
--
HTH

Ollie Riches
http://www.phoneanalyser.net

Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in this forum are my own, and not
representative of my employer.
I do not answer questions on behalf of my employer. I'm just a programmer

helping programmers.
"Dante" <no****@thank.y ou> wrote in message
news:OF******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP10.phx.gbl...

Just a silly question: How do I enable hyperthreading? Is this an

option in

the C# project or an option I have to set somewhere in the control

panels

or

is this a build in feature of the processor?

Ciao
Dante

"Frans Bouma [C# MVP]" <pe************ ******@xs4all.n l> schrieb im
Newsbeitrag news:Oi******** ******@TK2MSFTN GP09.phx.gbl...
> Illumineo wrote:
> > My application uses multiple-threads and is a kind of AI

simulation or > > ALife. This works fine but I was wondering if and how one can make use > > of hyper-threading in C#?
>
> .NET threads are mapped on OS threads, so the OS will schedule these
> threads and therefore if hyperthreading is enabled, the threads will
> take advantage of that.
>
> FB
>
>
> --

------------------------------------------------------------------------

> Get LLBLGen Pro, productive O/R mapping for .NET: http://www.llblgen.com > My .NET blog: http://weblogs.asp.net/fbouma
> Microsoft MVP (C#)

------------------------------------------------------------------------

[Cor Ligthert]

Dante,

Beside your application there are a lot of other applications active.

You don't need to use an application with threads to have the benefit.

Cor

[Dante]

Ok, granted. I think even without my threads the application is running on
some threads.

I am just saying: If I would declare our application as hyperthreaded people
get impressed - "Wow, they are using hyperthreading technology". But in fact
we are only that HT technology because the OS is supporting it without that
I have do some tricky things to the application.
"Cor Ligthert" <no************ @planet.nl> schrieb im Newsbeitrag
news:%2******** ********@TK2MSF TNGP10.phx.gbl. ..

Dante,

Beside your application there are a lot of other applications active.

You don't need to use an application with threads to have the benefit.

Cor

[Cor Ligthert]

> Ok, granted. I think even without my threads the application is running on

some threads.

No it is not.

For the rest we do agree, in a lot of cases can using threading mean more
throughput time beside that it uses forever more processor time.

Cor

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Cor Ligthert <no************ @planet.nl> wrote:

Ok, granted. I think even without my threads the application is running on
some threads.

No it is not.

I disagree. Try running the following program and look at the number of
threads with something like prcview:

using System;
using System.Threadin g;

class Test
{
static void Main()
{
Thread.Sleep(50 000);
}
}

On my box at least, there are three threads in the process.

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too

[Larry Brasfield]

"Jon Skeet [C# MVP]" <sk***@pobox.co m> wrote in message
news:MP******** *************** *@msnews.micros oft.com...

Cor Ligthert <no************ @planet.nl> wrote:

> Ok, granted. I think even without my threads the application is running on
> some threads.

No it is not.

I disagree. Try running the following program and look at the number of
threads with something like prcview:

using System;
using System.Threadin g;

class Test
{
static void Main()
{
Thread.Sleep(50 000);
}
}

On my box at least, there are three threads in the process.

I would claim that "the application" is running on only a
single thread in that case. The console has its own thread,
but that is an OS feature, beneath the application in a very
real sense, usually invisible except with tools. Likewise,
there is a thread associated with the CLR VM that does
garbage collection. The VM is also properly considered
part of the platform, not the application. (I realize this is
a fine distinction that hinges upon definitions.)

Of course, if you insist that those 3 threads are part of
the application which runs the console and VM as DLLs,
I won't quibble any further about it. <g>

--
--Larry Brasfield
email: do************* **********@hotm ail.com
Above views may belong only to me.

[Jon Skeet [C# MVP]]

Larry Brasfield <do************ ***********@hot mail.com> wrote:

On my box at least, there are three threads in the process.

I would claim that "the application" is running on only a
single thread in that case. The console has its own thread,
but that is an OS feature, beneath the application in a very
real sense, usually invisible except with tools. Likewise,
there is a thread associated with the CLR VM that does
garbage collection. The VM is also properly considered
part of the platform, not the application. (I realize this is
a fine distinction that hinges upon definitions.)

Of course, if you insist that those 3 threads are part of
the application which runs the console and VM as DLLs,
I won't quibble any further about it. <g>

Given the context of the question, that's exactly what I'd say. In
terms of the number of threads running within the process - threads
which can take advantage of hyperthreading for sure - there are always
multiple threads in any .NET app. I doubt very much that the scheduler
cares whether the thread is running code written by the .NET developer
or code written by MS :)

(I don't know for sure whether hyperthreading works for multiple
processes - I suspect it would be a lot simpler not to support that at
the OS level, but I'm not an expect on hyperthreading. )

--
Jon Skeet - <sk***@pobox.co m>
http://www.pobox.com/~skeet
If replying to the group, please do not mail me too