Dual Processors

Hi!
I am running Windows 2000 on a dual processor tyan motherboard, with only one processor in right now. If I upgrade to two processors, will I have to reinstall Windows? Also, will my computer take advantage of the second processor, or will only specific programs use it? Can I have windows run one program on one processor and another on the other processor?

Thanks for any help!

-Brad Larson

 

I've never run two processors; but, I know someone who does and a lot of shop talk floats here about it. My understanding is that Windows 2000 will not see the two as one. It sees them as separate and divides the work between them; one processor runs the OS only and the other runs applications.

As a point of interest, Linux sees multiple processors as a single one and thus makes more efficient use of them.

In my opinion, Linux is superior in this respect, hands down.

 

You can change the computer type in device manager without reinstalling. Only if you change the ACPI setting do you have to reinstall.

 

Hi,

One real gotcha to take into consideration is the steeping of the processors, they need to be the same if you want smooth running, or just a blue screen once a week not every 15 Minutes or so.