Re: cpu usage hovers around 50%
In reality, I think you are cheating yourself maintaining this view. You
seem to think the CPU is being limited to run at half it's speed but the 50%
you see is a 'usage' percentage. If you compare your present situation with
having a single core CPU of the same clock frequency, the fact that your
sofware is single threaded means you are having the resources of one spare
CPU to do other things while your CAD project is running at full speed. You
are the only one who can tell if that is a bonus. If it isn't, then at least
it is nobody's fault unless you have alternative software to chose from that
can do your work in multiple threads.
If two guys are given the task of assembling a chickenshed with only one set
of hand tools, that doesn't have to mean they are not working at full
speed - the workforce is only utilized to 50% and if each were having his
own set of tools the job could be finished somewhat sooner, but probably not
in half the time, since working as a team together will be more efficient
anyhow. It is much the same thing for the OS, there is a lot going on under
the surface besides the things you start yourself and all of that will
benefit from not running in a congested environment, while you are doing
your CAD 'thing'.
For myself, my system runs much of the time at 50% or less but I can start
the Flightsimulator and defrag the partition it runs from at the same time,
and if my Anti-Virus then decides to do it's on-line updating while I'm
taking off in the middle of all of this, I don't notice even the briefest
attempt at hesitation. To me that is certainly a bonus!
It's up to you to see it, though. Make an effort to be happy!
(You could even try and start a specifically heavy bit of your CAD problem
solving and the Defragger at the same time while keeping an eye on the
percentage figure - back up first!)
Tony. . .
"cpw" <cpw@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
news:8C982FAE-8211-432D-A1DA-57BE54FF9612@microsoft.com...
> It is CATIA and it is not multi-thread as told by the agent.
>
> The XP64 is running 50% on each core that is shown on the cpu usage
history,
> so it is 50% overall. In the Quad core case, I guess each core is running
at
> 25% as well so the total is 25%. I am wondering if the OS considers the
cpu
> as only one piece despite of the number of core.
>
> Thus, I assume that it is the OS who limits the percentage of cpu
> utilization. Over-clocking or buying a faster cpu are not options for me.
> BTW, as the cpu power is there, why shouldn't I be able to use them all?
>
>
>
>
>
> "Martin G" wrote:
>
> > What CAD package is it ? Is it multi threaded (sounds like it is not) ?
If
> > it is not the behaviour you are seeing is as expected. You have 2 cores
so
> > when showing 50% the PC is using half of it total available processing
power
> > i.e one core.
> >
> > A couple of our workstations have Quad core CPU's in them however when
> > running our 3D package, which is not multi threaded the CPU usage shows
25%.
> >
> > If you want the calculation time to reduce then you could overclock your
CPU
> > or buy a faster one.
> >
> > Regards
> >
> > Martin
> >
> > "cpw" <cpw@discussions.microsoft.com> wrote in message
> > news:AD100A3D-8A44-4669-A024-FA88B4E17EAB@microsoft.com...
> > > I am using Win XP Pro x64 at work for 3D CAD. The cpu usage hovers
around
> > > 50% when the 3D CAD is doing calculations. Most of the time the HD is
> > idling
> > > and I have enough memory for the job, so I presume these two items are
not
> > > dragging the system. I can tell I am spending an hour per day
> > accumulatively
> > > on waiting and I certainly want to cut this down.
> > >
> > > There is a hotfix KB896256 for the XP SP2, but it seems not for the 64
bit
> > > machine as the installation warns me "This KB896256 is for a different
> > > hardware platform." Has anyone experienced the same and is there any
> > other
> > > tweak?
> > >
> > >
> > > Hardware:
> > > ASUS P5K
> > > Intel Core 2 Duo E6550
> > > 8GB DDR2 800MHz
> > > NVidia Quadro FX1500
> > > Seagate 250GB HDD
> >
> >
> >