Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Discussions related to using VirtualBox on Windows hosts.
chiwalfrm
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Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by chiwalfrm »

Image

I set 4 CPU's in Guest settings.
Guest is Windows XP SP32 32-bit
Fresh install, no Windows Updates yet, but did install Guest Additions
My Computer --> Properties in Guest shows 4 CPU's. But Task Manager --> Performance shows only 1.

Thank you for your help.
scottgus1
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by scottgus1 »

If you installed XP with only one processor, and then raised the processor count afterward, XP won't recognize the new processors. You'll have to reinstall. (It has to do with the HAL chosen by XP when it's installed. There's single-processor and multi-processor versions.)

Also, the type of processor/motherboard/BIOS that is in your host has something to do wth it. Certain settings related to virtualization have to be enabled to get multiple processors in a virtual machine. Maybe you've already got them enabled, because Virtualbox let you choose more than one processor. Someone more knowledgeable than me can now step in and tell you exactly what to look for.
chiwalfrm
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by chiwalfrm »

There is no way other than re-install Windows? That's terrible. I got all my apps installed and configured alread,y and now the only option is start over just to add additional v-CPU's? It really takes away the point of using VM's (e.g. can add memory/CPU virtually to scale up/down with demand on the VM).
Sasquatch
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by Sasquatch »

Why don't you check what's under the View menu in Task Manager?
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

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squall leonhart
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by squall leonhart »

scottgus1 wrote:If you installed XP with only one processor, and then raised the processor count afterward, XP won't recognize the new processors. You'll have to reinstall. (It has to do with the HAL chosen by XP when it's installed. There's single-processor and multi-processor versions.)

Also, the type of processor/motherboard/BIOS that is in your host has something to do wth it. Certain settings related to virtualization have to be enabled to get multiple processors in a virtual machine. Maybe you've already got them enabled, because Virtualbox let you choose more than one processor. Someone more knowledgeable than me can now step in and tell you exactly what to look for.
you don't have to reinstall, there is a method to force the acpi multiprocessor hal to install.
chiwalfrm
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by chiwalfrm »

I finally figured it out.

Go here: http://sites.google.com/site/eddypaesse ... eprocessor

Download the ZIP file Halu-0.2.0.zip. But the tool did not work on my Windows XP SP3 32-bit Guest. Instead, you want the ZIP file for the devcon.exe binary inside.

Then read the following:
http://tecbites.blogspot.com/2009/09/si ... ndows.html

Then type the following commands in Command Prompt:

devcon sethwid @ROOT\ACPI_HAL\0000 := +acpiapic_mp !acpiapic_up
devcon update c:\windows\inf\hal.inf acpiapic_mp
jorgensen
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by jorgensen »

I have been there and you will not gain any performance increase, and likely XP will become sluggish.
Stay with one CPU, and if the performance is not adequate change to Windows 7 for more CPUs.
There have been several threads about this.
mpack
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by mpack »

jorgensen wrote:Stay with one CPU, and if the performance is not adequate change to Windows 7 for more CPUs.
Is there evidence that Win7 VMs do any better in this regard?
jorgensen
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by jorgensen »

mpack wrote:Is there evidence that Win7 VMs do any better in this regard?
Only my own experience.
No notable sluggishness with more CPUs, and all are in use when doing heavy processing.
Sasquatch
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by Sasquatch »

Oh for crying out loud. He just wants to show the cores in task manager and I already suggested the following:
Sasquatch wrote:Why don't you check what's under the View menu in Task Manager?
Let the poor guy alone with the performance here and HAL there. He'll figure it out sooner or later anyway.
Read the Forum Posting Guide before opening a topic.
VirtualBox FAQ: Check this before asking questions.
Online User Manual: A must read if you want to know what we're talking about.
Howto: Install Linux Guest Additions
Howto: Use Shared Folders on Linux Guest
See the Tutorials and FAQ section at the top of the Forum for more guides.
Try searching the forums first with Google and add the site filter for this forum.
E.g. install guest additions site:forums.virtualbox.org

Retired from this Forum since OSSO introduction.
mpack
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by mpack »

Sasquatch wrote:Oh for crying out loud. He just wants to show the cores in task manager and I already suggested the following:
Sasquatch wrote:Why don't you check what's under the View menu in Task Manager?
I've been wondering what you were referring to. Below is what's under the View menu in Task manager in my basic XP Pro VM.

I see nothing there about number of cores, and I wouldn't expect there to be, unless XP was installed with a multiprocessor HAL (and this VM wasn't).
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Last edited by mpack on 17. Mar 2011, 10:57, edited 1 time in total.
jorgensen
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by jorgensen »

mpack wrote:I see nothing there about number of cores, and I wouldn't expect there to be, unless XP was installed with a multiprocessor HAL (and this VM wasn't).
You must select the Performance tab to see it.
mpack
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by mpack »

jorgensen wrote:You must select the Performance tab to see it.
Oh, I see - there's a "CPU history" item on the menu: it's unclear what that will do unless I add more cores, which I'm not prepared to do on a dual core host.
Perryg
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by Perryg »

mpack wrote:
jorgensen wrote:You must select the Performance tab to see it.
Oh, I see - there's a "CPU history" item on the menu: it's unclear what that will do unless I add more cores, which I'm not prepared to do on a dual core host.
Hi Don,
I did install XPpro x86_32 SP3 with io apic enabled (requires VT-x/AMD-v) and set the guest to use both cores on a dual core machine. It did improve the guest some (more than I thought it would) and I see no performance degradation on the host doing so. I also tested using HALu and while it did enable the feature it did not perform as well as the native install of multi-processor. Probably why MS does not suggest it and pretty much says if you want multi to install with multi.
scottgus1
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Re: Cannot see multiple cpu in Guest (Win XP SP3 32-bit)

Post by scottgus1 »

I sure hope "chiwalfrm" doesn't come back to check on his post.

I would be livid to find someone moderating a public forum, set up for the ostensible purpose to help me, calling me a "censored". (Thank you, administrator, for editing, I did not like even to have to type this word to highlight its inappropriateness to the offending poster).

Let's have a little more dignity and control, please, Sasquatch?
Last edited by scottgus1 on 17. Mar 2011, 12:50, edited 2 times in total.
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