Hyper-Threading - what is it? How to enable Hyper-Threading?

Many Intel processors include modules with support for Hyper-Threading Technology, which, according to the idea of the developers, should help increase the performance of the chip and speed up the PC as a whole. What is the specificity of this decision from an American corporation? How can I take advantage of Hyper-Threading?

Basic information about the technology

Consider the key information about Hyper-Threading. What is this technology? It was developed by Intel and presented to the public in 2001 for the first time. The purpose of its creation was to increase the performance of servers. The main principle implemented in Hyper-Threading is the allocation of processor calculations to several threads. And this is possible, even if only one core is installed on the corresponding type of chip (in turn, if there are 2 or more of them, and the threads in the processor are already distributed, the technology successfully complements this mechanism).

The operation of the main microcircuit of the PC within the framework of several flows is provided by creating copies of architectural states during the calculations. This involves the same set of resources on the chip. If the application uses the appropriate capability, then practically meaningful operations are performed much faster. It is also important that the technology in question is supported by the computer's input / output system, the BIOS.

Enabling Hyper-Threading

If the processor installed in the PC supports the corresponding standard, then, as a rule, it is automatically activated. But in some cases, you have to manually do the necessary actions to get the Hyper-Threading technology. How do I enable it? Very simple.

You must enter the main BIOS interface. To do this, at the very beginning of the computer boot, you need to press DEL, sometimes F2, F10, less often other keys, but the necessary one always appears in one of the lines of text displayed on the screen immediately after the PC is turned on. In the BIOS interface, you need to find Hyper-Threading: in its supporting I / O system versions, it is usually located in a prominent place. After selecting the appropriate option, you should press Enter and activate it, marking it as Enabled. If this mode is already set, then Hyper-Threading Technology is working. You can use all its advantages. After activating the technology in the settings, you should save all entries in the BIOS by selecting the Save and Exit Setup item. After that, the computer will reboot in the mode when the processor is running with Hyper-Theading support. Similarly, disabling Hyper-Threading. To do this, select the other option in the corresponding item - Disabled and save the settings.

Having studied how to enable Hyper-Threading and deactivate this technology, let's consider its features in more detail.

Hyper Threading Supported Processors

The first processor on which the company's concept was realized, according to some data - Intel Xeon MP, also known as Foster MP. This chip in a number of architectural components is similar to the Pentium 4, which also later realized the technology in question. Subsequently, the function of multi-threaded computing was implemented on Xeon server processors with Prestonia core.

If we talk about the current prevalence of Hyper-Threading - which "protsy" support it? Among the most popular microcircuits of this type are those that belong to the Core and Xeon families. Also there is information that similar algorithms are implemented in processors such as Itanium and Atom.

Having studied the basic information about Hyper-Threading, processors with its support, we will consider the most noteworthy facts related to the history of technology development.

History of development

As we noted above, Intel showed the concept in question to the public in 2001. But the first steps in the creation of technology were made in the early 90's. Engineers of the American company have noticed that the resources of the PC processors are not fully utilized in performing a number of operations.

As calculated by Intel specialists, during the user's work on the PC, the chip within a significant interval - almost the main part of the time - is not very active - about 30%. The opinions of experts on this figure are very different - some people think it is clearly understated, others - quite agree with the thesis of American developers.

However, most IT specialists agreed that, although not 70% of the processor's capacity is idle, but a very significant amount.

The main task of developers

Intel decided to fix this state of affairs due to a qualitatively new approach to ensuring the performance of the main PC chips. It was suggested to create a technology that would help more actively use the capabilities of processors. In 1996, Intel specialists began its practical development.

According to the concept of the American corporation, the processor, processing data from one program, could direct idle resources to work with another application (or component of the current one, but having a different structure and requiring the use of additional resources). The corresponding algorithm also assumed effective interaction with other hardware components of the PC - RAM, chipset, and also programs.

Intel managed to solve the task. Initially, the technology was called Willamette. In 1999, it was introduced into the architecture of some processors, and testing began. Soon the technology received a modern name - Hyper-Threading. What it was exactly - a simple re-branding or cardinal adjustments to the platform, is difficult to say. Further facts concerning the emergence of technology in the public and its implementation in various models of Intel processors, we are already known. Among the common names for development today are Hyper-Threading Technology.

Aspects of compatibility with technology

How well is the support for Hyper-Threading technology implemented in operating systems? It can be noted that if it is a question of modern versions of Windows, then there are no problems with the fact that the user fully utilizes the advantages of Intel Hyper-Threading Technology, will not arise. Of course, it's also very important that the technology is supported by the I / O system - as we said above.

Software and hardware factors

Regarding older OS versions - Windows 98, NT and relatively outdated XP, the necessary condition for compatibility with Hyper-Threading is ACPI support. If it is not implemented in the OS, then not all the computational flows that are formed by the corresponding modules will be recognized by the computer. Note that Windows XP as a whole provides for the benefits of the technology in question. It is also highly desirable that the algorithms for multithreading be implemented in the applications used by the owner of the PC.

Sometimes it may be necessary to replace the PC motherboard - if you install Hyper-Threading processors on it instead of those that were originally installed on it and were not compatible with the technology. However, as in the case of operating systems, there will be no special problems if the user has a modern PC or at least an appropriate Intel Core i5 processor for the hardware components . Hyper Threading, as we noted above, is implemented in the Core series, and the motherboard chipsets adapted to it fully support the corresponding functions of the chip.

Criteria for acceleration

If the computer at the level of hardware and software components is not compatible with Hyper-Threading, then this technology, in theory, can even slow it down. This situation caused some IT professionals to doubt the prospects of the solution from Intel. They decided that it was not a technological leap, but the marketing move underlies the concept of Hyper Threading, that it is an algorithm that, due to its architecture, can not significantly speed up the work of the PC. But the doubts of the critics were quickly dispelled by Intel engineers.

So, the basic conditions for the technology to be successfully used:

- Hyper-Threading support for the I / O system;

- compatibility of the motherboard with a processor of the appropriate type;

- Support for the technology of the operating system and a specific application running in it.

If the first two items do not have special problems, then in the aspect of compatibility programs with Hyper-Threading, some overlays may occur. But it can be noted that if the application supports, for example, work with dual-core processors, then it will be compatible, almost guaranteed, with technology from Intel.

At least there are studies confirming the growth in productivity of programs adapted to dual-core chips, by approximately 15-18%, if the processor runs Intel Hyper Threading modules. How to disable them - we already know (in case the user has doubts about the appropriateness of using the technology). But there are probably very few tangible reasons for their appearance.

Practical utility of Hyper-Threading

Did the technology in question give Intel a tangible competitive advantage ? There are different opinions on this matter. But many people have pointed out: Hyper-Threading technology became so popular that this solution became indispensable for many manufacturers of server systems, and it was also welcomed by ordinary PC users.

Hardware processing of data

The main advantage of the technology is that it is implemented in a hardware format. That is, the bulk of the calculations will be performed inside the processor on special modules, and not in the form of software algorithms transmitted to the level of the core of the chip - which would imply a reduction in overall PC performance. In general, as noted by IT experts, Intel engineers managed to solve the problem, which was determined by them at the beginning of the technology development - to make the processor function more efficiently. Indeed, as the tests have shown, when solving many practical problems for the user, the use of Hyper-Threading has significantly speeded up the work.

It can be noted that among the Pentium 4 processors, those chips that were equipped with support modules for the technology in question worked much more efficiently than the first modifications. In many respects it was expressed in the ability of the PC to function in real multitasking mode - when several different types of Windows applications are open, and it is highly undesirable that due to the activation of system resources consumption one of them reduces the speed of others.

Simultaneous solution of different tasks

Thus, processors with Hyper-Threading support are better adapted than microcircuits incompatible with it, to simultaneous launching, for example, a browser, playing music and working with documents. Of course, all these advantages are felt by the user in practice only if the software and hardware components of the PC are characterized by sufficient compatibility with such a mode of operation.

Similar developments

Hyper-Threading Technology is not the only one designed to improve PC performance through multithreaded computing. She has analogues.

For example, POWER5 processors, manufactured by IBM, also support multithreading. That is, each of the processor cores (in total there are 2 corresponding elements on it) can perform tasks within 2 threads. Thus, the microprocessor processes four computation flows simultaneously.

AMD also has excellent results in the field of multithreading concepts. So, it is known that in the architecture of Bulldozer algorithms similar to Hyper-Threading are used. The peculiarity of the solution from AMD is that each of the threads processes separate blocks of the processor. The second level cache remains shared. Similar concepts are implemented in the architecture developed by AMD Bobcat, which is adapted for laptops and small PCs.

Of course, direct analogues of the concept from AMD, IBM and Intel can be considered very conditional. As well as approaches to designing the architecture of processors in general. But the principles implemented in the corresponding technologies can be considered quite similar, and the goals set by the developers in the aspect of improving the performance of the microcircuits are very similar in nature, if not identical.

These are the key facts about Intel's most interesting technology. What it is, how to enable Hyper-Threading or, conversely, deactivate, we have determined. The thing is probably in the practical use of its advantages, which can be used, making sure that the PC in the hardware and software components supports the technology.