Dell P4 or Xeon?

[Eric]

I guess would it be safe to say that if you had hyperthreading turend on that your results would have been even better on the xeon system?

[mbr]

Anyone have any thoughts about this article or the Itaniums?

 

http://cadalyst.adv100.com/cadalyst/article/articleDetail.jsp?id=80666

 

Or, better yet, does anyone have any idea when companies will start offering new workstations centered around the 64 bit?

[Greg Hess]

CRD,

 

If your work computer isn't running Windows XP, you aren't using hyperthreading.

 

Hyperthreading only works in Windows XP professional. You'd probably see another 10-15% rendering improvement if you swapped operating systems.

 

Mention it to your admin.

 

Companies already sell 64 bit workstations.

 

http://www.boxxtech.com

 

They've been selling them since May I think.

[CRD]

Greg,

 

"If your work computer isn't running Windows XP, you aren't using hyperthreading."

 

I said that HT was off at work because of Win2k.

 

"Hyperthreading only works in Windows XP professional. You'd probably see another 10-15% rendering improvement if you swapped operating systems."

 

As for work, our IT is really swamped so it would be hard to convince them to upgrade the OS for just 10% improvement. And it would be hard for me to be without my workstation for the day it would take to upgrade and reinstall. I figure I'll just wait patiently another couple of months for an upgrade the whole system. My general rule of thumb on upgrading is when I can double my power for not bleeding edge, I do it.

 

As for home, you say HT only works on XP pro, but I have XP home and when I render a mental ray file I see two little buckets going across the screen. That indicates to me that HT is working. Is that wrong?

 

As always, thanks for all you tech tips.

 

Btw, what's your opinion of that tech news article from two days ago saying that the whole computer system is going to change formats in 6 months? Is that really going to happen all at the same time? And if you are thinking of upgrading sometime in 2004, should you wait for those changes?

 

Colin

[Greg Hess]

As for home, you say HT only works on XP pro, but I have XP home and when I render a mental ray file I see two little buckets going across the screen.

 

Windows XP Home has a single processor limitation. If you have a single P4 HT, and ht is enabled...you'll see two buckets. If you have a dual xeon, you'll only see two buckets instead of four.

 

My original post was in regards to Windows XP Professional and Dual Xeon's.

 

Windows XP is not required for single processor hyperthreading, and Windows 2000 can be used for that.

 

IMO you should only be using Windows XP if you absolutely have to .

 

As per the article...

 

Yes those changes are occuring...but its mainly just Intel doing it all. Their newest processors have an unbelievably huge heat problem. Were talking over 150 watts in less then an inch surface area. Current PC architecture can not deal with this amount of heat, and thus drastic measures have to be taken.

 

Ironically, the new BTX standard isn't moving forward, its moving backwards. AMD originally placed the socket near the intake air as far back as the K6.

 

Of course if you cant wait, you always should. The question is, how long can you wait?

[nangkri]

hey guys

all of you talk about the machine that i can't purchace (most imposible).

but, i wont ask (sugetsted) for all of you for my machine.

P4 2.6 G, single Procecor, 512 of RAM, no Grapic card (integrated). motherboard is asus p4 s533-x.

double 40 G of Hard disk, asus DVD room 16x, Asus CD-RW 52x,

what should i do for the best performs with that Spec. (i use max5,Cad 2004,photosop 7,premiere 6.5) ikeep that all program or change them all, i use XP profesional to (should i change this windows) please for sugested.

 

sorry for my english

 

best regards

 

nangkri

[voltaire_ira]

hey guys,

 

i recently upgraded my pc

with the ff. specs:

 

dual xeon 2.4 ghz 512mb L2 cache w/ HT

1 gig dual channel ddr400

128mb nvidia geforce 5600

windows xp pro sp1

160 gig HDD RAID 0 (stripping) config.

ASUS PCDL deluxe motherboard

 

 

is there any way i could benchmark and optimize performance of my pc for rendering?

I'm planning to upgrade to a quadro? is it advisable?

 

thanks.