AMD Phenom II X4 showing on MSI 870-G45 splash but with only 2 cores

[$Iain$]

Recently I made a BIOS update on MSI 870-G45 to the latest version. It has now configured with AMD Phenom II X2. When I first boot the system, the MSI graphic appears and also the logo. In the upper corner I can see X4, not X2. If I am going to unlock the cores, the menu shows only 2 cores under Core control. However the ACC shows 4 cores. The sales person told me that the CPUs can be unlocked and for that reason I chose AMD. But it is strange that showing me as "X4". It is really confusing for me.

[raghini]

It seems to me that the issue with the operating system only while booting. When I tried booting with Linux, it shows 2 cores (cpu0 and cpu1) in the /sys fs. I heard that the Linux kernel is capable to correctly detect 1 or 2 CPUs. No matter disables or enables one of the two, the Linux shows and detect it s properly. Even additional CPUs. But the BIOS saying me that there are 4 cores. So I think that the BIOS doesn't have an internally-consistent view of cores count.

[$Iain$]

I take looked over everywhere but I didn’t see anything in the BIOS saying submenus, hyperthreading etc. I think that this does not apply to AMD. What is all about the APIC and ACPI settings? Do you think that they are necessary?
Currently I am running the latest BIOS version 8. My motherboard uses AM3 socket 265 processor and I think that the IOAPIC is already enabled. Do I need to reset the CMOS?

[raghini]

This is unusual. Normally under Windows 7, the first core load rather than any other. It should be as something does not happen anymore because the scheduler splits the load quite effectively on all available cores. Check out the Task Manager to see if there is also so. However if you can’t get the proper reading in the BIOS then there is no way you can unlock the cores.

Hyperthreading is an Intel thing.

[Pamina]

To unlock disabled CPU cores is possible for all AM3 processors that have more than one core and their cores were not disabled from defect reasons, it is so-called "junk cores". Another prerequisite is a suitable motherboard with at least SB710 - Southbridge, and of course an updated BIOS version, which supports unlock. In the BIOS of MSI AMD motherboards can be found in the Cell Menu several settings, which for the process of "Unlock" necessary and are also useful:

• Unlock CPU core (referred to in older versions of BIOS and EC firmware!)
• Advanced Clock Calibration - ACC
• CPU Core Control

Thus, if an appropriate CPU (Athlon / Phenom II X2/X3 or X4 QuadCore) installed, just select the BIOS on the option Unlock CPU core and set it to [Enabled]. If the option in the Cell Menu ACC - Advanced Clock Calibration, then this must be set to [Auto]. For newer boards / BIOS (e.g. 890GXM-G65, 890FXA-GD70), this option is often no more, so ignore!

[Skullnit]

As far as I know that each CPU behaves in relation to the activation of different cores disabled. There is no guarantee of success of this action and a stable system. The process is completely depending on your operating system. Even if the cores of a CPU unlocked on a 32bit OS are prime table, this must be under a 64bit OS still not be the case!

[LavinaD]

In my case the Phenom II 550 BE X2 runs without problems! I suspect therefore that @ Core X2 or Core 2 +3 1 +2 can be used, is defective core 0! (In the bios so called Core 1-4!) The CPU boots @ X4 without problems. The stability test of Everest runs through without error! Only in prime95 core returns 0 immediately! In games such as Ex. Anno 1701, there are strong X4 @ error, so I am assuming that Core 0 is truly defective.

[crook]

In principle yes, but the biggest problem is which CPUs are recognized by the BIOS. To be sure you can see the hardware compatibility list for this motherboard look and see if your CPU is there between. One thing keep in mind that we should not allow the user to disable core 0. If you cannot find any active core, a simple CMOS reset is to restore the default values. It would then use this option and possible to take an open quad-core when the first of these is obviously defective. Make a note that a core need to be active, otherwise the BIOS cannot be loaded. I know that the MSI offers tool to unlock cores in the processor but in principle, this tool does nothing else, as if the BIOS settings were adjusted manually for it.