# How do I make sure all four of my cores are working/listed?



## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

Q6600 Core2Quad 2.4GHz, 6GB DDR2, 8600 GTS 256 MB

In device manager only two of my cores are listed, but recently I remember all four being listed. Any idea why two would disappear? I don't even know if it makes an actual difference to the running of the system (I don't monitor how they work and don't know which software to use for that purpose anyway) but I'd like to know how to make sure everything is working.

Is there a way to force the CPU to run all cores?


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

Open the Task manager and select Performance. You should see 4 CPU Usage History windows which show activity in the four cores.


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

oh noez.


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

Try the following

Select Start, then Type msconfig in the start search box, and hit enter.
Select the Boot tab and then "Advanced options" button 
If "Number of processors" is checked, uncheck it, hit OK, and put a check in the "Make all boot settings permanent" checkbox... , hit OK, and reboot.

If it isn't already checked, put a check in the "Number of processors" checkbox and select 4. Again put a check in the "Make all boot settings permanent" checkbox, hit OK, and reboot.


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

I did the first part (where I could select between 1 and 4 cores; previously 4 had been selected anyway) and rebooted, but now I can only choose between 1 and 2 cores.

Help.


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

By the way, I found this link and did the bit in command prompt but got this response:

_The boot configuration data store could not be opened.
Access is denied._


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

The command prompt must be run at an elevated level. 

Right click on the Command prompt icon and select "Run as administrator".


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

Okay, thanks, that bit did work.

So, now I go back into msconfig and I can choose between 1, 2 and 4 cores (and 4 seem to be ticked) - the 3rd core doesn't appear on the list, and both device manager and task manager only show 2 cores..


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

Try unchecking it now and reboot.


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

Just did that. Now we're back to 2 cores on the drop-down list, and my PC booted up at 1.0GHz instead of 2.4 - although that's happened before.


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

You may have to redo the command promt fix again.

You say that you had all 4 cores showing/working at one time? 
If not, it almost sounds like a BIOS issue.
Are you using the latest BISO for your board?
Please post the rest of your computer specs.


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

http://www.asrock.com/mb/overview.asp?Model=P43Twins1600

That's my board. What else do you need to know?

I'll try the command prompt thing again, then.


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

I don't see anything in your BIOS setup that would effect this.

You say that you had all 4 cores showing/working at one time? 

Are you using the latest BIOS for your board?


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

Yeah, as far as I know. Which file should I be using, and how do I install it?

I'm pretty sure I updated my BIOS a few weeks ago.

How can I be sure? : O


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

When you boot, the POST page should show the BIOS version.

According to the site you linked it is version 3.1


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

I'm 90% sure it's up-to-date, but next time I boot up I'll check and post here.

If the BIOS _is _up-to-date, what then?


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

???????????????


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

Is your BIOS up to date?
I might suggest making sure all your system files are good by opening a command prompt as administrator and type

SFC /scannow


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

BIOS is 3.10, still the same issues as before. Sorry for the delay.

Running SFC /scannow as I write this.


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

Okay, here's the results:










Corrupt files, and I can't open the log file for some reason...


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## Lead3 (Jun 14, 2006)

Open Notepad as administrator, i.e. right click on the notepad icon and select "Run as administrator".


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

I already thought of that. There is no option to do so.


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## mandead (Apr 14, 2008)

Sorry for the delay.

My old H/D seems to have died (I had a spare SATA H/D in the PC - but not plugged into at all - so I'm now using that) and I re-installed Windows 7 x64 on the spare yesterday morning. Everything's working fine so far (touch wood) but I still only get two cores.

I would have thought a format and system re-install would have fixed it =/

Only two are displayed in msconfig, also.

Still working on the basis that the CPU itself isn't damaged, are there any BIOS options (still using 3.10, the latest) which could limit core detection?


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