dual core question?

Question

Hi. i (think i) kind of understand how the dual or multi processor system works, in regards to separate pipelines and all that. My basic question is: when the specs for a pc, lets say the hp pavillion 4400+, is a dual processor @ 2.3 gig; Does this mean (A) each processor can work at 2.3 gigahertz max at the same time, (B) each processor can work at (about) 1.15 gig max at the same time, (C) the tasks are divided up into each processor with a maximum total possibility of 2.3 gig COMBINED, with power divided to each processor as needed?
Bonus question: how is it decide which task will go to which processor...the operating system?
Thanks in advance.

Answer 1

the hp pavillion 4400+, is a dual processor @ 2.3 gig; (C) the tasks are divided up into each processor with a maximum total 2.3 gig clock rate running the CPU bus. It really is not overly complicated, but the illusion that you have 2 CPUs is exactly that an illusion. Really it is very complicated process and the dual core system is adding a lot of extra steps in the processor pipelining and such.
Bonus question: how is it decide which task will go to which processor...the operating system?
That is exactly where the problem lies, the OS is the main factor in deciding what process gets sent where, and full support for dual core processors is usually hampered because you might be trying to use and old OS or old programs that don't support all the features that dual core adds. Hope that helps!

Answer 2

2.3Ghz is for each core max. Now for the bonus.
The dual core processors do not decide or the operating system, it would be up to the application that is being used to decide. Just because you have a dual core processor does not mean both cores are even remotely being used. Only applications and games that are written and designed for multi-core processors will take advantage of the mulit-cores.
If a person only has applications that use a single core then the dual core is senseless to have to a point. Most people that have lets say a P4 that runs at 3.0Ghz can play a game better than a person that has a dual core processor of abot the same Ghz if the game is only designed for a single core.
I know plenty of people that play hardcore games and have single core processors and have tried both dual core and even quad core just to go back to the single core due to the fact the single cores are what most of the games are built for.
Newer games are starting to be designed for multi-core processors and will of course run circles around the single cores when playing the games such as these. Supreme Commander is a game that can take advatage of quad cores and any person trying to play that game with a single core will not get the performance out of it as the quad core processor will get.

Answer 3

It will be always (A) but one core (Core 0) most often gets the load.

For single threaded apps, OS will manage the load. Core 0 handles the application and Core 1 gets partly loaded by the OS. A single threaded application still benefits somehow from a dual core.
In multi-tasking, OS manages the load.
For multi-threaded apps, the application manages the load.

Answer 4

It means that each core of the processor will be clocked at 2.3 ghz at the same time. As to which task goes to which processor, I don't know.

Answer 5

************2x 2.3g cores divide the workload as needed.that simple.second core seems to take most of the load .perhaps 1st core runs your operating system.that makes the most sense.