Windows 98 with Multiprocessing support. Any idea?

[lleoliveira]

Any patch to support Multiprocessing on Windows 98????

[MDGx]

Unfortunately, in the MS world only WinNT5 [+ newer] kernel [XP Pro, 2003 + Longhorn Pro] supports SMP [symmetrical MultiProcessing].

But in the Linux world most distros [even 4 years old] support SMP out of the box.

[Ge0ph]

It will/can never happen with the 9x kernel.

But NT4 supports SMP. I know because I have a bp6 dual proc board running NT4. NT3x might even support SMP but I'm not sure.

[soldier1st]

win9x was never designed for multiple processors,the nt family was.

[eclectro]

The problem is that W98 has a heart of DOS, and giving it SMP is like putting a Ferrari engine into a Ford pinto.

[ssmokee]

The problem is that W98 has a heart of DOS, and giving it SMP is like putting a Ferrari engine into a Ford pinto.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually I dont think that has anything to do with it.

[soldier1st]

actualy 98 had a bit less of a dos heart than 95 but me has even less of a dos heart,or actualy:the dos family of oses were not meant for more than 1 cpu as consumers did not need it,the nt family was for businesses and they were meant for more than 1 but now the nt is for everyone.

[Fredledingue]

What does it mean?

That the second processor will not be used at all whatever is the case.

Or that Windows will only use one, while some app could launch the second one for some specific use.

I think that if the second processor can work for a specific application only, it should be possible. Of course the hardware should support such configuration too.

Look: when you put a graphic card, you also add a processor. And this processor works for the display software. It's already a multi-processor system.

Some of these card and TV-tuner are even able to record video on the HD, encode these videos into a compressed format etc.

In the same way, it should be possible to build additional-processor card to insert in a free bay. Then, when you open, for example, Ms-Word, the driver send the program data to this hardware and collect the result.

The result, will only be transiting through the main processor just to be redirected to the output device. Maybe with the help of a mini sub-OS or something...

A secondary motherboard, sort of.

[At0mic]

What does it mean?

That the second processor will not be used at all whatever is the case.

Or that Windows will only use one, while some app could launch the second one for some specific use.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You can install Windows 98 on a dual processor system and Windows will work as normal. However, the second CPU will remain idle. There is no way win98 can access the second CPU. Not even SMP capable programs like Quake 3 will detect the second CPU

SMP programs can only use SMP if they are installed on an SMP capable OS like Windows NT 3.1 or above.

[eclectro]

yeah, dual processor W98 systems so you can serve up BSOD twice as fast.

[ssmokee]

You can install Windows 98 on a dual processor system and Windows will work as normal. However, the second CPU will remain idle. There is no way win98 can access the second CPU. Not even SMP capable programs like Quake 3 will detect the second CPU

Quake 3 was SMP? I didnt think were any games were threaded to take advantage of multiple procs.

[Fredledingue]

Not even SMP capable programs like Quake 3 will detect the second CPU

So how come my TV capture software and 3D games can access to the second CPU that is on my graphic card?

Of course with curent double-cpu motherbiorads, it's impossible, and no software will do it, but it should be possible to invent a hardware that gives the same effect on w98. Imagine we put a 2 Ghz processor on a graphic card and that not only 3D rendering and video software, but whatever program you choose will be able to use it.

The only limitation being the speed of the CPI slot.

But nobody ever tought of it or wanted to produce such a thing. B) We asked for ideas, not for solution.

[soldier1st]

on graphic cards 98 can but not the cpu itself(it's weird but thats the way it is)

[At0mic]

You can install Windows 98 on a dual processor system and Windows will work as normal. However, the second CPU will remain idle. There is no way win98 can access the second CPU. Not even SMP capable programs like Quake 3 will detect the second CPU

Quake 3 was SMP? I didnt think were any games were threaded to take advantage of multiple procs.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes Quake 3 benefits from a 15% increase in peformance when run in SMP mode. See firingsquad for benchmarks.

15% is pointless anyway you may as well just buy a faster CPU. Unless you've got money to burn!

[At0mic]

So how come my TV capture software and 3D games can access to the second CPU that is on my graphic card?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The definition of a CPU is the MAIN microprocessor in a computer which carries out the computers main intructions.

Windows 98 can only see ONE MAIN CPU. Although your graphics card has a powerful microprocessor, the term CPU can not be used to describe it. This is because it doesn't carrie out your computers main intructions - it just carries out the graphical instructions.

This is why nVidia started reffering to there graphics microprocessor as a GPU because its not CPU in the strict term of the word.