Emulating a single core

[Jet_ski]

This question is for the computer scientists.

 

Are there software that emulate a single core CPU on multicore CPUs? Suppose a software runs better on a single core, is there anything that can combine multiple CPU cores and let that software use them as if they are one CPU core? Also what stops the chip makers or software companies from doing this? what is the bottleneck or technical challenge?

[Jurrunio]

That's just not possible. The single-core tendency of some workload is because it has to execute instructions linearly, one after the other. There's no use or possible ways to let another core speed up the process when the original core has already finished executing the previous command and is ready for the next in the first place.

 

It's just like writing with a single pen, using both hands on your pen won't help with your speed.

[Origami Cactus]

You have 4 cars and need to drive to work.

 

Why don't you use all the 4 cars at once to drive to work 4 times faster?

Because it is not physically possible.

[Mister Woof]

16 minutes ago, Origami Cactus said:

You have 4 cars and need to drive to work.

 

Why don't you use all the 4 cars at once to drive to work 4 times faster?

Because it is not physically possible.

Unless you're Devastator.

[Augustin]

CPUs perform mathematical problems. Some problems can be split up into workloads that can be run in parrallel and some cannot. Multicore CPUs are the answer to workloads that can be run in parrallel. I hope that helps.