Hyperthreading. Is it hardware or software based?

[Keyboard Warrior]

Le title says it all. 

 

 

[Toddwjp]

both, the cpu and software must support it

[AlwaysFSX]

both, the cpu and software must support it

Mostly the CPU though. That's where it happens.

[Keyboard Warrior]

both, the cpu and software must support it

Not what I'm asking. I mean is it an actual chip/thingy in the CPU or is it just software? 

[simtransporter]

Not what I'm asking. I mean is it an actual chip/thingy in the CPU or is it just software? 

It's a CPU feature.

[Guest]

Not what I'm asking. I mean is it an actual chip/thingy in the CPU or is it just software? 

 

Yes, it is hardware on the actual CPU. If the hyperthreading on an i7 breaks during manufacturing they actually just adjust it and sell it as an i5.

[Keyboard Warrior]

Yes, it is hardware on the actual CPU. If the hyperthreading on an i7 breaks during manufacturing they actually just adjust it and sell it as an i5.

Thanks  

[Faa]

Yes, it is hardware on the actual CPU. If the hyperthreading on an i7 breaks during manufacturing they actually just adjust it and sell it as an i5.

Hyperthreading can't break during manufacturing. Hyperthreading is just doubling the instruction pipeline, registers and lapic. It's not lasercut, which is impossible to do but it's just disabled through microcode.

[helping]

Yes, it is hardware on the actual CPU. If the hyperthreading on an i7 breaks during manufacturing they actually just adjust it and sell it as an i5.

As said below, you can't "break" hyperthreading because it's a low level software based functionality enabled or disabled based on what the hardware specifies.

The only thing that can "break" an i7 into an i5 is maybe an L3 cache unit, and even then I'm not sure because I don't know Intel lithography in depth.

 

Hyperthreading can't break during manufacturing. Hyperthreading is just doubling the instruction pipeline, registers and lapic. It's not lasercut, which is impossible to do but it's just disabled through microcode.

[Guest]

Hyperthreading can't break during manufacturing. Hyperthreading is just doubling the instruction pipeline, registers and lapic. It's not lasercut, which is impossible to do but it's just disabled through microcode.

 

As said below, you can't "break" hyperthreading because it's a low level software based functionality enabled or disabled based on what the hardware specifies.

The only thing that can "break" an i7 into an i5 is maybe an L3 cache unit, and even then I'm not sure because I don't know Intel lithography in depth.

 

 

Hmm, I probably mixed up a broken core getting disabled (turning an i7 into an i3) with intentionally disabling hyperthreading (turning an i7 into an i5). Both are common things to do in order to minimize rejects and to satisfy the current demands IIRC.