Computer Memory

If your server has multiple CPUs, your different CPUs may end up competing for the same bandwidth when accessing RAM – or instead, they may run completely independently it all depends on your setup.

If your server is set up as a shared-memory multicore, then your multiple CPUs will share the server memory with each other, thereby causing a bottleneck as they compete for the same bandwidth. On the other hand, if your server is set up as a distributed-memory multicore, then each CPU will access RAM independently. 

Overall, a high memory capacity means better multi-tasking for your computer, but multiple CPUs are dependent on the software you are using having been written to use more than one core. For programs that are not written to multiple CPUs, you could use one core to take care of certain tasks, and another core for other tasks.

Due to this, a server set up with multi-channel memory architecture could end up with a higher total memory bandwidth than you could have had with a single CPU.

What about standard PCs with more than 1 CPU?
Most regular computers operate with a single CPU. Even if that CPU is linked to other cores through hyper-threading, it’s still just one CPU in the actual computer’s motherboard. However, if you want to add more processing power to your computer without hyper-threading, then a motherboard with multiple CPU sockets can achieve this, even though systems with multiple CPUs are not very common among home computers – not even when it comes to high-powered gaming computers.

Generally speaking, the more CPUs a computer has, the more things it can do at once, and this will improve overall performance. The most efficient option to achieve this is a CPU with multiple cores – this is something that most modern computers have.

When installing new RAM, most often the biggest mistake that people make is not checking the capacity limits of their computer. Ensure that, even with multiple CPUs, you are not trying to add more RAM than your system can accept.

Installing the additional CPU opens up more upgrade slots for RAM use. However, it’s important to remember that your system’s performance will be maximised if you spread your modules in equal amounts across each CPU. It’s also critical to remember that you should not mix Unbuffered memory with registered memory, and you should not install DIMMs if the matching processor is not installed.

Whilst Solid State Drives are extremely reliable bits of kit, they can sometimes encounter issues that aren’t directly related to their own performance. We look now at a particular set of circumstances that would lead to your SSD crashing when your computer is activated and transitioning out of sleep mode.

Probable Cause
An SSD crash on startup can typically be traced back to your system’s power management and a misalignment in the power available to its main non-volatile memory in this mode. It can be addressed by configuring your operating system to provide a consistent level of power whilst in this state.

(These instructions may seem obvious to some, but are detailed with the less experienced computer user in mind).

If you have a Windows PC or Laptop, the procedure is as follows:
 Access your Control Panel, which can be done by clicking into the ‘search’ field and typing ‘Control Panel’. You will be presented with a list of possible choices, from which you should select the ‘Control Desktop App’.

A new window will appear and your next step should be to select ‘Hardware & Sound’, followed by ‘Power Options’. After this, you click on ‘Change Plan Settings’ and then ‘Change Advanced Settings’ to access the field that allows you set the HDD field to ‘never’. If you are attempting this adjustment on a laptop, the options presented will probably display as ‘ change battery and adapter settings’

Of course, there could be slight variations in these steps dependent on what edition of Windows you are running on.

For Macs and MacBooks
If you are trying to solve this SSD issue on a Mac, the procedure is a bit different, but it is slightly easier to achieve.

First of all, go to your ‘System Preferences’ and then on to ‘Energy Saver’. From there, you must adjust the configuration so that it reads ‘Put the Hard Disk(s) to Sleep When Possible’.

That is the top and bottom of it where Apple Macs are concerned and the added benefit of configuring your system this way, is that it is best able to use its inbuilt garbage collection.
 
Continuing Issues?
If the steps detailed above solve the issue, then all well and good. However, if it doesn’t change the situation or perhaps it solves the problem and moves the issue elsewhere, it might be an idea to have a quick chat with our technical support guys, who should be able to get to the root of your problem.