Does AutoCAD 2007 use multi-core?

[Ogre]

Do not get a 5050 series xeon. (and there were two)

I learned that the hard way when the wrong PC was ordered.

What happened??? Does AutoCAD not like those???

[madcadder]

Low floating point calcs.

two 3.4 dual-core xeons (5050s), 3 Gb ram, FX3500 scored the same on the C2006 in "non-graphical" and "2D functions" as a 1.83 Centrino Duo (T7200) with 512 Mb ram and no video card.

It did good on 3D, but choked on 2D.

[cadtag]

FWIW -- there's a discussion on the Civil3D forum, recomending disabling the second core or CPU to reduce crashing.

[ekubaskie]

FWIW -- there's a discussion on the Civil3D forum, recomending disabling the second core or CPU to reduce crashing.

The initial release of C3D 2007 had a problem with the subassemblies palette that was fixed in a service pack.

I have been using AutoCAD (as Map, LDT, and C3D) on dual-CPU/dual-core systems since 2000, and I can give a simple answer:

It doesn't matter whether AutoCAD makes full, partial, or NO use of the second CPU - you will see improved performance.

Mostly you don't see it in CAD itself; you see it in the way other processes (AV scans, e-mail, CD/DVD burning, etc.) are no longer excuses for a coffee break.

[Ogre]

...Mostly you don't see it in CAD itself; you see it in the way other processes (AV scans, e-mail, CD/DVD burning, etc.) are no longer excuses for a coffee break.

Very true E...I think that the programs outside of AutoCAD will perform better with a DC CPU...

[jaberwok]

Very true E...I think that the programs outside of AutoCAD will perform better with a DC CPU...

Isn't the point (Earls' point, above) that, even if none of your software is multi-threaded, separate software can be assigned to separate cores/processors so "everything" happens faster even though no one process runs any faster?

[Ogre]

Isn't the point (Earls' point, above) that, even if none of your software is multi-threaded, separate software can be assigned to separate cores/processors so "everything" happens faster even though no one process runs any faster?

To tell you the truth, I do not know if you can "assign" a specific core to a program...I think I remember hearing that you could do that with multiple processors, but I could be mistaken...

However, as of now, there is little or no logic within the hardware itself that will automatically take the processes and spread them over cores...The programs have to be specifically written for that to take place...The only thing that AutoCAD uses DC technology on is while rendering...(see Mike's post with Shaan's blog linked)...The actual OS (Win XP with .Net framwork 2.0+) can take advantage of the second core, but I do not think that it will help arrange things to spread over 2 cores...That is the programs job...

Here is what AMD is planning to do so that there can be specific cores for specific tasks, helping to spread the processes over multiple cores...

[stu1037]

Anytime...Let us know what you decided on...Thanks...

I ended up getting an HP xw4400 Workstation: Intel C2D E6700, 2Gb RAM, Quadro FX1500 w/ 256Mb, and a Dell 2407WFP monitor. It's nice, I like it.

Yet, I tried a quick select the other day and it took forever. Like 5 minutes to sort out 150+ objects from 45k. I had a 3.4Ghz Pentium D with 4Gb of memory at my last job and it made very quick work of situations like those. But, I guess this is roughly half that in computing power.

RE:

FWIW -- there's a discussion on the Civil3D forum, recomending disabling the second core or CPU to reduce crashing. from cadtag

I had called my reseller/support company to ask for their opinion/advice on computer systems. The guy i talked to mentioned something about setting ACAD, or the computer when it runs ACAD, to restrict it to one processor. Does anyone know how I can do this? Is it an overall setting, or can it be tailored specifically to ACAD, or any program for that matter?

PLUR,
sTu