Boot Advanced Options - Number of Processors

How to Change the Number of Processors Used at Boot Up in Vista​

   Information

If you have a multiple core CPU (Ex: Intel Core Duo or Quad CPU) or multiple CPUs, then this will show you how to change the Number of Processors that will be used during boot up for troubleshooting and debugging purposes to be able to determine if there is a problem with a single processor/core, or for a programmer to test their code against a single core while running on their multi-core system.

   Note

Vista will use all your processors by default at boot up without this Number of Processors setting box checked. Using all of your available processors (cores or CPUs) durring boot allows the computer to boot faster only because a multiple core CPU or multiple CPUs can handle and do more at once than a single core or CPU. Multiple cores do not actually increase the speed, but only increase the number of processor cores working on the job which in turn has the job finish quicker. If you do not have much running at startup, then you may not notice much improvement in how long it takes to startup.

   Tip

People have reported that by checking this setting and selecting all of their available CPUs, they have seen a performance increase in boot up speed despite the Note above . See the example below. If it does not help, then you can do step 7 to undo this and go back to the default settings.

   Warning

Selecting a lower amount of processors to use at boot up than you actually have can increase the amount boot up time causing a longer boot.

EXAMPLE: Boot Up Time Before and After
NOTE: This is the before and after boot up time for my computer after I changed it to use all 4 cores. For fun you can post your results here: ReBoot Time

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Here's How:
NOTE: Before you do this, you should see what your current boot up time is so you can compare it to what it will be before and after applying this.

1. Open the Start Menu.​

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2. In the white line (Start Search) area, type msconfig and press Enter.​

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3. Click Continue in the UAC prompt.​

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4. Click on the Boot tab. (See screenshot below)​

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5. Click on the Advanced options button.​

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6. To Change the Number of Processors at Boot -​

A) Check the Number of processors box, then click on the drop down arrow and select the number of available processors (cores or CPUs) you want to have used at boot up. (See screenshots below step 7)​

NOTE: To test to see if this can speed up your boot time or not, then select the highest number listed for all of the available processors to be used at boot up and check the Detect Hal box.​

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B) Click on OK.​

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C) Go to step 8.​

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7. To Restore the Default Number of Processors at Boot -​

A) Uncheck the Number of processors box.​

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B) Click on OK.​

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8. Check the Make all boot settings permanent box and click on OK. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: If you do not check this, then you will Selective startup dotted instead of Normal startup under the General tab. You can still make changes again by checking this again after any changes.​

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9. Click on Yes at the confirmation window. (See screenshot below)​

NOTE: You can restore or make changes to this again later if you want. I will confirm it. Just remember or write down what you had set (checked or unchecked) before if you wanted to restore back to those settings later.​

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10. Check the Don't show this message again box. (See screenshot below step 11)​

NOTE: You will not see this again after checked.​

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11. Click on the Restart button.​

NOTE: If you checked the box and want to restore this Restart box, see: How to Restore the System Configuration Restart Prompt in Vista​

WARNING: This will restart the computer immediately. Make sure you save and close anything open you do not want to lose.​

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12. After you have started back to the desktop, you can check to see what your new boot up time is for fun.​

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That's it,
Shawn

Related Tutorials

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• How to Speed Up Shutdown in Vista
• How to Speed Up Vista Boot Up Time
• How to Speed Up the Performance of Vista
• How to Set Vista for the CPU L2 Cache Memory Size
• How to Set the Processor Affinity for a Application in Vista
• How to Make a Program or Process Run with a Higher or Lower CPU Priority in Vista
• How to See What Your Boot Up Time is in Vista
• How to Logon Automatically at Startup in Vista
• How to Check and Change the Startup Programs in Vista

 

[Davy644]

I managed to get mine down to 72secs which isnt to bad considering I have NIS 2009 and without its around 58secs

 

[4cloud9]

This is my first post, and I have to say this is a great site with a lot of helpful info.

I have a Quad-Core as well, but when I go to set the correct number of cores (4) it Only options for the number 1. I have a Gateway GT5676 running Vista sP1 x64. I take it you have a different system.

I to have a Gateway GT5676 running Vista Home Premium sP1 x64. And in system config I am able to select all 4 cores.

with-out extra cores selected

with all cores; Also this is with Detect HAL on, I also ran with-out HAL and had the same boot time.

 

[chickenfry09]

Hey i got a quad core q6600 and my damn boot time is 187 seconds, and i tried that thing you told me to do but its still at 187... could you help me please??

 

[dinesh]

Hey i got a quad core q6600 and my damn boot time is 187 seconds, and i tried that thing you told me to do but its still at 187... could you help me please??

You can disable startup items in msconfig to reduce boot time.

 

[Brink]

Hey i got a quad core q6600 and my damn boot time is 187 seconds, and i tried that thing you told me to do but its still at 187... could you help me please??

Hi Chickenfry, and welcome to Vista Forums

In addition to Dinesh's post, you can go through this tutorial for more ways to help improve you computer's performance.

http://www.vistax64.com/tutorials/81176-speed-up-performance-vista.html

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[chickenfry09]

Yes, ive tried all these steps you say, ive actualy slowed it down for some reason. kaspersky internet secuirty 09. im not sure why this is happening and i want to get down the the root of it. could someone give me some tips on what could be doing this?? the m9150fs are known to have a slow boot but i dont know how slow.

 

[Brink]

Chickenfry,

As a test you could temporarily uninstall Kaspersky to see if that may be the source. Otherwise check through the item that you did in the link above to see if you may have made any mistakes in them.

 

[KeYoung59]

Thanks Brink Great post helped alot.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome KeYoung.

 

[Macavity]

Thank you very much for the post Brink.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Macavity, and welcome to Vista Forums.

 

[jablake]

I have an HP Quad core and I only see "1 or 2" under the 'number of processors' in the System Config (MSCONFIG) utility. I have tried to get to my BIOS on start up but I cannot get in it . I have hit all the key and it won't go to the BIOS. Is ther another way to make sure the QUAD core is configured correctly?

 

[Brink]

Hello Jablake, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Leaving the Number of processors box unchecked will also allow Vista to use all of your CPU cores by default after restarting the computer. You can verify this by looking under the Performance tab in Task Manager (Ctrl+Shift+Esc) to see how many CPU usage history graphs you have. You will have one per core.

Hope this helps,
Shawn

 

[jablake]

Thanks, Shawn-
I unchecked the '# of processors' and after re-boot it shows all 8 cores.
Thanks for your help.

 

[Brink]

You're welcome Jablake. I'm happy to hear that they are all back.

 

[iNoob]

Hey guys,

Well yesterday I wanted to try and chance my boot time into windows. For me to boot inot the desktop takes about 2min on a i7 920 (stock)
So I launched msconfig and went to the boot options and selected boot on '4 cores' out of '8 cores' obviously 4 threads. So this morning I turn on the computer and boot time has improved a little but I looked at my sidebar to glance at the all CPU monitor and I see I am using 4 of the first threads, the thread 5 6 7 8 are not displayed. Not to mention my CPU is getting quite a bit of usage performing normal tasks. I have checked all my processes etc, I cant find anything sus.
I tried a system restore but now find that the CPU monitor in the sidebar doesnt work. I can see all 8 colours for the the threads load if that makes sense however the box/outline is only big enough for four, it pretty much remains frozen.

From what I can tell the computer is running using 1 core/thread. Really in need of a way to fix this problem.

You should see in the picture I no longer have the option of booting with all 8 threads (4cores) My comp right now is running terribly! Any help quick help will be greatly appreciated.

Cheers.

 

[Brink]

Hello iNoob, and welcome to Vista Forums.

Double check to make sure that you option you have above is unchecked instead so that you will be using all of your CPU.

 

[Markyapp]

Hi i am new here

Can u please tell me how many core does a i7 920 have?

From what i know its suppose to have 4 Core

BUT

Due to the hyper threading it is actually 8 core right???

So when i tried the above step (i switched it to 2 even though i can go to 8)

my screen turned blue and it mentioned something abt royal.sys

I think the boot system does not recognize that the i7 920 is a 4 core.

Can u help me??

Or
Do i have to go to BIOS and enable something???

 

[Markyapp]

Hi
I tried the " How to Change the Number of Processors Used at Boot Up in Vista" tutorial but i encounter a problem.

I get Blue screen even though i only use 2 Core for the "number of processors" instead of 4 or 8 which my i7 920 can do??

Not only a blue screen is shown but they say something about "royal.sys"

 

[Brink]

Hello Mark, and welcome to Vista Forums.

You might see if you can boot into Safe Mode and change it back to being unchecked as default. If not, then try a system restore using a restore point dated before you changed this setting.

Hope this helps,
Shawn