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Optimizing Performance 37
Optimizing Performance
Hyper-Threading
Hyper-Threading is an Intel
®
technology that can enhance overall computer performance by
allowing one physical processor to function as two logical processors, capable of performing certain
tasks simultaneously. It is recommended that you use the Microsoft
®
Windows
®
XP Service Pack 1
(SP1) or later operating system because Windows XP is optimized to take advantage of Hyper-
Threading technology. While many programs can benefit from Hyper-Threading, some programs
have not been optimized for Hyper-Threading and may require an update from the software
manufacturer. Contact the software manufacturer for updates and information about using Hyper-
Threading with your software.
To determine if your computer is using Hyper-Threading technology:
1
Click the
Start
button, right-click
My Computer
, and then click
Properties
.
2
Click
Hardware
, then click
Device Manager
.
3
In the
Device Manager
window, click the plus (+) sign next to
Processors
. If Hyper-Threading is
enabled, the processor is listed twice.
You can enable or disable Hyper-Threading through system setup. For more information on accessing
system setup, see "Entering System Setup" on page 125. For more information on Hyper-Threading,
search the Knowledge Base on the Dell Support website at support.dell.com.
About Your RAID Configuration
This section provides an overview of the RAID configuration you may have selected when you
purchased your computer. There are several RAID configurations are available in the computer
industry for different types of uses. Your Dell Dimension™ computer supports RAID level 0 and
RAID level 1. A RAID level 0 configuration is recommended for high-performance programs or
gaming, and a RAID level 1 configuration is recommended for users that desire a high level of data
integrity, such as that required in digital photography and audio.
NOTE: RAID levels do not represent a hierarchy. A RAID level 1 configuration is not inherently better or worse
than a RAID level 0 configuration.
The drives in a RAID configuration should be the same size in order to ensure that the larger drive
does not contain unallocated (and therefore unusable) space.