Multi-core processors contain multiple cores that allow two or more programs to run simultaneously on one processor. Processors with such a device are capable of performing more operations than a comparable single-core processor.
Some of the cores of a multi-core processor may be disabled by the processor manufacturer, not detected by the operating system during installation, or parked by it to save energy. And also simply not to be used by the program. Modern multi-core processors have high power consumption. It can be reduced by temporarily disabling one or more cores by the operating system of the computer, when the load on the processor is very low and there is no need for them to work. This is called kernel parking, which settings are hidden from the Windows 7 Control Panel by default. You can determine that the kernels are parked using the Resource Monitor, which is launched from the Task Manager. Under each parked kernel graph on the CPU tab, there is a Stopped text. If you see such an inscription, it means that the kernel parking settings are activated on your computer. If for some reason they bother you, you can disable them in the Processor Power Management section of the advanced options for the current power plan. To do this, set the value of the parameter "Minimum number of cores in idle state" - 100%. Some multi-core processors have only one core, or not all of the available ones, because the rest are disabled by the processor manufacturer. Such processors may have a defect in one or more cores that prevents them from working properly. In order not to discard the entire die, the manufacturer disables the defective core and sells the die as a processor with fewer cores. This approach was used, for example, for the AMD Phenom II X2-3 two-three-core processors and Athlon-II-X3 three-core processors, in which you can unlock cores 3 and 4 using the Advanced Clock Calibration utility or using the BIOS of some motherboards. However, unlocked kernels need to be thoroughly tested for stability and if errors occur, they will have to be disabled again. Otherwise, the computer will experience serious malfunctions. Only one core can work if the operating system mistakenly identified the processor as single-core during installation. In some cases, the number of cores was erroneously determined by the first versions of operating systems in which their support was enabled. These are operating systems such as Windows XP with Service Pack 2. These operating system versions are considered obsolete. The easiest way to get the second core to work in this case is to install a more modern operating system. Multi-core processors are relatively new. The first dual-core processors from Intel and AMD appeared in the spring of 2005. Programs that have been released up to this point are not designed to work with multi-core processors. They only use one core while running. Likewise, some very simple programs also don't use more than one core.
