Windows 10 Troubleshooting Missing Second Core on Pentium Dual-Core E-6300 in Windows 10

[Kevin Hu]

hi, I went to msconfig and boot and advanced option, I find I have 1 processors enabled. I have Pentium dual core e-6300, so I should have two cores. I also checked my CPU in task manager. It's showing I only have 1 cores. What happened to my second core. (Sorry for the Chinese, if you don't understand just ask me)

 

[Josephur]

What does CPU-Z show? Can you show all the tabs on CPU-Z?

 

[Kevin Hu]

It show i only have 1 cores. But the CPU says it should have 2 cores. Is one of my cores defective or disabled? If it is, how can i fix it or re-enabled it?

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Hi,
Take a look at this excerpt from Wikipedia article here: List of Intel microprocessors - Wikipedia

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Intel Core 2[edit]

• Conroe – 65 nm process technology
  • Desktop CPU (SMP support restricted to 2 CPUs)
  • Two cores on one die
  • Introduced July 27, 2006
  • SSSE3 SIMD instructions
  • Number of transistors: 291 million
  • 64 KB of L1 cache per core (32+32 KB 8-way)
  • Intel VT-x, multiple OS support
  • TXT, enhanced security hardware extensions
  • Execute Disable Bit
  • EIST (Enhanced Intel SpeedStep Technology)
  • iAMT2 (Intel Active Management Technology), remotely manage computers
  • LGA 775
  • Variants
    • Core 2 Duo E6850 – 3.00 GHz (4 MB L2, 1333 MHz FSB)
    • Core 2 Duo E6800 – 2.93 GHz (4 MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB)
    • Core 2 Duo E6750 – 2.67 GHz (4 MB L2, 1333 MHz FSB, 65W)
    • Core 2 Duo E6700 – 2.67 GHz (4 MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB)
    • Core 2 Duo E6600 – 2.40 GHz (4 MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB, 65W)
    • Core 2 Duo E6550 – 2.33 GHz (4 MB L2, 1333 MHz FSB)
    • Core 2 Duo E6420 – 2.13 GHz (4 MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB)
    • Core 2 Duo E6400 – 2.13 GHz (2 MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB)
    • Core 2 Duo E6320 – 1.86 GHz (4 MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB) Family 6, Model 15, Stepping 6
    • Core 2 Duo E6300 – 1.86 GHz (2 MB L2, 1066 MHz FSB)

• 
  +++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

• 
  What you'll notice is that your Pentium chip is a dual-core (called Core 2 Duo), last variant on the list. So this means that your CPU chip is mis-reporting the number of Cores; it should be one as you noted. Therefore, your CPU chip is faulty and you should replace it. Return it to the place you purchased it and get a refund.

• 
  If you installed this CPU chip in your Motherboard, and you built the PC yourself or if it's a custom-built desktop PC in which you upgraded or replaced the chip, it's possible that you bent a pin on the CPU chip during the installation, zapped it with static electricity (were you wearing an antistatic wrist-strap when you installed the Chip?), or your thermal paste may not have been applied correctly or is dried out since you installed it. How long ago did you physically install this Pentium E6300 chip? Last week, last month, last year, 3 years ago, 5 years ago? If it was longer than 1 year ago, you should consider removing the Chip from it's carrier, and removing the old Thermal Paste and reapplying with new paste making sure that you are wearing an antistatic wrist-strap when doing the removal & reinstall. Power on the computer, and retest with the CPU-Z utility and see if it correctly reports 2 cores or 1 core. If it still fails, the probability is that the CPU chip was bad from the source you purchased it from, or you may have zapped it when installing it if you didn't take the proper antistatic precautions I mention.

• 
  Good luck,

• 
  <<<BIGBEARJEDI>>>

 

[Neemobeer]

Yup the CPU is most likely damaged. The old AMD Phenom 3 core CPUs were really quad core CPUs that had 1 damaged core during fabrication

 

[bochane]

Mmmm.
In some models you can disable a core in BIOS. Don't know if it can be done here.
Have a look there, maybe, who knows.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Good idea, Henk! It's worth looking at. Otherwise, it's time to replace that CPU!

<<<BBJ>>>

 

[kemical]

Try checking the chip using Intel's Diagnostic Tool for Processor's. At the end of the tests it will say either pass or fail:
Link Removed

 

[Sonny]

Had the same problem with my Quad-Core. I ended up having to reformat mine to get it back. I think you can do a repair on it. That should work.
Never tried a repair.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

You mean reformat the hard drive with a Windows reinstall, right? You can't flash (reformat) a CPU chip.

 

[Sonny]

You mean reformat the hard drive with a Windows reinstall, right? You can't flash (reformat) a CPU chip.

Sorry yes, that is what I meant. Or download and mount the ISO and run it like an upgrade to repair.

 

[Josephur]

Oh noes.. man I've been doing it wrong all these years formatting my CPU!

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

@Josephur: LMAO!

 

[Kevin Hu]

Hey, thank you for all of your help, but my dad fixed it for me. If your core is disabled, go to win+R, type msconfig and go to boot, then advanced options. Check the box that says Number of Processors, hit OK and reboot. If it doesn't work. Go to the same place, now uncheck the box and reboot. If this doesn't work, then it's time to get a new CPU.

 

[BIGBEARJEDI]

Glad that worked! And that your CPU chip wasn't indeed fried. Thanks also for posting back and sharing your final solution with us.

Best of luck,
<<<BBJ>>>