Kontron ETXexpress-AI - Manual (Page 69)

Kontron ETXexpress-AI User’s Guide
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5 Special Features
5.1 Hyper-Threading
Hyper-Threading (officially termed Hyper-Threading Technology or HTT) is an
Intel-proprietary technology used to improve parallelization of computations
performed on PCs. Hyper-threading works by duplicating certain sections of
the processor—those that store the architectural state -- but not duplicating
the main execution resources. A hyper-threading equipped processor can appear
to be two "logical" processors to the host operating system, thus allowing
the operating system to schedule two threads or processes simultaneously.
Hyper Threading Technology support always depends on the operating system.
5.2 Enhanced Speedstep Technology
The Intel® Core™ i7 and Core™ i5 processors support the Intel® Enhanced
SpeedStep™ technology, which automatically switches the processor between
maximum performance mode and battery-optimized mode, depending on the needs
of the application being run. Speedstep technology lets you optimize the
system performance to match application requirements. When powered by a
battery or running in idle mode, the processor drops to lower frequencies (by
changing the CPU ratios) and voltage to conserving battery life while
maintaining a high level of performance. The frequency is set back to high
automatically, allowing you to customize performance.
NOTE: To use Enhanced SpeedStep™ technology, you need an operating system
that supports it.
Disabling Speedstep in the BIOS enables manual control of CPU performance.
You can set the CPU performance state in the BIOS setup or use third-party
software to control CPU performance states.
5.3 Watchdog
This feature is implemented within an I 2 C Watchdog and offers a single-stage
watchdog. You can configure the Watchdog Timer (WDTimer) using the Kontron
EAPI, or through the BIOS setup, or directly through register settings. The
application software should strobe the WDTrigger to prevent a timeout. The
WDTrigger resets and restarts the system after a timeout to provide a way to
recover from program crashes or lockups.
The Watchdog can be enabled through:
» BIOS Setup
» K-Station