Windows on Multi CPU 4X XEON -not multi CORES !!!

There isn't a way with windows 10 pro+ in particular , last attempt was with Windows7 Enterprise and did not work with Ultimate which was strange and sp1 release broke it .

On the other hand windows server 2016 is being discounted on amazon at 299$ while windows 10 pro sells for about 150$ so think to yourself you got 1 pro for every 2 cpus :)

nIGHTmAYOR said:

There isn't a way with windows 10 pro+ in particular , last attempt was with Windows7 Enterprise and did not work with Ultimate which was strange and sp1 release broke it .

On the other hand windows server 2016 is being discounted on amazon at 299$ while windows 10 pro sells for about 150$ so think to yourself you got 1 pro for every 2 cpus :)

Hi there
@nIGHTmAYOR

thanks for that info -- I thought that might be the case.

I think then I'll leave that box as running as a Linux Server and just dish up as many Windows VM's as I need -- I've probably got zillions of Windows licenses -- If you had any of the old technet stuff (or MSDN) all those serial numbers would activate at least 50 times and if you had 5 copies well that's enough for a lifetime plus with free upgrades from W7 !!!!

I could run probably around 20 - 50 !!! concurrent Windows VM's on that box without it batting an eyelid !!!! once populated with decent Disks / SSD's and hoards of RAM.

No wonder the technet scheme was shut down !!!!!!!! - but if you still have any of those old keys they are still valid BTW.

The problem also for running Windows server editions is that it you need special licenses for running things like Office on it -- so if you need to install Virtual machines anyway then getting the server edition is just a bit overkill for me here.

Running a full blown VDI set is also over the top too --but it could be fun.

Anyway I've parked one of the NAS servers as an emergency spare - the other I've stripped out 1 X SSD and 4 X HDD's plus 16 GB DDR 3 RAM and recycled the box.

I'm on the backup NAS currently while building the server. I can't believe though speed of those XEONs !!
So on the hunt for a decent USB 3 card and a proper graphics card - with built in sound as the Windows VM's will need sound etc - but low priority -- ist priority is to get the whole lot into a decent CLEAN case otherwise "woman" won't come anywhere near it -- so no BEER / FOOD etc refreshments !!!!!!!

Have a happy (and safe) new year

Cheers
jimbo

Congrats on the christmas gift you had and happy new year , yes all those who went xeon could never go back so i know what you mean , and yea running a linux server base and few windows vms might be the appropriate alternate .

nIGHTmAYOR said:

Congrats on the christmas gift you had and happy new year , yes all those who went xeon could never go back so i know what you mean , and yea running a linux server base and few windows vms might be the appropriate alternate .

Hi there
I did look at Esxi but why bother with the amount of horsepower on this box -- I'm just installing bog standard arch linux with a GUI on it -- Windows VM's is the way I'm going with this box.

VMWare and KVM/QEMU co-exist easily enough -- made some comments on that in the virtualisation section.

I think sooner or later Windows will have to remove the 2 physical CPU restriction -- seems a bit rediculous --even home users would like more "upscaleability" without having to use server versions of Windows -- there are times when kids / friends / their grandkids etc are all here and then I could have as many as 20 people wanting to logon to my home LAN - especially as I have things like SKY / AMAZON PRIME / NETFLIX etc --

Maybe I should get wifi slots with a credit card payment thing to charge them for usage !!!-- didn't Howard Hughes (at that time one of the richest men on the planet) have payphones installed in all his guests bedrooms !!!

Cheers
jimbo

and have a great New Years day and the rest of 2020.

jimbo45 said:

Hi there
I did look at Esxi but why bother with the amount of horsepower on this box -- I'm just installing bog standard arch linux with a GUI on it -- Windows VM's is the way I'm going with this box.

VMWare and KVM/QEMU co-exist easily enough -- made some comments on that in the virtualisation section.

I think sooner or later Windows will have to remove the 2 physical CPU restriction -- seems a bit rediculous --even home users would like more "upscaleability" without having to use server versions of Windows -- there are times when kids / friends / their grandkids etc are all here and then I could have as many as 20 people wanting to logon to my home LAN - especially as I have things like SKY / AMAZON PRIME / NETFLIX etc --

Maybe I should get wifi slots with a credit card payment thing to charge them for usage !!!-- didn't Howard Hughes (at that time one of the richest men on the planet) have payphones installed in all his guests bedrooms !!!

Cheers
jimbo

and have a great New Years day and the rest of 2020.

Nope microsoft will never remove the limit partly because this is the only edge its flagship windows server has , did you know you can install active directory and start a domain on a standard installation of windows 10 ? so you can have a domain server on a non server windows installation , hence is why they fought it hard with updates when it occurred to people to do it on windows 7 else acquiring windows server expensive license becomes meaningless .

That and intel and microsoft has mutual vision to elevate the idea of multi-core cpus of more than 4 cores on products like i7 , i9 and future i11 and xeon for individuals and small businesses , while pushing for multi-cpus and slot servers for enterprises hence why it dearly costs software and hardware wise . now why windows still have support for 2 cpus resolves to backward compatibility related to IBM era back in the 90s where IBM made super dual 200 Mhz cpus towers so you can like play games without having to exit windows to dos , the good old days :)

Pro for Workstations has a 4 CPU limit.

x509 said:

$309 on the M$ website.

Somehow I think that Jimbo's "she who must be obeyed" won't like that.

!! Thanks
@lx07

Thanks for the reply -- still a bit expensive when I already have enough W10 Pro licenses

I think keeping Windows as VM's will be the best answer -- can't make up my mind yet between Esxi and KVM/QEMU -- at least with QEMU/KVM it's free and you can control VM's from the HOST machine as well == with Esxi you need to control from a remote PC if you don't pay for the VSphere stuff -- way over the top for me.

Marking as solved now.

Cheers everybody
jimbo