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a MenuMeters question?
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 4:24 am
by kgdrum
Hi
I'm setting up my updated 6 core 2012 Mac Pro(10.85) and installed the current version of MenuMeters......................
Can anyone explain why it shows 12 cpu icons and not 6?
I uninstalled it,logged out and reinstalled just to make sure I installed this properly and it shows 12 cpu icons when I'd expect 6,what am I not understanding?
Thanks
Re: a MenuMeters question?
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 6:17 am
by MIDI Life Crisis
6 duo cores? My 8 core (2008) only shows 8.
Re: a MenuMeters question?
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 7:03 am
by mikehalloran
http://www.ragingmenace.com/software/me ... s/FAQ.html
Q: I have 4 (or 8, 16, etc.) CPU cores, why does MenuMeters show information for more CPUs?
A: Most recent Intel CPUs support "Hyperthreading" which divides each physical CPU core into multiple virtual cores. If your computer features Hyperthreading then OS X will utilize each virtual core separately and consequently MenuMeters will display separate measurements for each virtual core.
TechTool Pro did that for awhile with 7.0.1. In 7.0.2, they fixed it.
Re: a MenuMeters question?
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 7:55 am
by monkey man
Hey KG. Yup. Temperature Monitor does it too.
FWIMBW, seeing as I ran out of real estate due to this OCD-like mode of CPU-activity display (and temperature in the case of TM), I reduced MenuMeters' 24 slots to a single one (in preferences), and TM's to just the CPU A, B, their heat sinks, Northbridge and its heat sink, and the ambient temp (in the computer). I also used custom abbreviations to "force" spaces between the CPU A, B, NTH and AMB readouts, as well as to save further real estate.
Now both apps combined use less space than either did previously, and for the first time in ages I don't have to call up Finder to see what's going on up there; most apps, even Safari, cast their menu headers further across than the Finder, but as I suggested, it don't matter no more.
Bottom line is I reckon the individual readouts are a waste of time and at best a cute distraction. After all, it's the total CPU headroom you're interested in, isn't it? How tasks are apportioned between the cores is for all intents and purposes irrelevant. The only situation I can think of where the full readout might be useful is as an indication that you're not spreadin' the load effectively enough in DP's mixer, but a high overall CPU-usage reading would tell you this anyway, especially if it were out of the ordinary. You'd know right away to go in and spread those VIs (the most likely culprits, I'm thinking) across multiple channels as opposed to employing their multi-out features too heavily.
Re: a MenuMeters question?
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 12:27 pm
by kgdrum
Thanks everyone for the clarification,suggestions and link.

I will have to play with the settings to see if I can get this tweaked to be less intrusive, as it is set up now it takes up way too much real estate on the menu bar imo.
Thanks!
Re: a MenuMeters question?
Posted: Tue May 12, 2015 12:46 pm
by bayswater
I thought you can arrange the threads vertically so they appear when the mouse hovers over them. At least that's how mine works. Maybe it's not Menu Meters.
Re: a MenuMeters question?
Posted: Wed May 13, 2015 2:58 am
by monkey man
If it is, I wasn't aware of that, Baysey.
Temperature Monitor allows a permanent (floating or BG) vertical CPU-core readout, but that's always "superimposed" on your desktop and is a bit of an eye-sore, really. For a more practical vertical display you can specify which cores, along with other readings, appear when you click the menu bar, and once all configured they way you like, you can pop the Lite version into your Startup Menu so it's always there with the least-possible CPU hit. Obviously I've placed a subset of these in the menu bar itself; clicking anywhere on these brings up the aforementioned list.
I've come to like Temperature Monitor since installing it following my concerns about my ape-job at the CPU upgrade. At this point, I'd recommend it. Interestingly, the literature says, "not recommended" for Lion onwards, but here I am on Mavericks and it's run flawlessly.
Here's the link; no versions beyond 4.98 are available anywhere AFAIK.
http://www.bresink.com/osx/LegacyProducts.html
Oh, and the detail of configurability through the preferences is impressive, IMHO. A little experimentation went a long way.