i7-8700K CPU

[andyoo]

I've no idea where to put this.  I'm not computer technical.

Intel© Core™ i7-8700K CPU @ 3.70GHz × 6cores     This has 12 CPU showing in system settings dialogue.   I run spreadsheet (big ones).  No matter what I do they always seem to be running just one CPU at 100% and the rest barely do any thing just running at around 1 to 2% sometimes will go up to 4 to 8% in another CPU.

You see from image that system monitor shows various readings but when the spreadsheet is running alone it is as I stated above.  All those CPU's and only one is maxed out.  Spreadsheet slow (i.e. 20 minutes to save after editing).  Memory usage seems to be stuck at 5 to 6 Gig

Is there something I can do about this to make the computer /Intel chip to use far more of the resources available ??

The screenshots have loaded with 2nd image first - I have just started spreadsheet inserting a new blank column into columns already in spreadsheet.  3rd image is same as 2nd image but slightly further on in the column insertion process.

So saving takes ages and also editing as explained above

This spreadsheet has 30000 rows and 140 columns.

[DeividA_Intel]

Hello andyoo,  

Thank you for posting on the Intel® communities. I want to understand what happened just as much as you do. 

To continue further, please confirm the following:

1. What is the operating system installed as well as the version and build?

2. What is the brand and model name of your motherboard?

3. What is the BIOS version installed?

4. Have you encountered any crashes, freezes, or blue screen of death?

5. Have you made any changes in the BIOS?

Regards,  

Deivid A.  

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[andyoo]

I have used a program called Hardinfo to show everything about my laptop.  I hope this program does not supply access to my personal files or information.  Please respect my privacy and delete this information when you have read it.  Thanks.  Oops - could not up load html file.  So here is txt file.

I hope that it gives you enough info that you may advise what to do next.   I have often wondered if there is some sort of compatibility issues between components, firmware, drivers etc.

[DeividA_Intel]

Hello andyoo, 

Thanks for your response. I would like to investigate this behavior and to proceed I would appreciate it if you confirm this information.

1. What is the name of the tool you are using to run a spreadsheet?

2. Is this behavior present with other apps or tools? If so, can you provide the name?

3. Have you encountered any crashes, freezes, or BSOD due to this behavior?

4. Have you made any changes in the BIOS?

5. Do you have "Turbo boost" enabled in the BIOS?

Also, I noticed you are running Linux, I would appreciate it if you run the Intel® System Support Utility (Intel® SSU) for Linux so that I get more accurate information about your system. As you requested, I will delete the report once I get it.

Run the Intel® System Support Utility (Intel® SSU) to gather more details about the system.  

• Download the Intel® SSU and save the application on your computer: https://www.intel.com/content/www/us/en/download/18895/26735/intel-system-support-utility-for-the-linux-operating-system.html 
• Open the application, check the "Everything" checkbox, and click "Scan" to see the system and device information. The Intel® SSU defaults to the "Summary View" on the output screen following the scan. Click the menu where it says "Summary" to change to "Detailed View".  
• To save your scan, click Next and click Save.  

Regards,  

Deivid A.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[DeividA_Intel]

Hello andyoo, 

I am getting back to you because I would like to know if you had the time to check my previous post and collect the information needed.

I will be waiting for your response.

Regards,  

Deivid A.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[andyoo]

Hi David.

I downloaded the ssu file unfortunately I get a response dialogue that says this archive type is not supported in my system.  I am running Linux Mint, which I keep fully up to date.  The details of all of that are in the previous data I have sent you.  Why it won't run is probably because of me.  If i click /double click on a file I expect it to open or ask me for my authentication.  I have no knowledge of what to do if it does not run.

I am running LibreOffice Calc in Linux Mint.  I do not run any other type of files except in LibreOffice files.

My system can freeze or crash with some of my spreadsheets because they are "massive".   As an example - if I load "System Monitor" program I can watch this and often have.  While only one thread seems to be used to its maximum;  the others just small or minute percentages of activity - the system starts to use up all memory (33.6 Gigb) and then goes on to use the Swap file space (64Gigb) towards the 'end' it runs away to 100% and then yes it crashes. 

I have a Mediafire account where alot of my spreadsheets are stored openly accessible to any one who wants to look and use them.

There is a folder of 8 spreadsheets where a ratio between types of mathematical data ref: Primes is calculated.  These spreadsheets are from 200000 rows to 400000 rows long with some massive formulae in the cells.  The link expression is below if you are interested.  If you copy it and it does not work let me know.  The save/write time on the files can be from 30 minutes to 1 hour on my system. 

https://www.mediafire.com/folder/eqq1sbauqhdhu/Spreadsheets_8no._for_Ratio_P%26PnP

Ref. you question about changes to the BIOS.  I have made none.  Ref: Turbo - I don't know and will have to reboot into set up to find out and will come back to you on this.

Andy

[andyoo]

Hi

Here are photos of laptop setup    Andy

[DeividA_Intel]

Hello andyoo, 

Thank you for the information provided 

I will proceed to check the issue internally and post back soon with more details. 

Best regards, 

Deivid A.  

Intel Customer Support Technician 

[DeividA_Intel]

Hello andyoo, 

Thanks for your patience. Since this is happening in a Linux environment, I recommend you check this issue with the Linux support team. This is because our support for Linux is limited.

Also, the size of spreadsheets is huge and that could cause performance or freezing to other systems as well, not saying this is normal behavior but definitively will be affected due to the size of the files. if is not happening on other files or with other apps I would think is more related to the file size.

Please keep in mind that this thread will no longer be monitored by Intel.  

Regards,  

Deivid A.  

Intel Customer Support Technician  

[andyoo]

Please do not block/not reply to this/not monitor this - you are impolite.

You have not answered the question.

Hi

Sure this is related to file size and calculation complexity. Agreed.
However that does not give me an answer to the "one thread" per two for
each CPU on the chip operating at 100% with the others sitting around
doing sweet FA otherwise known as "very little".

If I known at the time I bought the this machine that the Intel
chip is really only constructed for running Windows, I would not have
bought your chip or the machine.

My first computers were DOS not Windows. I won't print here what I
think of Windows. Enough to say just this. That is, if I had back
all the time I have spent in Windows solving problems with bad software,
hacks, viruses and so on; I'd still be a young man.

I.E. = Windows/Google bad guys (I don't forgive) - Malwarebytes/Andrew
Frost (as consumer and not employee of Malwarebytes or anything like
that) - good guys - Spigot, nasty virus **bleep** through Google. I
help them identify it.

Because I use Linux, I have no viruses, I have yet to discover a hack
that that worked in my Linux.

I expected more from an organisation as big as Intel. You have not
addressed my query. Your return contains absolutely no useful
information and makes no attempt to answer the issue - I am a
dissatisfied customer therefore; and you don't seem to care about me or
the abysmal performance of your chip.

You're lucky, I never give reviews - and you wouldn't want it. Ref:
Michael Caine movie Best Sellers (2021)

[n_scott_pearson]

@andyoo,

No one has been rude or impolite - except for you in this latest post. Grow up. Be professional.

No one is objecting to your choice of Linux; that's a personal choice and we're not interested in a diatribe regarding why.

It is ridiculous to think that the processor is responsible for this issue; it is patently not.

1. The O/S (the Linux Kernel) is responsible for *all* decisions regarding when and how a processor's threads are going to be utilized.
2. It is LibreOffice Calc that is responsible for *all* decisions regarding how it will utilize multi-threading to optimize large workloads.

I am not interested in any rebuttal from you - at least not until you have discussed this issue with the Linux Kernel and LibreOffice teams.

...S

[andyoo]

Hi n_scott_pearson

Thanks for the response - I'm just venting my frustration - you find my
attitude ridiculous but nobody answers with reasons why - no one has
said why they draw their conclusions.

Anyway - sorry if I rattled the cage; and I will do my best to grow up a
bit even if being juvenile at the age of 75 is quite good fun.

Regards
Andy

[n_scott_pearson · Accepted solution]

I am 66 and getting to vent here (albeit more politely... well, most of the time) is a part of why I am here - that and giving back and trying to do at least part of what Intel *should* be doing (but isn't).

Well, anyway, I hope that I have answered your questions. As for why the results are as they are, that's a mystery - one I am not going to touch any time soon. I know that, at one point, they made a knee-jerk change to the Kernel, using only one thread per Core, due to one of the many vulnerabilities in Intel's processors. Whether that change is still in the Kernel that you are running is a possibility, but there is no way that it is the whole story.

...S

P.S. I said this in another conversation: "Linux Desktop continues to represent an insignificant portion (a *pitiful* 3.08% currently; ChromeOS has 4.15%) of the desktop TAM."

[andyoo]

As you already know I gave up "other" operating systems - I think it is a shame that Linux hasn't got a bigger share after all these years.  Ref. your comment on vulnerabilities, when realising how fragile these thing are, I would worry about the future, but its the next generations' problem.  I'm stuck I think with the limitations of Linux, LibreOffice Calc as well as quirks in processors.  I am a visual person and a pattern person, and that's why I like massive spreadsheets, I like to see what's going on with the patterns in numbers.

Thanks for the input

Regards, Andy