How come my Celeron Dual processor chips always

[forexster]

have 21% CPU usage as I just doing my wordpad only.

When my computer doing the boot-stage, I saw some words
mentioned that cpu xxx (memory or something) set in single channel,
what does it mean?

thank you for your assistance on this.

Many thanks,
Forexster

[Mixeur]

if you have vista, 21% cpu usage for doing nothing is normal...

single channel memory means that you have only one stick of ram. If you had too, cpu could access both at a time. It is called dual channel.

[forexster]

you had provided the useful answer.

although I'm using XP, but I believes most of its function still using the same.

The only concerned is this systems althought
new but always "hanged", don't know whether my harddisk is aging.

I did perform the disk-defragmentation and clean-up but still back to the same.

Maybe I'm run few browser pages together..

Anyway thank you for your help.

[Cobracon]

Dual Channel Memory Mode is a function of the motherboard's architecture. Having 2 sticks of RAM doesn't mean you have 'dual channel' memory. Usually, the tip off to having a motherboard capable of supporting dual channel memory mode is 4 RAM slots, 2 of one color and 2 of another color.

I have a fairly 'modern' Biostar motherboard (which I no longer use) that supports Intel dual core CPUs, but only supports Single Channel Memory Mode with both RAM slots populated. I bought the board before I understood the difference in having 2 sticks of RAM and having a motherboard that supports true dual channel memory mode with 2 sticks of RAM.

[forexster]

Thanks Cobracon.

As wth your Biostar motherboard with both RAM slots occupied. It is this would be functioning better than those with 1 RAM slots occupied?

Mine is Gigabyte S-Series GA-945GCM-S2L with
only Intel graphic card (Duo 2 Processors).
In the user manual they indicated....

This motherboard provdes two DDR2 memory sockets and supports Dual Channel Technology.
It did mentioned "Enable Dual Channel memory mode will double the orignal memory bandwidth."

So I add-it-on, so that my machine would not hang
all the time?

tks

[Cobracon]

I don't quite understand what you mean when you say your system 'hangs'. Does it stop completely and do absolutely nothing from then on, or is it just extremely slow to execute the latest command??

Have you checked the Gigabyte website for the latest supported memory listings?? http://www.gigabyte.com.tw/Products/Motherboard/Products_Overview.aspx?ProductID=2669

How much RAM capacity are you running now?? IMO, you should be running 2GB. Too little RAM capacity will greatly increase access times, and magnify the effect of your indicated 21% resourse usage at idle. BTW, 21% usage at idle for Windows XP is high.

My computers use Windows XP Pro and run the gamut from an antique 1.0GHz AMD Duron to an Intel (1.8GHz) e2160 dual core overclocked to 3.0GHz, and they all idle at 2%-6% usage. Open Task Manager and under the Processes Tab, see what is using so much idle capacity.

[gshv]

One of the possible causes of hanging could be disabled DMA mode on CD/DVD-ROM drive and/or hard disk drive. Here is some info from Microsoft:

http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/device/storage/IDE-DMA.mspx

Gennadiy