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Those of you who are running VMware vSphere ESX/ESXi on an Intel Xeon X3430 CPU based HP Proliant ML110 G6 may have attempted to try and enable the Hyperthreading within ESX or ESXi after seeing that it was currently ‘Disabled’ within the ‘Configuration’ tab of the vCenter client and that all supposedly needs doing is it enabling in the BIOS of the server.
![VMware vSphere ESX Hyperthreading[7]](http://techhead.co/wp-content/uploads/2010/12/VMware-vSphere-ESX-Hyperthreading7.jpg "VMware vSphere ESX Hyperthreading[7]")
Without wishing to be the bearer of bad news unfortunately your Intel Xeon X3430 CPU in your particular model of ML110 G6 doesn’t actually have Hyperthreading installed on the CPU’s die. VMware ESX/ESXi seems to identify that your ML110 G6 does have an Intel Xeon X3400 series CPU installed though doesn’t distinguish between the various sub-models of this CPU some of which do have Hyperthreading. The X3430 is the only CPU in the X3400 series without Hyperthreading, for a complete list of which Intel CPUs come with Hyperthreading and which don’t check out this list here.
So the result is that despite the vCenter client telling you to enable Hyperthreading in the BIOS of your X3430 based ML110 G6 you’ll be looking a long time as you won’t be able to.
One very important point to note however is that there are models of HP ML110 G6 that do come with Xeon CPUs such as the X3440 which do in fact have Hyperthreading capabilities which can be utilised within ESX/ESXi
Hope this helps avoid any confusion. 
vCenter shows the same (misleading) message with the Xeon E5506, another hyperthread-less model:
http://communities.vmware.com/message/1611199
The message probably shows up on all of the processor models that are “missing” hyperthreading. This isn’t a complete list, but here are some: X3430, L5609, L5506, E5506, E5507, E5502, E5503, E5504.
…Oh, and whatever processor is used in the Microserver. 🙂
good morning
Also in my server ( ml 350 g6)
i have under vsphere hyperthreading not enable
and in bios i have not the options for enable ( or disable this function)
in a hp article i have found this note:
NOTE: The Hyperthreading feature is not required on the newer G5 and G6 Dual-core and Quad-core processor family of ProLiant servers.
my answer are these
my server have anyway hyperthreading also if not really declared ?
hyperthreading change really a esxi performance in my server ?
thanks Alberto
Hi Simon!
Do you know if it’s possible to upgrade the cpu that comes in the HP ML110 G6 with a retail Xeon CPU?
I recently got one of these servers with a Xeon G6950, but I’m looking forward to put a Xeon x3450 and I’m a bit concerned that the server will detect that is not an original HP part (I don’t know if HP cpus have a special microcode or I might just be paranoid :).
Thanks for sharing your experiences!
Augusto
Hi Augusto,
I’ve never heard of anyone doing this with a ML110 G6 though, if my memory serves me correctly, someone did successfully add a Xeon CPU to a G5 ML110. With the significant cost of buying a Xeon CPU on its own it may be worth paying the extra and buying a ML110 G6 Xeon model – just to avoid the risk of it not working.
Good luck and let us know if you do end up trying it.
Cheers,
Simon
Hi Simon,
First of all, thanks a lot for your reply!!
I found a success story here: http://www.ipentec.com/document/document.aspx?page=hp-proliant-ml110-g6-review-cpu-replacing-cpu&culture=en-us
They took a ML110 G6 and replaced an x3430 for an x3450 (a bit of an expensive upgrade). They also upgraded the memory with non-ecc memory, which surprises me, as I thought the mobo would reject it.
Now I need to get my hands on a x3450.
Thanks again for sharing your experience the these servers (and vmware)!
I purchased an Intel Xeon L3426, and Hyperthreading does indeed work.