How to make Windows 8.1 Pro make use of all 6 cores of my CPU ?

[MarkCara]

My CPU is Core i7-5820K, it has 6 cores and I've realized that Windows 8.1 Pro doesn't use all of those 6 cores at once. I only see my programs run faster when I overclock it from 3.3 GHz to 4.5 GHz so the Windows probably just uses 1-2 cores in practice. So I wonder if there is any tweak to make the Windows make use of all the 6 cores ?

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[btchris]

What leads you to believe that Windows isn't using all 6 cores?

Not all programs are good at using multiple cores to improve their performance, so it's not surprising that some programs are benefited more by overclocking.

To check if Windows sees and is using all of your cores:

 1. Start -> type Task Manager, press Enter.
 2. If you see a More details button in the lower-left, click it.
 3. Click the Performance tab.
 4. Click CPU.
 5. Verify that "Cores" says 6, and that "Logical processors" says 12.

[ranochigo]

Some bios have an option to allow you to use all cores. The efficiency of haswell should be good enough such that you don't have to use lots of resources to do most everyday stuff.
1. Do ctrl alt del
2.Go to performance tab
3. Go to resource manager
4. Go to cpu tab and check for parked cores
You should be able to decrease parked cores by changing your power plan.

[MystPhysX]

It's the application which dictates how your cores are used. Lots of everyday applications won't be properly multithreaded because there is no need or the devs were lazy.

Overclocking it will make everything run faster regardless of its threading. What exactly are you running?

[hmblm1245]

http://www.guru3d.com/files-details/cinebench-15-download.html

This tool is a good benchmarking tool. It will hit all your cores. I know its not inline with what you are asking but hey it will tell you.

http://www.cpuid.com/softwares/cpu-z.html

Good tool for info about your system.

i have 24 cores and very few apps can take advantage. you have to let the chipset work its magic or in this case not work its magic.

[unsoindovo]

...i remenber to all just a simple think:
the OS, windows, linux iOS etc etc,
give users the possibility to run programs who use multithread...
but in last istance, the use of 2 ore more cores, it depends on how the software was programmed.
if the software it is programmed for a multithread environment, OS will use it if you have a multicore/threads CPU...
otherwise not...