> > > Both Intel and AMD CPUs have a feature that detects when a virtual
> > > CPU is spinning on a lock and will trap to the host.
> >
> > Does an Intel Q6600 have this trap gizmo (iow will this do anything at
> > all for my little box if I were to try it out).
>
> Likely not. Run
>
http://git.kernel.org/?p=virt/kvm/qemu-kvm.git;a=blob_plain;f=kvm/scripts/vmxcap;hb=HEAD,
> look for 'PAUSE-loop exiting'. I think the first processors to include
> them were the Nehalem-EXs, and Westmeres have them as well.