"General output will look something like below. Generally, on most newer (and just slightly older) machines, you'll be dealing with CPU's that list out in /proc/cpuinfo as more than they "physically" are. That is to say that hyperthreading/multiple-core CPU's will not appear in this file as the single physical entity that they are. Of course, your situation may vary, but this file should (at the very least) give you a feel for whether you have a bad CPU problem. In a situation where you have 4 physical CPU's (hyperthreading to simulate 8 CPU's) you can get a good indication of whether the problem your facing (we'll just assume you're facing a problem ;) is of a physical nature. If 2 virtual CPU's are down (in proper sequence), you probably need some new parts :) The "physical id" line value, when compared with the "processor" line value, is usually a good indication of whether or not your system is using hyperthreading or any other virtual enhancements. Odds are, you'll probably know this information before you ever have to look at this file."
