AMD AMD-K6-2/500AFX Data Sheet - Page 209

Write Allocate Logic Mechanisms and Conditions

Page 209 highlights

21850J/0-February 2000 Preliminary Information AMD-K6®-2 Processor Data Sheet Write Allocate Logic Mechanisms and Conditions set to 0, write allocates can still occur due to the "Write to a Cacheable Page" and "Write to a Sector" mechanisms). Write Allocate Enable 15-to-16-Mbyte -All Steppings. The Write Allocate Enable 15-to-16-Mbyte (WAE15M) bit is used to enable write allocations for memory write cycles that address the 1 Mbyte of memory between 15 Mbytes and 16 Mbytes. This bit must be set to 1 to allow write allocate in this memory area. This bit is provided to account for a small number of uncommon memory-mapped I/O adapters that use this particular memory address space. If the system contains one of these peripherals, the bit should be set to 0 (even if the WAE15M bit is set to 0, write allocates can still occur between 15 Mbytes and 16 Mbytes due to the "Write to a Cacheable Page" and "Write to a Sector" mechanisms). The WAE15M bit is ignored if the value in the WAELIM field is set to less than 16 Mbytes. By definition a write allocate is not performed in the memory area between 640 Kbytes and 1 Mbyte unless the processor determines a pending write cycle is cacheable by means of one of the other write allocate mechanisms-"Write to a Cacheable Page" and "Write to a Sector." It is not considered safe to perform write allocations between 640 Kbytes and 1 Mbyte (000A_0000h to 000F_FFFFh) because it is considered a noncacheable region of memory. For AMD-K6-2 processor Model 8/[F:8], if a memory region is defined as write-combinable or uncacheable by a MTRR, write allocates are not performed in that region. Figure 81 shows the logic flow for all the mechanisms involved with write allocate for memory bus cycles. The left side of the diagram (the text) describes the conditions that need to be true in order for the value of that line to be a 1. Items 1 to 4 of the diagram are related to general cache operation and items 5 to 10 are related to the write allocate mechanisms. For more information about write allocate, see the Implementation of Write Allocate in the K86™ Processors Application Note, order# 21326. Chapter 7 Cache Organization 189

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Chapter 7
Cache Organization
189
21850J/0—February 2000
AMD-K6
®
-2 Processor Data Sheet
Preliminary Information
set to 0, write allocates can still occur due to the “Write to a
Cacheable Page” and “Write to a Sector” mechanisms).
Write Allocate Enable 15-to-16-Mbyte –All Steppings.
The Write Allocate
Enable 15-to-16-Mbyte (WAE15M) bit is used to enable write
allocations for memory write cycles that address the 1 Mbyte of
memory between 15 Mbytes and 16 Mbytes. This bit must be set
to 1 to allow write allocate in this memory area. This bit is
provided to account for a small number of uncommon
memory-mapped I/O adapters that use this particular memory
address space. If the system contains one of these peripherals,
the bit should be set to 0 (even if the WAE15M bit is set to 0,
write allocates can still occur between 15 Mbytes and 16
Mbytes due to the “Write to a Cacheable Page” and “Write to a
Sector” mechanisms). The WAE15M bit is ignored if the value
in the WAELIM field is set to less than 16 Mbytes.
By definition a write allocate is not performed in the memory
area between 640 Kbytes and 1 Mbyte unless the processor
determines a pending write cycle is cacheable by means of one
of the other write allocate mechanisms—“Write to a Cacheable
Page” and “Write to a Sector.” It is not considered safe to
perform write allocations between 640 Kbytes and 1 Mbyte
(000A_0000h to 000F_FFFFh) because it is considered a
noncacheable region of memory.
For AMD-K6-2 processor Model 8/[F:8], if a memory region is
defined as write-combinable or uncacheable by a MTRR, write
allocates are not performed in that region.
Write Allocate Logic
Mechanisms and
Conditions
Figure 81 shows the logic flow for all the mechanisms involved
with write allocate for memory bus cycles. The left side of the
diagram (the text) describes the conditions that need to be true
in order for the value of that line to be a 1. Items 1 to 4 of the
diagram are related to general cache operation and items 5 to
10 are related to the write allocate mechanisms.
For more information about write allocate, see the
Implementation of Write Allocate in the K86™ Processors
Application Note
, order# 21326.