non-cachable RAM and Swapfile on RAM disk

[remko]

I have an ABIT SM5A with Pentium 233MMX and 96MB RAM. How can I figure out if this is cachable (I have a feeling it is not) and if it is not, is it be possible to use the non-cachable part as virtual memmory on a ramdrive? (I'm using a dualboot with Linux and Windows98SE).

Greetings,
Remko

[Paleo Pete]

The amount of cacheable memory depends on the chipset. If it's an Intel 430 series, chances are it will only cache 64MB. The 430HX comes with 8bit tag memory, which can only cache 64MB, but with additional tag memory it can be configured to cache more than 64MB. If you're not running Intel's 430FX, 430VX, 430TX or 430HX chipset, chances are you won't run across the 64MB RAM cacheing limit.

Check the motherboard, or the manual for it. If you don't have one of these chipsets, you probably don't have to worry about it.

------------------
If you had everything...Where would you put it?

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[remko]

If it's an Intel 430 series, chances are it will only cache 64MB.

It's the Intel 430VX with 256kb of pipelineburst cache (I looked for the info yesterday but couldn't find it). So as I expected I'm in trouble. Can anybody tell me If it is possible (and smart) to allocate the uncached part of the memory as a RAM drive and use this RAM drive as part of the virtual memory? In fact, introduce yet another level between the processor and the harddisk or should I just donate it to my little sister?

Greetings, Remko

[Paleo Pete]

As far as I know only the 430HX will cache more than 64MB memory at all, and then only if you add more tag RAM, so the best thing you can do is drop back to 64MB and live with it. The board will work with more, but since it can't cache it, performance will suffer. I have a good article printed out about it, but I can't find the link again, and closed up without realizing I didn't add it to Favorites. 430FX is the chipset I'm using now, so I have the same problem, but since I only have 32MB RAM I don't have a problem with it as of yet. Except that it's not up to its best in the performance department...

Yours, with 64MB, should do pretty well, I've built 233MMX systems with 64MB before, and been pretty pleased with the performance. 64MB is usually sufficient for most home use applications, and many games, and with a decent video card handles 3D pretty well too. The MMX is designed as a multimedia processor, and is actually a processor withing a processor, so it handles multitasking, graphics, sound and 3D better than the plain Pentium. All at the same time too...

As for making part of it into a RAM drive, that's out of my league, but I don't think it would do you too much good, if you could make it work...

Stick with 64MB, and any time you wish you had more, think about me sitting here with half that, and no money to get more, and be glad you have what you have http://www.PCGuide.com/ubb/biggrin.gif


------------------
If you had everything...Where would you put it?

Computer Information Links (http://www.geocities.com/paleopete/)

[remko]

I just love Linux. If you can think of something probably somebody else has already fixed it...
http://home.austin.rr.com/bkeryan/slram/slram.txt

explains it.