Cache problems on 386 boards

Dick Dunn rcd at ico.isc.com
Fri Oct 27 13:25:01 AEST 1989


akcs.larry at nstar.UUCP (Larry Snyder) writes:
> I know that boards with a cache in several installations have had problems

Somehow the article seems to have gotten truncated at one line--maybe there
was an explanation that didn't get out?

The problems I've heard about with caches involve cache designs which are
somehow unorthodox and rely on a special BIOS to sort out the problems.
UNIX doesn't use the BIOS, so there are cases where these cache designs
will work on DOS but not on UNIX.  The problems arise when you have I/O
boards with memory-mapped areas and the cache tries to cache the I/O space.

There need not be a problem.  Within ISC we have various 386 machines with
caches; they work fine.  If you're looking to use 386/ix on a minor brand
of machine or motherboard, the thing to do is ask to see if the machine is
on the "known to work" list before you buy it.
-- 
Dick Dunn     rcd at ico.isc.com    uucp: {ncar,nbires}!ico!rcd     (303)449-2870
   ...No DOS.  UNIX.



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