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Chapter 5 Cache and Memory Optimizations 113
Software Optimization Guide for AMD64 Processors
25112 Rev. 3.06 September 2005
5.8 Write-combining
Optimization
❖ Operating-system, device-driver, and BIOS programmers should take advantage of the write-
combining capabilities of the AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Opteron processors.
For details, see Appendix B, “Implementation of Write-Combining.” For more information on write-
combining, see “Write-Combining” in Volume 2 of the AMD64 Architecture Programmer’s Manual
(order no. 24593).
Application
This optimization applies to:
• 32-bit software
• 64-bit software
Rationale
In order to improve system performance, the AMD Athlon 64 and AMD Opteron processors
aggressively combine multiple memory-write cycles (of any data size) that address locations within a
64-byte cache-line-aligned write buffer.