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Chapter 4 System Support
4.4.2 DIRECT MEMORY ACCESS
Direct Memory Access (DMA) is a method by which a device accesses system memory without
involving the microprocessor. Although the DMA method has been traditionally used to transfer
blocks of data to or from an ISA I/O device, PCI devices may also use DMA operation as well.
The DMA method reduces the amount of CPU interactions with memory, freeing the CPU for
other processing tasks.
NOTE: This section describes DMA in general. For detailed information regarding
DMA operation, refer to the data manual for the Intel MCP component.
The MCP component includes the equivalent of two 8237 DMA controllers cascaded together to
provide eight DMA channels, each (excepting channel 4) configurable to a specific device. Table
4-7 lists the default configuration of the DMA channels.
Table 4-7. Default DMA Channel Assignments
Table 4-7.
Default DMA Channel Assignments
DMA Channel Device ID
Controller 1 (byte transfers)
0
1
2
3
Spare
Audio subsystem
Diskette drive
Parallel port
Controller 2 (word transfers)
4
5
6
7
Cascade for controller 1
Spare
Spare
Spare
All channels in DMA controller 1 operate at a higher priority than those in controller 2. Note that
channel 4 is not available for use other than its cascading function for controller 1. The DMA
controller 2 can transfer words only on an even address boundary. The DMA controller and page
register define a 24-bit address that allows data transfers within the address space of the CPU.
In addition to device configuration, each channel can be configured (through PCI Configuration
Registers) for one of two modes of operation:
♦
♦
LPC DMA
PC/PCI DMA
The LPC DMA mode uses the LPC bus to communicate DMA channel control and is
implemented for devices using DMA through the LPC47B367 I/O controller such as the diskette
drive controller.
The PC/PCI DMA mode uses the REQ#/GNT# signals to communicate DMA channel control and
is used by PCI expansion devices.
Compaq D315 and hp d325 Personal Computers
Featuring the AMD Athlon XP Processor
Second Edition – April 2003
4-18