Intel Processor Computer Hardware User Manual


 
Developers Manual March, 2003 3-3
Intel
®
80200 Processor based on Intel
®
XScale
Microarchitecture
Memory Management
3.2.2.4 Data Cache and Write Buffer
All of these descriptor bits affect the behavior of the Data Cache and the Write Buffer.
If the X bit for a descriptor is zero, the C and B bits operate as mandated by the ARM architecture.
This behavior is detailed in Table 3-1.
If the X bit for a descriptor is one, the C and B bits’ meaning is extended, as detailed in Table 3-2.
Table 3-1. Data Cache and Buffer Behavior when X = 0
C B Cacheable? Bufferable? Write Policy
Line
Allocation
Policy
Notes
0 0 N N - - Stall until complete
a
a. Normally, the processor continues executing after a data access if no dependency on that access is encountered. With this
setting, the processor stalls execution until the data access completes. This guarantees to software that the data access has
taken effect by the time execution of the data access instruction completes. External data aborts from such accesses are
imprecise (but see Section 2.3.4.4 for a method to shield code from this imprecision).
0 1 N Y - -
1 0 Y Y Write Through Read Allocate
1 1 Y Y Write Back Read Allocate
Table 3-2. Data Cache and Buffer Behavior when X = 1
C B Cacheable? Bufferable? Write Policy
Line
Allocation
Policy
Notes
0 0 - - - - Unpredictable -- do not use
0 1 N Y - -
Writes do not coalesce into
buffers
a
a. Normally, bufferable writes can coalesce with previously buffered data in the same address range
1 0
(Mini Data
Cache)
---
Cache policy is determined
by MD field of Auxiliary
Control register
b
b. See Section 7.2.2 for a description of this register
1 1 Y Y Write Back
Read/Write
Allocate