Really tough l2 cache question!!!

[Nih]

Does integrated l2 cache *(coppermine or t-bird) have ecc capabilities. The reason i'm asking is i have heard conflicting answers and i need to know definatively. In most bios there is the l2 cache ecc function. But some people have noted that none of these processors ( xeon excluded ) have ecc , or that no modern chipsets will support this function anyway. Need the truth

 

[kylebisme]

my manual for my t-bird says it does have ecc, though i never have turned it on.

 

[AndyHui]

All Coppermines support ECC on the L2 cache. In fact, it is permanently enabled and cannot be disabled.

It has nothing to do with chipsets. Chipsets are only relevant to system RAM. ie the 440BX chipset supports ECC SDRAM, but the i815 chipset does not.

Intel started including ECC enabled L2 caches from Pentium II 300 and onwards, but it could be disabled. Only a select few P2-233s and 266s had L2 cache ECC capability.

All XEONs have had ECC capable L2 caches.

Can't tell you for AMD processors.

 

[Nih]

Ok, two things. How do you know this. Does the ec mark on the cache signify ecc or enhanced cache. I've looked at technical docs for coppermines and they fail to mention anything about l2 cache. Where are you getting your information Andy? Also in almost every modern bios there is a setting for l2 cache ecc, and also another for memory ecc, which are two different things. I've read something off of the AMD site , that states 72 bit l2 cache, 64 dual and 8 ecc. I'm inclined there is ecc on an Athlon's l2 , but only under certain circumstances. Also I can disable a coppermine's l2 cache in bios , thereby disabling it's ecc, If it has any, so why wouldn't disabling l2 ecc, in bios, disable l2 ecc, if it has any. I am still unclear on this and would appreciate more help here.

 

[AndyHui]

Although the BIOS has settings to disable L2 cache, this setting has no effect.

Examine the notes for each processor S-Spec on the Pentium III Quick Reference Table. You will see that for all Pentium III processors, they have L2 cache that supports ECC and it cannot be turned off.

For Pentium IIs, ECC capability was denoted by the EC on the end of the product number. I can't remember if this is the case for Pentium IIIs at the moment....I need to go and check.

 

[Nih]

Ohh, Now i get it, Thanks a million Andy,