4-21
BUS OPERATION
Figure 4-13. Non-Cacheable Burst Cycle
4.3.3 Cacheable Cycles
Any memory read can become a cache fill operation. The external memory system can allow a
read request to fill a cache line by asserting KEN# one clock before RDY# or BRDY# during the
first cycle of the transfer on the external bus. Once KEN# is asserted and the remaining three re-
quirements described below are met, the Intel486 processor fetches an entire cache line regard-
less of the state of KEN#. KEN# must be asserted in the last cycle of the transfer for the data to
be written into the internal cache. The Intel486 processor converts only memory reads or
prefetches into a cache fill.
KEN# is ignored during write or I/O cycles. Memory writes are stored only in the on-chip cache
if there is a cache hit. I/O space is never cached in the internal cache.
To transform a read or a prefetch into a cache line fill, the following conditions must be met:
1. The KEN# pin must be asserted one clock prior to RDY# or BRDY# being asserted for the
first data cycle.
2. The cycle must be of a type that can be internally cached. (Locked reads, I/O reads, and
interrupt acknowledge cycles are never cached.)
3. The page table entry must have the page cache disable bit (PCD) set to 0. To cache a page
table entry, the page directory must have PCD=0. To cache reads or prefetches when
CLK
ADS#
A31–A2
M/IO#
D/C#
W/R#
BE3#–BE0#
RDY#
BRDY#
BLAST#
DATA
KEN#
TiT2T1T2T1Ti
To Processor
†
†
†
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