Re: RFC: Cleanup/detection patch

[Jun Sun <jsun@mvista.com>]

Keith M Wesolowski wrote:
> 
> On Thu, Apr 05, 2001 at 01:29:13PM -0700, Jun Sun wrote:
> 
> > I don't like bc_ops idea.  Usually the external cache capability is still
> > integral part of the CPU.
> 
> How can it be both an integral part of the CPU and board-specific?

Hmm, I am thinking about something like Rm7k, where the tertiary cache is
controlled by the CPU (through cache instruction and TagLo/TagHi regsiters,
etc) but the size is only known to the board.

I think some CPUs can have secondary, external cache but cannot figure the
size and, especially, the layout (# of ways, ...) automatically.  (Any
confirmation?)

Those are what I was referring to.

The key point is that machine_detection() should happen BEFORE
cpu_probe()/cache_probe() so that we have an elegant way to address the above
situation.

Jun