MTRR/DRM questions

MTRR/DRM questions

[Steve Snyder]

Hello.

1. Is there any benefit to enabling MTRR support for systems (RedHat v7.1 / 
kernel v2.4.9) that will never run a graphical user interface?  Usually I 
read of MTRR-related matters in the context of GUI acceleration.  Would my 
text-only system benefit from MTRR support?

2. The kernel doc says the DRM support is avalable for the Intel 440LX 
chipset, but no mention is made of the 440EX.  Given that the 440EX is 
kinda-sorta similar to the 440LX, can I assume that the EX chipset is also 
supported?

Please CC me as I am not subscribed to the list.

Thanks.

Re: MTRR/DRM questions

[Eric W. Biederman]

Steve Snyder <swsnyder@home.com> writes:

> Hello.
> 
> 1. Is there any benefit to enabling MTRR support for systems (RedHat v7.1 / 
> kernel v2.4.9) that will never run a graphical user interface?  Usually I 
> read of MTRR-related matters in the context of GUI acceleration.  Would my 
> text-only system benefit from MTRR support?

Having the kernel know how to manipulate MTRR's is useful for things
like high performance I/O cards.  Video is just one.  However you definentily
need MTRR's setting it is o.k. to do write back caching on your memory.

> 2. The kernel doc says the DRM support is avalable for the Intel 440LX 
> chipset, but no mention is made of the 440EX.  Given that the 440EX is 
> kinda-sorta similar to the 440LX, can I assume that the EX chipset is also 
> supported?

I haven't looked.  The fact that they are close probably means it is simple
to convert the code if the code doesn't support your chip.

Eric