Direct memory access – Compaq W4000 User Manual

Page 74

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Chapter 4 System Support

4.4.2

IRECT MEMORY ACCESS

method by which a device accesses system memory without

volving the microprocessor. Although the DMA method has been traditionally used to transfer

r

etailed information regarding

D


Direct Memory Access (DMA) is a
in
blocks of data to or from an ISA I/O device, PCI devices may also use DMA operation as well.
The DMA method reduces the amount of CPU interactions with memory, freeing the CPU fo
other processing tasks.

NOTE: This section describes DMA in general. For d
DMA operation, refer to the data manual for the Intel 82801BA I/O Controller Hub.


T

of two 8237 DMA controllers cascaded

t

M channels, each (excepting channel 4) configurable to a specific

d

Table 4-10 lists the d

configuration of the DMA channels.

T

10. Default DMA Channel Assignments

le 4-10.

Default DMA Channel Assignments

annel

ID

he 82801 ICH

ncludes the equivalen

ogether to provide eight D A

evice.

efault

able 4-

Tab

DMA Ch

Device

Controlle

2 component i

t

r 1 (byte transfers)

Spare

0
1

Audio subsystem

2
3

Diskette drive
Parallel port

Controller 2 (word transfers)

5

troller 1

Spare

4

Cascade for con

6

Spare
Spare

7


All channels in DMA controller 1 operate at a higher priority than those in controller 2. Note that

scading function for controller 1. The DMA

ess boundary. The DMA controller and page

sfers within the address space of the CPU.

ration

LPC DMA

impl

he LPC47B367 I/O controller such as the diskette


The PC/PCI DMA mode uses the REQ#/GNT# signals to communicate DMA channel control and
is used by PCI expansion devices.

channel 4 is not available for use other than its ca

sfer wo

controller 2 can tran

rds only on an even addr

ran

register define a 24-bit address that allows data t


In addition to device configuration, each channel can be configured (through PCI Configu
Registers) for one of two modes of operation:


♦ PC/PCI DMA

The LPC DMA mode uses the LPC bus to communicate DMA channel control and is

emented for devices using DMA through t

drive controller.

Compaq Evo and Workstation Personal Computers

Featuring the Intel Pentium 4 Processor

Second Edition – January 2003

4-20

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