virtual edge
Feature
Hardware
Hints & Tips
Humor
Links
Archive
PREMIO Sites
Main Site
Support Site
FTP Site
Vol. 1/No. 3
05/04/1998
|
| |
Archive of
volume 1, number 3 for May 4, 1998. Go back to
current issue.
|
FEATURE
Intel's IA-32 Family
|
|
Currently, Intel's IA-32 (Intel Architecture 32 bit) family consist of
the following processors: Celeron, Pentium II (66/100), and Xeon. The
IA-32 family is based upon the P6 or Pentium Pro core and architecture,
with MMX instructions added.
Celeron - Intel will be launching their low-end processor
in May 1998. This CPU is targeted for sub $1,000 systems, a market
in which Cyrix and AMD has already staked out with their low-cost socket 7 processors.
The Celeron is Intel's answer to the Cyrix M2/AMD K6. The initial speed
of the CPU is 266MHz, with zero L2 cache. Intel will bump the Celeron up
to 300/333, with the addition of 128K cache, by the end of 1998. Due to
the lack of L2 cache, the performance of a Celeron/266 in the Winstone 98
benchmark is just slightly higher than a Pentium/233. The Celeron's
memory bus will be at 66MHz. An interesting side-effect of the lack
of L2 cache is the Celeron can be overclocked to a higher speed, without
any ill effects. But you didn't read that here. :)
Pentium II (66/100) - The workhorses of the IA-32 family. This
consists of the Pentium II processor we all know running at the following
speeds: 233, 266, 300, 333, 350, and 400. From 233-333 the memory
bus is 66MHz; starting at 350 and above, the memory bus speed will be raised
to 100MHz. The L2 cache for all processor is still 512K; processor with
speed 300 or higher have ECC L2 cache. From Q2 until the end of 1998, this
family of processor will be targeted at home and corporate users.
Xeon - Intel's answer to Digital's Alpha and Apple's G3 processor.
The Xeon processor requires a new slot 2 motherboard. (Both the Celeron
and Pentium II requires a slot 1 system.) All Xeon processor will run
at 100MHz memory bus speed; its L2 cache will run at full CPU speed.
The speed of Celeron/Pentium II's L2 cache is half the CPU speed.
For example, the L2 cache of a Pentium/266 is only 133MHz (266/2=133).
The Xeon's L2 cache will run at the same speed as the processor's speed.
In addition, the Xeon will have L2 cache size of 512K, 1MB, and 2MB.
Performance like this comes with a high price tag: Xeon/400 with 2MB
cache may be priced at $2000 (or higher) per processor in quantities
of 1,000. Yikes! Due to its high price, the Xeon is targeted for
workstations and enterprise level servers.
And in the first quarter of 1999, Intel will introduce the "Katmai"
processor which comes with MMX2 (second generation MMX instruction set
for floating point operations).
Back to top...
|
|
HARDWARE
Sockets versus Slots
|
|
Pentium class processors (including AMD K5/K6 and Cyrix M1/M2) are
paired with socket 7 motherboard. Likewise, Intel's
IA-32 family of CPU is paired with motherboard
with slot 1. The slot 1 design was conceived by Intel to make
changing/upgrading the CPU easily. Instead of inserting the processor
into a socket, the user simply add the CPU as he or she would an add-on
card.
The socket 7 that exists on Pentium class system boards today is able
to accept Intel Pentium MMX, AMD K5/K6, and Cyrix M1/M2 CPU. In the
next few months, AMD introduce a new super socket 7 (or super 7) for
their AMD K6-2 processor. Super 7 will allow the system board to
run at 100MHz memory bus speed. This is necessary for AMD to keep up
with Intel's faster IA-32 family.
As far as Intel is concerned, the socket 7 design is a dead-end. They
will be focusing on slot 1 and slot 2. Because the slot 1 design is
patented solely by Intel, the only company that's able to make slot 1
CPU is Intel. AMD may attempt to physically clone the slot 1
design with their next generation K7, but the electrical characteristics
will be patterned after Digital's Alpha processor. For the high-end
Xeon CPUs, Intel will introduce the slot 2. Physically, the slot 2 will
be the same as slot 1, but the number of pins on the slot 2 will be
greater; this is to accomodate the complexity of the Xeon processor.
And as a transition to the Merced, Intel may introduce yet another slot
called slot M in 1999.
Back to top...
|
|
HINTS & TIPS
How to Reinstall Windows 95
|
|
Sometimes no matter how careful you are with Windows 95, you simply have
to reinstall the operating system to solve your problems. You have
back up your registry and restored it.
And yet Windows 95 is still crashing for whatever reason
(incorrect drivers, corrupted system files, etc).
So the only thing left to do is reinstall Windows 95. Now there's two
way you can reinstall: 1. Install 95 on top of the existing 95 or
2. Delete the existing 95 and install a fresh copy. The first choice
is recommended only if you have a lot of applications installed, and
you don't want to reinstall them again. But be warned, usually this
won't fix whatever problem you are having; in fact, it may make it
worse! If your system came with 95 preinstalled and you didn't re-format
your HDD, the easiest way to reinstall 95 on top of 95 is go to the
\windows\options\cabs folder; then simply run SETUP.EXE from there.
The second choice is the recommended solution. Sometimes you just have
to bite the bullet and start over from scratch. (Even though this method
requires you to reinstall all your applications, it's a good way to
eliminate all your "dead" or unused apps and files.)
If your system came with 95 preinstalled by PREMIO after May 1, 1998,
then follow these steps to completely reinstall 95; you will have to
reload your sound, video, modem, etc. drivers and reinstall all the
previous applications:
1. Hit F8 at "Starting Windows 95..." to bring up the boot menu and select
Safe Mode With Command Prompt.
2. Type "deltree progra~1" at the root C prompt and answer YES; this
will delete the Program Files folder.
3. Type "deltree windows" and answer YES; this will delete Windows 95.
(This make take up to five minutes, so be patient.)
4. Type "cd \cabs" to go into Windows 95's setup folder.
5. Type "setup" to begin the installation.
Back to top...
|
|
HUMOR
Joke of the Week
|
|
Top Ten Things Windows 98 Would Say if it Could Talk
10. "64MB of RAM? Are we living in the stone ages here, or what?"
9. "We don't approve of your slow 56K modem. That means it will take
at least an hour to send us all of your serial and credit card numbers."
8. "Microsoft usability labs reports that 99% of people can't tell the
difference between the 16 and 32 bit code."
7. "Hmmm...let me see...it looks as if we have drivers for every CD-ROM
in existence...except yours!"
6. "5.0GB of hard drive space left on drive C:...okay, looks like we can
do a minimum installation."
5. "New hardware detected! Er, OLD hardware detected!"
4. "Entering phase 2 of Win 98 install: Please wait while your computer
shuts down...permanently."
3. "Virus detected! Oh, whoops! That's just the IE4.0 code."
2. "Activate mail censor? This option prevents you from sending mail
containing four letter words to internet addresses at microsoft.com"
1. "If you think this is fun, wait until the $200 bug fix upgrade coming
in Q4 1998!"
Back to top...
|
|
|
|
|
Please direct any comments or corrections to Webmaster
Copyright © 1998 PREMIO Computer, Inc.
|