Show me the cache, or was that money?

nethersdenizen · July 2003

Planning to just take this and get it over with, been working with hardware for years now and the only thing I need cleared up is the Level 2 cache issue.

L2 has been built right into the core for years now...but all the practice tests I've tried say it's on the motherboard, which was true with the original pentium and older....

So what I'm asking is this; When I get a question asking where the L2 is do I say it's located in the CPU or on the board? How old is this A+ test anyways? Does the 2003 new test update this? At $207 a try not going to miss any questions if I can help it.

Are CompTIA certifications good for life?

Thanks for reading this.

ghaouf · July 2003

l2 is located depending on the CPU.
i belive the technote covers this.

lazyart · July 2003

The current exam was created against 2001 objectives; later this year the 2003 update will take it's place (this is a minor change to the exam in that you can take OS of 2001 and Core 2003 and still get certified).

The location of L2 cache is specific to the processor. The original Pentium and Pentium MMX do not have L2 on board, but the Pentium Pro, PII and beyond all do have it.

The AMD K6 does not have it, but the K6-2 and later chips do.

Cyrix chips didn't have it back then, though the later chips may-- I highly doubt though that you will see Cyrix mentioned anywhere on the test.

Webmaster · July 2003

CompTIA 2001 Objectives wrote:

]4.1 Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in terms of their basic characteristics. Content may include the following:
o Popular CPU chips (Intel, AMD, Cyrix)
o Characteristics
o Physical size
o Voltage
o Speeds
o On board cache or not
o Sockets
o SEC (Single Edge Contact)

CompTIA 2003 Objectives wrote:

4.1 Distinguish between the popular CPU chips in terms of their basic characteristics.
Content may include the following:
o Popular CPU chips (Pentium class compatible)
o Voltage
o Speeds (actual vs. advertised)
o Cache level I, II, III
o Sockets/slots
o VRM(s)

nethersdenizen · July 2003

I know it depends on the type of CPU, that's exactly what I'm asking, if they don't say what kind of CPU it is, just a questions like "The level 2 cache is located where?" Should I assume they are talking about a pentium I or a K5, K6, K6-2, or a Cyrix MII which have it on the board.

Or should I assume they mean a k6-3, Athlon, PII, PIII,P4,duron,C3?????

what is the default if they don't specify?

lazyart · July 2003

To ask "where is the cache" without specifying the chip is kinda like asking what type of CPU goes on an ATX motherboard.

nethersdenizen · July 2003

I know it is, but I've seen it in practice questions so I didn't know if that was the kind of nonsence I'd be dealing with when I took the test, nothing like ambigious unclear test questions to drive someone crazy.

OK, I'm just going to assume that the real test will give need to know information. Just wanted to cover all the bases because like everyone here I haven't the money to waste...rather waste it on new computer parts.

Ok, thanks for the help even if I sounded like a dumb @$$ asking a question like that.

Webmaster · July 2003

If the practice question is based on the 2001 exam objectives, and they do not mention the CPU type, they most probably want you to choose "on the mainboard". In such cases you have to "keep it simple".

nethersdenizen · July 2003

Thank you webmaster, that's all I wanted to know.

bellboy · July 2003

a lot of practise sites will use questions based on objectives older than the 2001 objectives. i came across many when preparing for the a+.

my rule of thumb was it may be fine and dandy knowing bucket-loads of into on vesa-bus video and socket 5 cpu, as well as windows 3.x and windows for workgrups, but if you get the questions wrong (and you probably will as any book worth its mustard will not cover older objectives except for background purposes), giving you an unnecessarily poor score and not preparing you for the exam you will take, or proving your readiness for it.

if you visit our comptia link to the left of this page, you will eventually find links to sites offering study material and practise questions we like. we like candidates to pass their exams, not by using braindumps (which is why we don't post links to them, and endeavour to keep these forums clean of links to braindumps), but by honest study, hands-on experience and decent questions following present objectives.

Show me the cache, or was that money?

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