Is registry's L2 cache 'disabled' by default in Vista/Server 2008?

[a.k.a.]

Hello everyone,

This is incredibly confusing: It's my understanding that this is the
registry key where the value of the L2 cache is set:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management\]

In Server 2008 RC2 (Hyper-V) the value I'm finding is 0!!!! What's going on?

Am I not making any use of the 4MB of L2 cache in my Centrino Pro? Shouldn't
it automatically set itself to 1600 [which I guess would be the value for
4MB]?

I'd really appreciate any insights anyone has!

a.k.a.

 

[Quaoar]

Hello everyone,

This is incredibly confusing: It's my understanding that this is the
registry key where the value of the L2 cache is set:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management\]

In Server 2008 RC2 (Hyper-V) the value I'm finding is 0!!!! What's going on?

Am I not making any use of the 4MB of L2 cache in my Centrino Pro? Shouldn't
it automatically set itself to 1600 [which I guess would be the value for
4MB]?

I'd really appreciate any insights anyone has!

a.k.a.

All cache values are a function of the chipset design, and accessed in
Windows (whatever version) via chipset drivers. Windows cannot control
the native functions of the Intel/AMD chipsets.

Q

 

[a.k.a.]

Quaoar, thanks a lot. Maybe we'll hear from Sedna next....

This is very interesting. Could you wager a guess about whether the chipset
driver didn't install correctly / has a bug? Or is the L2 cache usage
probably fine, and simply doesn't show up in that registry key?

Any advice on which Intel forums to take this question to?

Best wishes,
a.k.a.

Hello everyone,

This is incredibly confusing: It's my understanding that this is the
registry key where the value of the L2 cache is set:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management\]

In Server 2008 RC2 (Hyper-V) the value I'm finding is 0!!!! What's going on?

Am I not making any use of the 4MB of L2 cache in my Centrino Pro? Shouldn't
it automatically set itself to 1600 [which I guess would be the value for
4MB]?

I'd really appreciate any insights anyone has!

a.k.a.

All cache values are a function of the chipset design, and accessed in
Windows (whatever version) via chipset drivers. Windows cannot control
the native functions of the Intel/AMD chipsets.

Q

 

[f/fgeorge]

Hello everyone,

This is incredibly confusing: It's my understanding that this is the
registry key where the value of the L2 cache is set:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management\]

In Server 2008 RC2 (Hyper-V) the value I'm finding is 0!!!! What's going on?

Am I not making any use of the 4MB of L2 cache in my Centrino Pro? Shouldn't
it automatically set itself to 1600 [which I guess would be the value for
4MB]?

I'd really appreciate any insights anyone has!

a.k.a.

The L2 cache is a cpu setting not a software setting. What you are
seeing is not a function of how the cpu functions but more likely how
Windows is supporting the cpu's L2 cache. If a cpu's L2 cache were say
128k then maybe your number in the registry would be larger. But since
it found a larger than minimum number on the cpu it set the software
cache at zero.
Vista does that, they do thru software what the L2 cpu cache does on
the chip.
There should be a forum on MS's own website for Server 2008 and you
should really ask there.

 

[a.k.a.]

Thanks, f/fgeorge, that seems plausible.

The odd thing is that the tweak site where this reg key is identified
suggests that the values CLIMB as the memory increases.
http://www.liutilities.com/products/registrybooster/tweaklibrary/tweaks/11420/

128KB cache = 80
256KB cache = 100
512KB cache = 200
and so on

That page doesn't seem outdated: They have screenshots of dialogue boxes
displayed in the Vista interface theme.

a.k.a.

Hello everyone,

This is incredibly confusing: It's my understanding that this is the
registry key where the value of the L2 cache is set:

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory
Management\]

In Server 2008 RC2 (Hyper-V) the value I'm finding is 0!!!! What's going on?

Am I not making any use of the 4MB of L2 cache in my Centrino Pro? Shouldn't
it automatically set itself to 1600 [which I guess would be the value for
4MB]?

I'd really appreciate any insights anyone has!

a.k.a.

The L2 cache is a cpu setting not a software setting. What you are
seeing is not a function of how the cpu functions but more likely how
Windows is supporting the cpu's L2 cache. If a cpu's L2 cache were say
128k then maybe your number in the registry would be larger. But since
it found a larger than minimum number on the cpu it set the software
cache at zero.
Vista does that, they do thru software what the L2 cpu cache does on
the chip.
There should be a forum on MS's own website for Server 2008 and you
should really ask there.