This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
This chapter is from the book
Answers and Explanations
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C. Overclocking is the practice of manually configuring the microprocessor clock to run at a higher speed than the IC manufacturer suggests, to squeeze additional performance out of the system.
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C. The Pentium II's proprietary 242-contact socket design is referred to as the Slot 1 specification.
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B. The AMD multicore technology also changed the front-side bus arrangement found in existing Pentium/PCI systems. This portion of the system has been redesigned in a Direct Connect Architecture that directly connects the processors, the memory controller, and the Hypertransport (I/O) controller to the CPU through the Crossbar Switch portion of the System Request Interface inside the processor. This gives the processors direct on-chip access to the 128-bit ECC memory controller (in contrast to having to access an external bus to get to the North Bridge).
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A, C. Intel followed the Pentium II processor with a new Slot 1-compatible design it called the Pentium III. Later versions of the Pentium III and Celeron processors were developed for the Intel Socket 370 specification.
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B. Later versions of the Pentium III and Celeron processors were developed for the Intel Socket 370 specification.
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C. Initially, the Celeron was packaged in the Slot 1 (SECC) cartridge.
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A. Intel's hyperthreading architecture enables multiple program threads to be run in different sections of a single processor simultaneously. Basically, this structure fools the operating system into thinking that two processors are available for use.
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A. The Pentium II used Slot 1. Refer to Table 3.3, "Microprocessor Characteristics."
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C. Both Intel and AMD's newest processors have the capability to dynamically control their clock speeds. Running the processor at higher clock speeds provides better performance. However, running the processor at a lower speed provides for reduced power consumption and heat dissipation. This throttling technique is used to conserve battery power in notebooks, extend processor life, and reduce noise from cooling devices. When you monitor the System Properties of a portable computer, the processor speed that is reported may be lower than the actual processor speed. This behavior can occur because some portable computers reduce the processor speed to conserve power. If you monitor the computer while it is on battery power or in some other power-saving mode, the speed that is reported is lower than the computer's normal operating speed.
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D. The Pentium 4 uses Socket 423 or Socket 478. Refer to Table 3.3, "Microprocessor Characteristics."
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A. The Duron uses Socket A. Refer to Table 3.3, "Microprocessor Characteristics."
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C. All the current and planned dual-core processors from Intel are designed to use a new type of socket called the Land Grid Array (LGA) 775. Unlike previous socket types, the LGA775, also referred to as Socket-T, places contact pins on the system board and contact pads on the bottom of the microprocessor. A hinged metal rim folds down over the microprocessor package and holds its contact pads securely against the signal pins on the system board. A locking arm is used to clamp the processor package in place. The heat sink and fan unit are connected directly and securely to the system board on four points.
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B. The internal x16 multiplier setting required to achieve a core operating speed of 8.32GHz means that the clock signal the noncore portions of the processor were using (which is also the system clock and the FSB clock) was running at 520MHz (8320/16). The quad-pumped bus signaling technique used by the Pentium 4 provided a maximum theoretical transfer rate of 2080MT/s.
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A, B. The Athlon K7 version runs between 500MHz and 700MHz, provides a 128KB L1 cache and a 512KB L2 cache, employs a 100MHz system bus, and uses Slot A.
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B. Quad pumping a bus (also referred to as a quad data rate or a double data rate 2 bus) transfers data four times during a clock cycle. This means that an FSB featuring an 800MT/s (also commonly referred to as an 800MHz bus) is actually using a bus clock frequency of 200MHz.
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A, D. Intel's XD-bit technology is used to separate areas of memory into regions for distinct uses. Likewise, AMD's No-Execute (NE) bit technology was introduced with the Athlon 64 processor and also marks different areas of memory as being for use with data, or as being reserved for instructions. In both versions, a section of memory can be set aside exclusively for storing processor instructions (code), and another section can be marked only for storage of data. In the case of Intel processors, any section of memory marked with the XD/NE attribute means it's only for storing data. Therefore, processor instructions cannot be stored there. This is a popular technique for preventing malicious software from taking over computers by inserting their code into another program's data storage area and then running that code from within this section.