Tualeron, data prefetch, and Intel Application Accelerator?

Okay, I've heard from various sources that Tualerons are capaple of performing "data prefetch", but nowhere is this feature mentioned within all the Celeron/Tualatin info at Intel's web site (at least, I can't find it).

At intel's web site, I was reading about Intel's "Application Accelerator" (formerly known as "Intel ultra ATA driver"), and it appears that the IAA software is needed to enable "data prefetch" in the P4's. Once again, no mention of Tualatins.

So, I'm wondering, if the Tualatins really do use data prefetch, is the IAA software required to enable the feature, as with the P4's?

Also, I'm wondering how many of you Tualatin users are running the IAA software. Has anyone done any sort of comparison with and without IAA?

I've been using IAA since I've installed my current mobo/cpu, but I've never tried to see if not using IAA makes a difference.

What do you guys think?

Hmm... I couldn't find it either in the 15 mins I just took to look through their site. The datasheet for the MOBILE Celeron does mention that it does have the data prefetch feature.

Some Google search results:
No, it doesn't have data prefetch:
http://www.digit-life.com/articles/celeron1200mhz/
http://www.mdronline.com/publication...es/mpw087.html

Yes, it does have data prefetch:
http://www.processor-emporium.co.uk/T10new27.htm
https://www.overclockers.com/tips716/
http://www.xbitlabs.com/cpu/celeron-1200/

Also, CPUz does report that my Tualeron 1.2 DOES have data prefetch logic. Anyone have SPEC CPU2000? Maybe that will show some info too.

Hell, anyone have a good contact at Intel??

The cel-t has data pefetch. That is why the IPC is higher on it than the PIII.

actually i will have to disagree with you there. I am not 100% but if i remember from way back when the tualitan first came out, the specs showed for the 2 types: the cel and true tualitan. The true tualitan had of course the full 512 cache and prefetch. Where as the more economical celeron version like those before it had been wittled down a little but this time not so much. The celly tualitan or a celeron with a tualitan core does not have the prefetch nor 512 but 256 cache. Making it equivalent to a coppermine p3 except for the .13 micron. Those are the two spec differences between the two types of tualitans the bigger difference of course is the price. I have yet to read in this forum or on this web site either how a true tualitan performs minus its use in laptops. I guess the price is just a little riduculous and anyone would spend the excess money on a whole new rig(xp or p4). Love to here what a true tualitan can do though.

The 'two types' of Tualatin (Celeron and P3) was nothing more than rumour and by no means based on fact.

Fact: The Celeron Tualatin (which is for all intents and purposes a P3 Tualatin on a 100 mhz FSB) 'does' in fact have data prefetch....It would want to, it is an integral part of the Tualatin core and cannot be disabled.

This is proven by the CPUz program and Sandra mem benchmarks....A non data prefetch CPU (ie: a cumine) will show a difference of about 50mb/s or more between the FPU and ALU scores on Sandra mem bench. A data prefetch chip (ie: The Tualatin) will only show a difference of about 20mb/s or less....

And my Tualatin Celeron shows a difference of 6 mb/s. So the Tualatin Celeron 'does' in fact have data prefetch enabled.

And people have posted their overclocking peformance results all over these forums using Celeron Tualatins....So you 'can' see what a 'true' Tualatin can do. You can't think of the Celeron as a casterated P3 any more considering the desktop P3 is dead and only the server part remains - The Celeron Tualatin is a very powerful....Not to mention 'fun' chip to play with!

I understand your description clearly and I remember reading that intel had scrapped the concept of 2 diferently labeled versions. Its good to here that there is prefetch that clears that up. But there had been tests conducted on tualitans that described differences in the cache. The celly, for distinction in this discussion and the 512 version which is what we don't here much about. Now clearly there is a difference in fsb 100/133 but I think it is so riduculous that it sell for such a higher price for for just an fsb difference. Unless also there is a cache difference as well. Perhaps 3 versions 1 that runs at 100/256 another that runs at 133/256 and yet another that runs at 133 with 512. Tom did run some tests on a 512 that he had http://www6.tomshardware.com/cpu/01q3/010919/index.html
back in sept. Now with rumors of the 1.4 and up tualitan what are those specs and my question was anyone using a 512 cach version.

the difference between the chaches celeron-t and the p3-t is the celeron has a L2 cache latency of 1 and the p3 has a latency of 0.
otherwise except for the fsb speed they are the same.
oh, and the p3-t "offically" supports smp operation, lol

I got one of each. Bigred is correct.

Celly 100fsb 256k L2 latency 1.
P3-S 133fsb 512k L2 latency 0

Well, Those were some good responses. But I'm still not convinced either way. Hmmm.....

In any case, how many of you guys are using the Intel Application Accelerator? According to information from Intel, the Data Prefetch on the P4 will not work unless you use the IAA software, which enables the feature? So, I wonder if this holds true for the Tualatin with prefetch.

Anybody have thoughts or facts about the IAA software?

Sounds like a good question for intel.

Originally posted by ol' man
Sounds like a good question for intel.

I e-mailed them the question this morning... We'll see if they respond... We may need someone with some clout - or I'll call them voice, but I wanted 'written' answers.

i will try install IAA on Wedsday or so.

The Intel Application Accelerator is software used for ATA 100 support in Windows as far as I know and has nothing to do with data prefetch.

I will say it again....The Tualatin Celeron (P3) has data prefetch enabled, and the cache latency of 1 in no way seems to hinder peformance as far as I can tell through excessive benchmarking and use of this processor - In fact it only seems to help with the overclockability of the chip.

Intel(R) Application Accelerator Help

Overview

The Intel(R) Application Accelerator is a desktop-based software package designed specifically to increase the performance of applications and computer systems running Intel(R) Pentium(R) III or Pentium(R) 4 Processor. This is achieved by use of several methods:


1. The Intel(R) Ultra ATA Storage Driver Technology - This technology increases the performance of the Input/Output subsystem transfer rate, greatly enhancing the system speed.

2. The Intel(R) Advanced Caching Technology - With this technology, available for Pentium(R) 4 processor based systems running Microsoft* Windows* 2000 Professional and Windows XP only, an overall additional performance enhancement is realized for Windows 2000 - based applications.

Software installation is flexible and fully automated for Microsoft* Windows* 98, Windows 98 Second Edition (SE), Windows Millennium Edition* (Me), Windows NT* 4.0, Windows 2000 Professional, and Windows XP Home Edition and Professional operating systems.

Are you confusing data prefetch with P4 Advanced Caching Technology? I don't think they are the same.

As others have said, data prefetch is enabled in Tualatins. I use the IAA for the performance boost in ATA.

Performance-enhancing Data Pre-fetcher for Intel® Pentium® 4 processor-based systems

he above quote is from this page: http://support.intel.com/support/chipsets/iaa/

Maybe Intel's use of the term "Data Prefetcher", on this page, is confusing me a bit.

Hey, I got a response back from Intel Tech Support regarding the data prefetch in their Desktop Tualatin Celerons...

Hello Rich:

Thank you for contacting Intel(R) Technical Support.

I see that you have some questions about our .13 Micron Technology Proc
essors.

The Intel(R) Celeron(R) Processor that you are referring to is the same
.13 Micron Technology that the Pentium(R) III Processor is.

If you go to:
http://support.intel.com/support/processors/pentiumiii/
Under the heading "General Information" click on "Product overview". U
nder "Product Highlights" you will find the following:
"Versions that incorporate Data Prefetch Logic (DPL), which anticipates
the data needed by the application and pre-loads it into the Advance T
ransfer Cache, designed to further increase the processor and applicati
on performance."

This information is also detailed in the home page for the Intel Celero
n Processor. When the technology of processors are the same, even if th
ey are in a different market segment, the basic feature package and ins
truction sets are going to be the same. In other words, MMX(TM) is incl
uded on all of the processors that have been released since that techno
logy came out. Data Prefetch is the same. In a comparison of a Desktop
processor and a Mobile processor again the technology features are goin
g to be identical. We did however add into instruction sets for Mobile
Processors the SpeedStep(TM) Technology.

I hope that this has resolved the question for you. The Data Prefetch d
etails can be found by going to:
http://developer.intel.com/design/PentiumIII/manuals/
and looking at the "IA-32 Intel(R) Architecture Software Developer’s Ma
nuals".

Please let me know if I can be of further assistance.


Best Regards,
Carla L.
Intel(R) Technical Support

*Other names and brands may be claimed as the property of others.

Intel's trademarks may not be used without written permission of Intel

basically she says that the Tualatin Celly has the same features as the P3 Tualatin.

Like I said....It's an integral part of the Tualatin core - It can't just be switched off....

All Tualatins, being Celeron (a) or Pentium have data prefetch. The Intel Application Accelerator is a ATA 100 ide driver for the 815EP chipset. Has nothing to do with data prefetch and does give a good performance boost for motherboards with the 815EP.