Intel® 430TX PCIset: 82439TX System Controller (MTXC) Specification Update 11
Errata
Errata
1. SDRAM Speculative Read Enable (SSRE)
Problem: Due to a timing marginality during SDRAM read-page-hit cycles, the SSRE mode does not
function properly and must be disabled. This mode provided a five clock read lead off during CPU
read-page-hit cycles to main memory. This mode impacts SDRAM only.
Implication: If SSRE mode is enabled, the system may not function properly. Intel has tested this mode and
found the performance impact of disabling the SSRE mode is minimal using the 430TX reference
platform with a 200 MHz Pentium® processor with MMX™ technology, 16 Mbytes SDRAM,
512 Kbytes PBSRAM L2, and hard drive in PIO Mode 4.
Workaround: This errata is avoided by disabling the SSRE mode by clearing bit 7 in register offset 56h to “0”.
This bit has been changed to a reserved bit and must always remain in its defau lt state (0).
Status: For the steppings affected see the Summary Table of Changes at the beginning of this section.
2. Address Setup Time
Problem: Intel’s 430TX PCIset external timing specification (ETS) specifies that the PCI address setup to the
MTXC is 7.0 ns. However, it has been determined that the MTXC requires a 7.7 ns address setup
on PCI AD lines 30 and 31.
Implication: If the PCI address setup to the MTXC is not met, then the MTXC will not complete the cycle
correctly. This may result in a system failure or data error which is not immediately visible to the
end user. There is no test currently available to expose this type of error to the end user , theref ore, it
is essential that th e new tim ing requirement is m e t.
In a system with a 33 MHz PCI bus, the setup time is gene rated within a 30 ns window. The delay
components with in this window are: valid delay, fligh t tim e, and PCI cloc k skew (the specific
equation is: 30 ns - valid delay - flight time - PCI clock skew - setup). In general, the OEM has
control o f the fl ight time and clo c k skew. Both of these delay co mponents often h a ve additional
margin which should compensate for the increased timing requirement on the MTXC. OEM’s
should evaluate their board designs to determine if additional clock skew and/or flight time margin
is available.
Workaround: The design should be laid-out in such a manner to compensate for the MTXC’s increased timing
requirement. OEM’s should examine their existing designs to determine if their specific PCI flight
time and PCI clock skews will provide sufficient timing ma rgin.
To check your design for adequate margin:
1. Measure th e PCI C lock Sk ew between t he MTXC P CI Clo ck and t he ot her PC I Clocks in you r
system. If the MTXC PCI clock lags behind the other PCI clocks, this issue should not be a
problem. If the MTXC PCI clock leads the other PCI clocks by less than 1.3 ns, this issue
should not be a problem. This is assuming that all other param eters, external to the MTXC
component , meet P CI bus ti ming require ment s. The max imum skew is meas ured betw een an y
two components, not at the PCI connector. For example, if the measurement is being made
between the MTXC and a PCI device in a slot, make the measurement from the MTXC to the
device on the PCI card, and not to the connector the card is plugged in to. The measurements
are generally m ade at the 1 .5 V t o 1 .5 V l evel. However, refer to the PCI sp ecifi cat io n r ev 2.1 ,
section 4.3.1 for precise measurement points.