During the boot process, the Windows HAL attempts to query the system processor(s) to determine the size of the level 2 (on-board) processor cache. Unfortunately, it generally doesn't do a very good job and reverts back to the default setting of 256kb. if your computer has a processor with a larger cache, changing the registered value to match your CPU can result in a significant performance increase.
Please note: Changing the setting to something other than the correct or default size can result in severe system instability.
To set the configured level 2 cache size:
Use a registry editing tool to navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
Insert or change a value with the following details:
Data Type
WORD
Value Name:SecondLevelDataCache
Value:The size of the CPU level 2 cache, in bytes
Restart the computer for the changes to take effect.
Sanx.org has received a significant amount of correspondence stating that the SecondLevelDataCache value is ignored by later versions of Windows. This is incorrect. The value is read by Windows in those cases where the HAL cannot identify the size of the cache.
Please note: Changing the setting to something other than the correct or default size can result in severe system instability.
To set the configured level 2 cache size:
Use a registry editing tool to navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\Session Manager\Memory Management
Insert or change a value with the following details:
Data Type
WORDValue Name:SecondLevelDataCache
Value:The size of the CPU level 2 cache, in bytes
Restart the computer for the changes to take effect.
Sanx.org has received a significant amount of correspondence stating that the SecondLevelDataCache value is ignored by later versions of Windows. This is incorrect. The value is read by Windows in those cases where the HAL cannot identify the size of the cache.
