[mkjt88]

I have a question about how the L1 and L2 cache works. From what I understand is the CPU obviously pushes out more data than the RAM can process at once so the cache is like a temp hold to store info for the RAM.

Now can anyone clarify this for me... what exactly is going on?

Is it that the cache holds the data and the RAM selects certain data from the caches depending on what needs to be processed at the time or what?

[modi123_1]

More like the cache is frequent bits of data in the ram that, due to their frequency of use, need quicker access time... and that's on the cache.

[mkjt88]

So the cache is where bits being used is stored, then transferred back to RAM once finished?

[modi123_1]

the caches are for frequently accessed page files of data... when they are less used then it swaps to ram...

[GunnerInc]

Your program gets loaded into RAM, the CPU will move (or I can tell it to)move data into the L1/2 cache. Your app requests data the CPU will check to see if it is in the cache, if not, it grabs from RAM. The cache comes in handy when you use loops, (or other frequently used data if the loop code or data is in the cache, it will work faster than if the code was in RAM.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CPU_cache