Architecture

2.6Memory Management Unit (MMU)

2.6.1R3900 Processor Core operating modes

The R3900 Processor Core has two operating modes, user mode and kernel mode. Normally the processor operates in user mode. It switches to kernel mode if an exception is detected. Once in kernel mode, it remains there until an RFE (Restore From Exception) instruction is executed.

(1) User mode

User mode makes available one of the two 2 Gbyte virtual address spaces (kuseg). In this mode the most significant bit of each kuseg address in the memory map is 0. Attempting to access an address whose MSB is 1 while in user mode returns an Address Error exception.

(2) Kernel mode

Kernel mode makes available a second 2 Gbyte virtual address space (kseg), in addition to the kuseg accessible in user mode. The MSB of each kseg address in the memory map is 1.

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Toshiba TX39 user manual Memory Management Unit MMU, 1 R3900 Processor Core operating modes, User mode, Kernel mode