Architecture

Chapter 5 Memory Management Unit (MMU)

The R3900 Processor Core doesn't have TLB.

5.1 R3900 Processor Core Operating Modes

The R3900 Processor Core has two operating modes, user mode and kernel mode. Normally it operates in user mode, but when an exception is detected it goes to kernel mode. Once in kernel mode, it remains until an RFE (Restore From Exception) instruction is executed. The available virtual address space differs with the mode, as shown in Figure 5-1.

0x7FFF FFFF

0x0000 0000

User mode

2GB

Kuseg

0xFFFF FFFF

0x8000 0000 0x7FFF FFFF

0x0000 0000

Kernel mode

2GB kseg

2GB

Kuseg

Figure 5-1. Operating modes and virtual address spaces

(1) User mode

User mode makes available only one of the two 2 Gbyte virtual address spaces (kuseg). The most significant bit of each kuseg address is 0. The virtual address range of kuseg is 0x0000 0000 to 0x7FFF FFFF. Attempting to access an address when the 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 virtual address range of kseg is 0x8000 0000 to 0xFFFF FFFF.

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Toshiba TX39 user manual Memory Management Unit MMU, R3900 Processor Core Operating Modes