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TI486 Microprocessor - Al Kossow's Bitsavers

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SMMOveNiew<br />

A.1 SMM Overview<br />

A.1.1<br />

Introduction<br />

This programmer's guide has been written to aid programmers in the creation<br />

of software using the <strong>TI486</strong> system management mode (SMM). SMM is<br />

currently implemented in both the <strong>TI486</strong>SLC/E and the <strong>TI486</strong>DLC/E, and the<br />

3-volt versions of each (<strong>TI486</strong>xLC/E-V) microprocessor.<br />

For an introduction to SMM and additional information, refer to the Tl48632-8it<br />

<strong>Microprocessor</strong> Reference Guide. Section A.13 describes the differences<br />

between the <strong>TI486</strong>SLC/E and the <strong>TI486</strong>DLC/E with SMM. Section A.16<br />

contains important information concerning SMM programming.<br />

A.1.2 SMM Implementation<br />

SMM operation in the <strong>TI486</strong> microprocessors is similar to related operations<br />

performed by the AMD and Intel microprocessors. Each of these three<br />

microprocessors switches into real mode upon entry into the SMM interrupt<br />

handler. Each manufacturer's CPU has unique SMM code locations. The TI<br />

CPU has a programmable location and size for the SMM memory region. Each<br />

of the manufacturer's processors saves the programmer-visible register<br />

contents upon entry and also saves the non-programmer visible register<br />

contents. The <strong>TI486</strong> CPU automatically saves the minimal register<br />

information, reducing the entry and exit clock count to 140. This compares with<br />

Intel's clock overhead for entry and exit of 804 clocks and AMD's minimum of<br />

694 clocks. (See Section A.11 for a comparison of SMM overhead.)<br />

The <strong>TI486</strong> SMM implementation provides unique instructions that save<br />

additional segment registers as required by the programmer, in addition to the<br />

x86 MOV instruction that saves the general purpose registers.<br />

<strong>Al</strong>though all three manufacturer's CPUs provide liD trapping, the <strong>TI486</strong> SMM<br />

simplifies identification of liD type and instruction restarting. The <strong>TI486</strong> SMM<br />

process is unique in its ability to permit software relocation and sizing of the<br />

SMM address region. This flexibility facilitates run time changes to SMM<br />

support. This software flexibility allows an operating system or debugger to<br />

change, modify, or disable the SMM code.<br />

A-2<br />

Tl486 SMM Programmer's Guide

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