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Geode GXLV Processor Series Low Power Integrated x86 Solutions

Geode GXLV Processor Series Low Power Integrated x86 Solutions

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<strong>Geode</strong> <strong>GXLV</strong> <strong>Processor</strong> <strong>Series</strong><strong>Processor</strong> Programming (Continued)3.5.3 Descriptors3.5.3.1 Global and Local Descriptor Table RegistersThe GDT and LDT descriptor tables are defined by theGlobal Descriptor Table Register (GDTR) and the LocalDescriptor Table Register (LDTR) respectively. Some textsrefer to these registers as GDT and LDT descriptors.The following instructions are used in conjunction with theGDT and LDT registers:• LGDT - Load memory to GDTR• LLDT - Load memory to LDTR• SGDT - Store GDTR to memory• SLDT - Store LDTR to memoryThe GDTR is set up in real mode using the LGDT instruction.This is possible as the LGDT instruction is one of twoinstructions that directly load a linear address (instead ofa segment relative address) in protected mode. (The otherinstruction is the Load Interrupt Descriptor Table [LIDT]).As shown in Table 3-20, the GDTR contains a BASE fieldand a LIMIT field that define the GDTs. The InterruptDescriptor Table Register (IDTR) is described in Section3.5.3.3 “Task, Gate, Interrupt, and Application and SystemDescriptors” on page 71.Also shown in Table 3-20, the LDTR is only two bytes wideas it contains only a SELECTOR field. The contents of theSELECTOR field point to a descriptor in the GDT.3.5.3.2 Segment DescriptorsThere are several types of descriptors. A segmentdescriptor defines the base address, limit, and attributesof a memory segment.The GDT or LDT can hold several types of descriptors. Inparticular, the segment descriptors are stored in either oftwo registers, the GDT or the LDT. Either of these tablescan store as many as 8,192 (2 13 ) 8-byte selectors takingas much as 64 KB of memory.The first descriptor in the GDT (location 0) is not used bythe CPU and is referred to as the “null descriptor.”Types of Segment DescriptorsThe type of memory segments are defined by correspondingtypes of segment descriptors:• Code Segment Descriptors• Data Segment Descriptors• Stack Segment Descriptors• LDT Segment DescriptorsTable 3-20.GDT, LDT and IDT Registers47 16 15 14 13 12 11 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 0GDT RegisterIDT RegisterBASEBASEGlobal Descriptor Table RegisterInterrupt Descriptor Table RegisterLDT RegisterLIMITLIMITLocal Descriptor Table RegisterSELECTORwww.national.com 70 Revision 1.3

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