Vmware, Inc.

Robert D Manchester

Xiaoxin Chen

Alberto J Munoz

Sahil Rihan

The computer program includes a virtualization software that is executable on the new processor in the legacy mode. The new processor includes a legacy instruction set for a legacy operating mode and a new instruction set for a new operation mode. The switching includes switching from the new instruction set to the legacy instruction set and switching paging tables. Each of the new operating mode and the legacy operating mode has separate paging tables. The switch routine is incorporated in a switch page that is locked in physical memory. The switch page has a first section to store a part of switching instructions conforming to the new instruction set and a second section to store another part of the switching instructions conforming to the legacy instruction set.

Switching between multiple software entities using different operating modes of a processor

A processor has multiple operating modes, such as the long/compatibility mode, the long/64-bit mode and the legacy modes of the x86-64 microprocessor. Different software entities execute in different ones of these operating modes. A switching routine is implemented to switch from one operating mode to another and to transfer control from one software entity to another. The software entities may be, for example, a host operating system and a virtual machine monitor. Thus, for example, a virtual computer system may comprise a 64-bit host operating system and a 32-bit virtual machine monitor, executing on an x86-64 microprocessor in long mode and legacy mode, respectively, with the virtual machine monitor supporting an x86 virtual machine. The switching routine may be implemented partially or completely in an identity-mapped memory page. Execution of the switching routine may be initiated by a driver that is installed in the host operating system of a virtual computer system.

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San Francisco, CA, United States of America

Robert D Manchester