Store-to-load forwarding correctness checks at store instruction commit

Abstract

A microprocessor includes a load queue, a store queue, and a load/store unit that, during execution of a store instruction, records store information to a store queue entry. The store information comprises store address and store size information about store data to be stored by the store instruction. The load/store unit, during execution of a load instruction that is younger in program order than the store instruction, performs forwarding behavior with respect to forwarding or not forwarding the store data from the store instruction to the load instruction and records load information to a load queue entry, which comprises load address and load size information about load data to be loaded by the load instruction, and records the forwarding behavior in the load queue entry. The load/store unit, during commit of the store instruction, uses the recorded store information and the recorded load information and the recorded forwarding behavior to check correctness of the forwarding behavior.