29 September 1997 – Subject To Change
Privileged Architecture Library Code
6–11
21164PC Implementation of the Architecturally Reserved Opcodes
6.6.3 HW_REI Instruction
The HW_REI instruction is used to return instruction flow to the PC pointed to by
the EXC_ADDR IPR. The value in EXC_ADDR<0> will be used as the new value
of PALmode after the HW_REI instruction.
The IDU uses the return prediction stack to speed the execution of HW_REI. There
are two different types of HW_REI:
•
Prefetch: In this case, the IDU begins fetching the new Istream as soon as possi-
ble. This is the version of HW_REI that is normally used.
•
Stall prefetch: This encoding of HW_REI inhibits Istream fetch until the
HW_REI itself is issued. Thus, this is the method used to synchronize IDU
changes (such as ITB write instructions) with the HW_REI. There is a rule that
PALcode can have only one such HW_REI in an aligned block of four instruc-
tions.
Figure 6–3 and Table 6–6 describe the format and fields of the HW_ REI instruction.
The IDU logic will slot HW_REI to pipe E1.
Figure 6–3 HW_REI Instruction Format
Table 6–6 HW_REI Format Description
Fields
Value
Description
OPCODE
1E
16
The OPCODE field contains 1E
16
.
RA/RB
—
Register numbers; should be R31 to avoid unnecessary stalls.
TYP
10
11
Normal version.
Stall version.
MBZ
0
HW_REI<13:00> must be zero.
00
13
14
15
16
20
21
25
26
31
LJ-03471.AI4
MBZ
OPCODE
RA
RB
TYP