I have been looking through the Intel development manuals, and I have discovered what Intels task management features are. However, what I have yet to discover is how to use them!!!

I would much appreciate if someone could tell me how to use these features. As I say, I have all the manuals in front of me, and even referring me to the right part of these would of help.

I might add, I have checked the contents of the instruction set manuals.

Hi jatos!

Chris Giese has written some task handling examples. I think you can find the examples by using Google.

Are you aware that the newer architectures (AMD64) have dropped the support of hardware task management (except legacy support). In long mode the task management needs to be handled through software.

regards,
Mac2004

In which case, how do I manage memory protection if I load the threads my self, and how do I load all the register for a different task into the processor?

If I don't use hardware task management, surely that would mean that when I load the registers, and I want to update the stack pointer, I would have a problem the minute I have loaded the stack pointer, I have change to load any other registers.

I think the memory protection can be at least in part dealt with kernel ring-- user ring tasks and kernel writer has to take care of register saving/loading into/from data structures before changing the task.

I would suggest you to go to amd's site and download amd64 system programming manual (Volume 2). Secondly I have seen some articles concering linux (amd64) about the matter in the internet. There you can find more information.

regards
Mac2004