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operating-systemassembly-trap

Why is issuing a trap not a priviledged task?


In solutions to a question on the book "Operating Systems Concepts" it indicates that issuing a trap not a privileged task. Why is that so?


Solution

  • Some instructions need special privileges to run at all, which most of the time means only the OS gets to execute them.

    Most user processes (programs) will need to issue a trap / exception to get the OS to run these instructions.