Exceptions: Handling and Types

In course

Description

This lecture covers the concept of exceptions in computer systems, including interrupts, faults, traps, and checks. It explains the need for exceptions due to arithmetic problems, memory protection violations, I/O device requests, and more. The lecture delves into the classification of exceptions, such as arithmetic and undefined instruction exceptions. It also discusses the handling of exceptions, the types of exceptions, and the tasks a processor should perform when an exception occurs. Additionally, it explores the challenges in writing exception handlers and the design issues related to exceptions in high-performance processors.

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Official source

https://mediaspace.epfl.ch/media/0_1ewmgizi

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Related lectures (43)

Related concepts (34)

Memory segmentation

Memory segmentation is an operating system memory management technique of dividing a computer's primary memory into segments or sections. In a computer system using segmentation, a reference to a memory location includes a value that identifies a segment and an offset (memory location) within that segment. Segments or sections are also used in s of compiled programs when they are linked together into a and when the image is loaded into memory.

Interrupt handler

In computer systems programming, an interrupt handler, also known as an interrupt service routine or ISR, is a special block of code associated with a specific interrupt condition. Interrupt handlers are initiated by hardware interrupts, software interrupt instructions, or software exceptions, and are used for implementing device drivers or transitions between protected modes of operation, such as system calls. The traditional form of interrupt handler is the hardware interrupt handler.

Interrupt

In digital computers, an interrupt (sometimes referred to as a trap) is a request for the processor to interrupt currently executing code (when permitted), so that the event can be processed in a timely manner. If the request is accepted, the processor will suspend its current activities, save its state, and execute a function called an interrupt handler (or an interrupt service routine, ISR) to deal with the event.

Exception handling

In computing and computer programming, exception handling is the process of responding to the occurrence of exceptions – anomalous or exceptional conditions requiring special processing – during the execution of a program. In general, an exception breaks the normal flow of execution and executes a pre-registered exception handler; the details of how this is done depend on whether it is a hardware or software exception and how the software exception is implemented.

Non-maskable interrupt

In computing, a non-maskable interrupt (NMI) is a hardware interrupt that standard interrupt-masking techniques in the system cannot ignore. It typically occurs to signal attention for non-recoverable hardware errors. Some NMIs may be masked, but only by using proprietary methods specific to the particular NMI. An NMI is often used when response time is critical or when an interrupt should never be disabled during normal system operation.