Changes between Version 12 and Version 13 of VirtualBox architecture

Timestamp:

Nov 16, 2006 5:18:08 PM (17 years ago)

Author:

jose

Comment:

--

VirtualBox architecture

@@ -41 +41 @@
 As said above, from the perspective of the host OS, a virtual machine is just another process. The host OS does not need much tweaking to support virtualization.
 
-When a VM is running, from your processor's point of view, your computer can be in one of several states:
+When a VM is running, from your processor's point of view, your computer can be in one of several states (the following will require a good understanding of the x86 ring architecture): 
 
  1. Your CPU can be '''executing host ring-3 code''' (e.g. from other host processes), or '''host ring-0 code,''' just as it would be if !VirtualBox wasn't running.
@@ -53 +53 @@
 Also, in the !VirtualBox source code, you will find lots of references to "host context" or "guest context". Essentially, these mean:
 
- * '''Host context (HC)''' means that the host OS is in control of everything including virtual memory. In the !VirtualBox sources, the term "HC" will normally refer to the host's ring-3 context only. We only use host ring-0 (R0) context with our new Intel VMX (Vanderpool) support, which we'll leave out of the picture for now.
+ * '''Host context (HC)''' means that the host OS is in control of everything including virtual memory. In the !VirtualBox sources, the term "HC" will normally refer to the host's ring-3 context only. We only use host ring-0 (R0) context with our new Intel VMX (Vanderpool) support, which we'll leave out of the picture for now (but see below).
 
  * '''Guest context (GC)''' means that !VirtualBox has set up CPU & memory exactly the way the guest expects, but has inserted itself at the "bottom" of the picture, so that !VirtualBox gains control ''first'' for any privileged instructions executed, guest trap or external interrupts, before !VirtualBox may then possibly delegate handling such things to the host OS. So, in the guest context, we have 
@@ -73 +73 @@
 
 
+== Intel VMX ("Vanderpool") support == 
 
+With its latest processors, Intel has introduced hardware virtualization support