Fast Interrupt Mode on ARMv6 and ARMv7 Microprocessors Not Supported (Windows Embedded CE 6.0)

1/6/2010

The ARM v6 and ARM v7 microprocessors include a fast interrupt mode. Windows Embedded CE 6.0 does not support this mode. Proper support for fast interrupt mode requires changes to the kernel and the compiler.

Do not use fast interrupt mode because it changes the behavior of some instructions, such as load multiple and store multiple. These instructions are normally atomic instructions. That is, they complete all their work before returning or allowing an interrupt. In fast interrupt mode, this the atomic nature of these instructions is not guaranteed, so the operation can be interrupted. This means that the data could be changed before the instruction completes. This can make code difficult to debug.

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Core OS Best Practices