VM86

Section: Linux Programmer's Manual (2)
Updated: 17 July 1997
 

NAME

vm86old, vm86 - enter virtual 8086 mode  

SYNOPSIS

#include <sys/vm86.h>

int vm86old(struct vm86_struct * info);

int vm86(unsigned long fn, struct vm86plus_struct * v86);  

DESCRIPTION

The system call vm86 was introduced in Linux 0.97p2. In Linux 2.1.15 and 2.0.28 it was renamed to vm86old, and a new vm86 was introduced. The definition of `struct vm86_struct' was changed in 1.1.8 and 1.1.9.

These calls cause the process to enter VM86 mode, and are used by dosemu.  

RETURN VALUE

On success, zero is returned. On error, -1 is returned, and errno is set appropriately.  

ERRORS

(for vm86old)
EPERM
Saved kernel stack exists. (This is a kernel sanity check; the saved stack should only exist within vm86 mode itself.)
 

CONFORMING TO

This call is specific to Linux on Intel processors, and should not be used in programs intended to be portable.