Intel 64 and IA-32 Architectures Software Developers Manual Volume 3B, System Programming Guide Part 2

Table Of Contents
Vol. 3 23-5
VM EXITS
control is 1. (Such VM exits can occur only from 64-bit mode and thus only on
processors that support Intel 64 architecture.)
Trap-like VM exits due to execution of WRMSR when the “use MSR bitmaps”
VM-execution control is 1, the value of ECX is 808H, bit 808H in write bitmap
for low MSRs is 0, and the “virtualize x2APIC mode” VM-execution control is
1. See Section 21.1.3.
VM exits caused by TPR-shadow updates (see Section 21.5.3.3) that result
from APIC accesses as part of instruction execution.
For these VM exits, the instruction’s modifications to architectural state complete
before the VM exit occurs. Such modifications include those to the logical
processor’s interruptibility state (see Table 20-3). If there had been blocking by
MOV SS, POP SS, or STI before the instruction executed, such blocking is no
longer in effect.
23.2 RECORDING VM-EXIT INFORMATION AND UPDATING
VM-ENTRY CONTROL FIELDS
VM exits begin by recording information about the nature of and reason for the
VM exit in the VM-exit information fields. Section 23.2.1 to Section 23.2.4 detail the
use of these fields.
In addition to updating the VM-exit information fields, the valid bit (bit 31) is cleared
in the VM-entry interruption-information field.
23.2.1 Basic VM-Exit Information
Section 20.9.1 defines the basic VM-exit information fields. The following items detail
their use.
Exit reason.
Bits 15:0 of this field contain the basic exit reason. It is loaded with a number
indicating the general cause of the VM exit. Appendix I lists the numbers used
and their meaning.
The remainder of the field (bits 31:16) is cleared on every VM exit.
Exit qualification. This field is saved for VM exits due to the following causes:
debug exceptions; page-fault exceptions; start-up IPIs (SIPIs); system-
management interrupts (SMIs) that arrive immediately after the retirement of
I/O instructions; task switches; INVEPT; INVLPG;INVVPID; LGDT; LIDT; LLDT;
LTR; SGDT; SIDT; SLDT; STR; VMCLEAR; VMPTRLD; VMPTRST; VMREAD;
VMWRITE; VMXON; control-register accesses; MOV DR; I/O instructions;
MWAIT; accesses to the APIC-access page (see Section 21.2); and EPT violations.
For all other VM exits, this field is cleared. The following items provide details: