Processing exceptions from 64-bit application program executing in 64-bit processor with 32-bit OS kernel by switching to 32-bit processor mode

1. A method for using an N-bit aware M-bit operating system (OS) kernel to execute an N-bit user process, wherein N is greater than M, and wherein the M-bit OS kernel executes on a processor that can switch between an N-bit mode and an M-bit compatibility mode, the method comprising:

receiving an exception that occurred during the execution of the N-bit user process in the N-bit mode; and

handling the exception using the M-bit OS kernel by:

executing N-bit code to switch the processor to the M-bit compatibility mode; and

executing M-bit OS kernel code to service the exception.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein after handling the exception, the method comprises returning control to:

an M-bit process; or

an N-bit process.

3. The method of claim 1 , wherein the M-bit OS kernel maps N-bit applications to a section of memory that begins at a memory address that is greater than or equal to 2 M .

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein M is equal to 32, and N is equal to 64.

5. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving an exception that occurred in the M-bit compatibility mode during the execution of an M-bit user process or the M-bit OS kernel; and

handling the exception that occurred during the execution of the M-bit user process or the M-bit OS kernel by executing M-bit OS kernel code to service the exception.

6. The method of claim 5 , wherein the exception that occurred during the execution of the N-bit process, the exception that occurred during the execution of the M-bit process, or the exception that occurred during the execution of the M-bit OS kernel is one of:

a hardware interrupt;

a software interrupt;

an asynchronous interrupt;

a synchronous interrupt;

a signal;

a trap;

a system call; or

an event that needs to be handled by executing M-bit OS kernel code.

7. A computer-readable storage medium storing instructions that when executed by a computer cause the computer to perform a method for using an N-bit aware M-bit operating system (OS) kernel to execute an N-bit user process, wherein N is greater than M, and wherein the M-bit OS kernel executes on a processor that can switch between an M-bit compatibility mode and an N-bit mode, the method comprising:

receiving an exception that occurred during the execution of the N-bit user process in the N-bit mode; and

handling the exception using the M-bit OS kernel by:

executing N-bit code to switch the processor to the M-bit compatibility mode; and

executing M-bit OS kernel code to service the exception.

8. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein after handling the exception, the method comprises returning control to:

an M-bit process; or

an N-bit process.

9. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the M-bit OS kernel maps N-bit applications to a section of memory that begins at a memory address that is greater than or equal to 2 M .

10. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein M is equal to 32, and N is equal to 64.

11. The computer-readable storage medium of claim 7 , wherein the method further comprises:

receiving an exception that occurred in the M-bit compatibility mode during the execution of an M-bit user process or the M-bit OS kernel in the M-bit compatibility mode; and

handling the exception that occurred during the execution of the M-bit user process or the M-bit OS kernel by executing M-bit OS kernel code to service the exception.

12. The computer-readable medium of claim 11 , wherein the exception that occurred during the execution of the N-bit process, the exception that occurred during the execution of the M-bit process, or the exception that occurred during the execution of the M-bit OS kernel is one of:

a hardware interrupt;

a software interrupt;

an asynchronous interrupt;

a synchronous interrupt;

a signal;

a trap;

a system call; or

an event that needs to be handled by executing M-bit OS kernel code.

13. An apparatus for using an N-bit aware M-bit operating system (OS) kernel to execute an N-bit user process, wherein N is greater than M, and wherein the M-bit OS kernel executes on a processor that can switch between an N-bit mode and an M-bit compatibility mode, the apparatus comprising:

a receiving mechanism configured to receive an exception that occurred during the execution of the N-bit user process in the N-bit mode; and

a handling mechanism configured to:

execute N-bit code to switch the processor to the M-bit compatibility mode; and

execute M-bit OS kernel code to service the exception.

14. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein after handling the exception, the apparatus returns control to:

an M-bit process; or

an N-bit process.

15. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein the M-bit OS kernel maps N-bit applications to a section of memory that begins at a memory address that is greater than or equal to 2 M .

16. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein M is equal to 32, and N is equal to 64.

17. The apparatus of claim 13 , wherein

the receiving mechanism is further configured to receive an exception that occurred in the M-bit compatibility mode during the execution of an M-bit user process or the M-bit OS kernel in the M-bit compatibility mode; and

the handling mechanism is further configured to handle the exception that occurred during the execution of the M-bit user process or the M-bit OS kernel by executing M-bit OS kernel code to service the exception.

18. The apparatus of claim 17 , wherein the exception that occurred during the execution of the N-bit process, the exception that occurred during the execution of the M-bit process, or the exception that occurred during the execution of the M-bit OS kernel is one of:

a hardware interrupt;

a software interrupt;

an asynchronous interrupt;

a synchronous interrupt;

a signal;

a trap;

a system call; or

an event that needs to be handled by executing M-bit OS kernel code.