Descriptor Table Summary

There are three descriptor tables at any instant.

• Global Descriptor Table

  located via GDTR

  • per system

    accessible to all processes

    describes objects common to all processes

  2.
  Local Descriptor Table

  LDTR is selector

  GDT Descriptor Locates LDT

  • per process except for VDMs in which multiple LDTs are possible.

    describes data unique to one process

  3.
  Interrupt Descriptor Table

  located via IDTR

  • per system except for VDMs in which multiple IDTs are possible.

    describes interrupt routine entry points

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