Background
Several x86 processor-specific features require support for both hardware and software compatibility, including:
A method for supporting x86 CPU legacy signals
A method for supporting x86 Special Cycles
x86 legacy interrupt support — PCI (8259) and APIC
Power Management
Other legacy issues related to Industry Standard Architecture (ISA) platforms deal with I/O bus compatibility, rather than processor-related issues. These topics are discussed in the chapter entitled, “I/O Compatibility.”
Legacy Signals
Support for the features mentioned above involves a number of X86 signals. These signals include those preserved throughout the x86 processor evolution to maintain compatibility:
INTR (Interrupt Request from the 8259 Interrupt Controllers) ...
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