Machine mode (RISC-V privileged architecture)

Concept

Machine mode is identified in the provided evidence as the mandatory execution mode of the RISC-V privileged architecture. The privileged architecture covers environment interaction, operating-system execution, and trap handling, and associates execution modes such as Machine mode with Control and Status Register (CSR) descriptions.

First seen 5/26/2026

Last seen 5/26/2026

Evidence 2 chunks

Wiki v1

WIKI

Overview

In the RISC-V privileged architecture, Machine mode is described as a mandatory execution mode. The privileged architecture covers functionality needed for environment interaction, operating-system execution, and trap handling, and it includes different execution modes with corresponding Control and Status Register (CSR) descriptions.

Role of CSRs

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NEIGHBORHOOD

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RELATIONSHIPS

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RISC-V ISA part of → 95% 2e

Machine mode is part of the RISC-V privileged architecture specification, which is an extension of the RISC-V ISA.

trap handling ← part of 95% 1e

Trap handling is part of the Machine mode in the RISC-V privileged architecture.

Control and Status Register (CSR) ← part of 100% 1e

CSRs form the backbone of the Machine mode privileged architecture description.

LINKED ENTITIES

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Control and Status Register (CSR) uses The evidence states that execution modes have corresponding CSR descriptions and that CSRs form the backbone of the privileged architecture description.

trap handling supports The evidence states that the privileged architecture covers trap handling and lists Machine mode among its execution modes.

CITATIONS

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8 citations — click to expand

[1] Machine mode is a mandatory execution mode in the RISC-V privileged architecture.

[2] The RISC-V privileged architecture covers environment interaction, operating-system execution, and trap handling.

[3] CSRs are special-purpose registers and form the backbone of the privileged architecture description.

[4] Example CSRs include MISA, MTVEC, MTVAL, MEPC, MINSTRET, MHARTID, and MSTATUS, with the functions described in the article table.

[5] CSRs can be read-only and can contain fields with a start position, bit width, and access specification such as WARL.

[6] One evaluated RTL core supported the RV32I ISA in combination with Machine mode CSRs.

[7] In the cited verification study, most bugs were related to the RISC-V privileged ISA, particularly CSR handling, and ten total bugs were found in the RTL core.

[8] A CSR access sequence in the study performs randomized CSR access and writes the CSR value into a normal register for comparison with the ISS register.