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Introduction
Version 1.4 1-3
In addition to the hardware requirements, this document also specifies MP features that are visible
to the BIOS and operating system. However, it is important to understand that as hardware
technology progresses, the functions performed by the BIOS may change in accordance with the
hardware technology. ONLY THE INTERFACE TO THE OPERATING SYSTEM LEVEL
IS EXPECTED TO REMAIN CONSTANT.
This specification does not address issues relating to the processor's System Management Mode
(SMM).
1.4 Target Audience
This document is intended for the following users:
• OEMs who will be creating PC/AT-compatible, MP-ready hardware based on this
specification.
• BIOS developers, either those who create general-purpose BIOS products or those who modify
these products to suit specific MP hardware.
• Operating-system developers who will be adapting MP operating systems to run on the class of
MP-ready platform specified here.
1.5 Organization of This Document
Table 1-1 shows the organization of this document.
Table 1-1. Document Organization
Chapter Description
2 Overview of the MultiProcessor Specification
3 Specification of the MP hardware
4 Specification of MP configuration information available to OS
5 Specification of default hardware configurations
Appendix A Guidelines for MP BIOS programming
Appendix B Guidelines for MP operating system programming
Appendix C Checklist for hardware compliance to the specification
Appendix D Clarifications for multiple I/O APIC, multiple PCI bus systems
Glossary Definitions of specialized terms used in this document