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A '''[[wikipedia:x86_virtualization|hypervisor]]''' is a program that takes advantage of an architectural quirk in [[POS_(Pong_Consoles)_CPUs_and_Other_Chips#Intel_CPU.27s|Intel CPUs]] to run emulated software at near-bare-metal speeds, running modern operating systems faster than emulators, but running video games slower than native hardware. This is possible because the processor is designed to execute code in a hierarchy that allows less-privileged software to run almost unmodified. For any instruction in a program that requests more privileges, such as those used by drivers, the hypervisor steps in to emulate the hardware response. There are two types of hypervisors;
# A '''bare-metal hypervisor''', which is the operating system.
# A '''software hypervisor''', the ones many are familiar with. They hook into the kernel of an existing operating system (such as Linux or Windows NT) and run alongside the rest of the software on the system.
==See also==
* [[POS_(Pong_Consoles)_CPUs_and_Other_Chips#Intel_CPU.27s|Intel CPUs]]
[[Category:Computers]]
[[Category:Not really emulators]]
