real mode

An operating mode of Intel 80x86 processors. The opposite of protected mode.

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Real Mode

An operational state in Intel CPU chips starting with the 286 in 1982. It makes the CPU function like the original 16-bit Intel 8086/8088 chip, which was limited to 1MB of memory. DOS applications running native (not under Windows) run in Real Mode. See Protected Mode and Virtual 8086 Mode.

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