MDCR_EL3, Monitor Debug Configuration Register (EL3)

The MDCR_EL3 characteristics are:

Purpose

Provides EL3 configuration options for self-hosted debug and the Performance Monitors Extension.

Configuration

AArch64 System register MDCR_EL3 bits [31:0] can be mapped to AArch32 System register SDCR[31:0], but this is not architecturally mandated.

This register is present only when EL3 is implemented. Otherwise, direct accesses to MDCR_EL3 are UNDEFINED.

Attributes

MDCR_EL3 is a 64-bit register.

Field descriptions

6362616059585756555453525150494847464544434241403938373635343332
313029282726252423222120191817161514131211109876543210
RES0EnPMSNMPMXMCCDRES0
RES0MTPMETDCCRES0SCCDRES0EPMADEDADTTRFSTESPMESDDSPD32NSPBRES0TDOSATDARES0TPMRES0

Bits [63:37]

Reserved, RES0.

EnPMSN, bit [36]
When FEAT_SPEv1p2 is implemented:

Trap accesses to PMSNEVFR_EL1. Controls access to Statistical Profiling PMSNEVFR_EL1 System register from EL2 and EL1.

EnPMSNMeaning
0b0

Accesses to PMSNEVFR_EL1 at EL2 and EL1 generate a Trap exception to EL3.

0b1

Do not trap PMSNEVFR_EL1 to EL3.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

MPMX, bit [35]
When FEAT_PMUv3p7 is implemented:

Monitor Performance Monitors Extended control. In conjunction with MDCR_EL3.SPME, controls when event counters are enabled at EL3 and in other Secure Exception levels.

MPMXMeaning
0b0

Event counting and PMCCNTR_EL0 are not affected by this mechanism.

0b1

Event counting by some or all event counters is prohibited at EL3. If PMCR_EL0.DP is 1, PMCCNTR_EL0 is disabled at EL3. Otherwise, PMCCNTR_EL0 is not affected by this mechanism.

If EL2 is implemented, MDCR_EL3.SPME == 1, and MDCR_EL2.HPMN is less than PMCR_EL0.N then all the following are true:

The operation of this field applies even when EL2 is disabled in the current Security state.

If EL2 is not implemented, MDCR_EL3.SPME == 0, or MDCR_EL2.HPMN is equal to PMCR_EL0.N then this field affects the operation of all event counters at EL3, and if PMCR_EL0.DP is 1, the operation of PMCCNTR_EL0 at EL3.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

MCCD, bit [34]
When FEAT_PMUv3p7 is implemented:

Monitor Cycle Counter Disable. Prohibits the Cycle Counter, PMCCNTR_EL0, from counting at EL3.

MCCDMeaning
0b0

Cycle counting by PMCCNTR_EL0 is not affected by this mechanism.

0b1

Cycle counting by PMCCNTR_EL0 is prohibited at EL3.

This field does not affect the CPU_CYCLES event or any other event that counts cycles.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

Bits [33:29]

Reserved, RES0.

MTPME, bit [28]
When FEAT_MTPMU is implemented:

Multi-threaded PMU Enable. Enables use of the PMEVTYPER<n>_EL0.MT bits.

MTPMEMeaning
0b0

FEAT_MTPMU is disabled. The Effective value of PMEVTYPER<n>_EL0.MT is zero.

0b1

PMEVTYPER<n>_EL0.MT bits not affected by this field.

If FEAT_MTPMU is disabled for any other PE in the system that has the same level 1 Affinity as the PE, it is IMPLEMENTATION DEFINED whether the PE behaves as if this field is 0.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

TDCC, bit [27]
When FEAT_FGT is implemented:

Trap DCC. Traps use of the Debug Comms Channel at EL2, EL1, and EL0 to EL3.

TDCCMeaning
0b0

This control does not cause any register accesses to be trapped.

0b1

Accesses to the DCC registers at EL2, EL1, and EL0 generate a Trap exception to EL3, unless the access also generates a higher priority exception.

Traps on the DCC data transfer registers are ignored when the PE is in Debug state.

The DCC registers trapped by this control are:

AArch64: OSDTRRX_EL1, OSDTRTX_EL1, MDCCSR_EL0, MDCCINT_EL1, and, when the PE is in Non-debug state, DBGDTR_EL0, DBGDTRRX_EL0, and DBGDTRTX_EL0.

AArch32: DBGDTRRXext, DBGDTRTXext, DBGDSCRint, DBGDCCINT, and, when the PE is in Non-debug state, DBGDTRRXint and DBGDTRTXint.

The traps are reported with EC syndrome value:

When the PE is in Debug state, MDCR_EL3.TDCC does not trap any accesses to:

AArch64: DBGDTR_EL0, DBGDTRRX_EL0, and DBGDTRTX_EL0.

AArch32: DBGDTRRXint and DBGDTRTXint.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

Bits [26:24]

Reserved, RES0.

SCCD, bit [23]
When FEAT_PMUv3p5 is implemented:

Secure Cycle Counter Disable. Prohibits PMCCNTR_EL0 from counting in Secure state.

SCCDMeaning
0b0

Cycle counting by PMCCNTR_EL0 is not affected by this mechanism.

0b1

Cycle counting by PMCCNTR_EL0 is prohibited in Secure state.

This field does not affect the CPU_CYCLES event or any other event that counts cycles.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

Bit [22]

Reserved, RES0.

EPMAD, bit [21]
When FEAT_Debugv8p4 is implemented, FEAT_PMUv3 is implemented and the Performance Monitors Extension supports external debug interface accesses:

External Performance Monitors Non-secure Access Disable. Controls Non-secure access to Performance Monitor registers by an external debugger.

EPMADMeaning
0b0

Non-secure access to Performance Monitor registers from external debugger is permitted.

0b1

Non-secure access to Performance Monitor registers from external debugger is not permitted.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0b0, then the Effective value of this bit is 0b1.

The reset behavior of this field is:


When FEAT_PMUv3 is implemented and the Performance Monitors Extension supports external debug interface accesses:

External Performance Monitors Access Disable. Controls access to Performance Monitor registers by an external debugger.

EPMADMeaning
0b0

Access to Performance Monitor registers from external debugger is permitted.

0b1

Access to Performance Monitor registers from external debugger is not permitted, unless overridden by the IMPLEMENTATION DEFINED authentication interface.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0b0, then the Effective value of this bit is 0b1.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

EDAD, bit [20]
When FEAT_Debugv8p4 is implemented:

External Debug Non-secure Access Disable. Controls Non-secure access to breakpoint, watchpoint, and OSLAR_EL1 registers by an external debugger.

EDADMeaning
0b0

Non-secure access to debug registers from external debugger is permitted.

0b1

Non-secure access to breakpoint and watchpoint registers, and OSLAR_EL1 from external debugger is not permitted.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0b0, then the Effective value of this field is 0b1.

The reset behavior of this field is:


When FEAT_Debugv8p2 is implemented:

External Debug Access Disable. Controls access to breakpoint, watchpoint, and OSLAR_EL1 registers by an external debugger.

EDADMeaning
0b0

Access to debug registers, and to OSLAR_EL1 from external debugger is permitted.

0b1

Access to breakpoint and watchpoint registers, and to OSLAR_EL1 from external debugger is not permitted, unless overridden by the IMPLEMENTATION DEFINED authentication interface.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0b0, then the Effective value of this field is 0b1.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

External Debug Access disable. Controls access to breakpoint, watchpoint, and optionally OSLAR_EL1 registers by an external debugger.

EDADMeaning
0b0

Access to debug registers from external debugger is permitted.

0b1

Access to breakpoint and watchpoint registers from an external debugger is not permitted, unless overridden by the IMPLEMENTATION DEFINED authentication interface.

It is IMPLEMENTATION DEFINED whether access to the OSLAR_EL1 register from an external debugger is permitted or not permitted.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0b0, then the Effective value of this field is 0b1.

The reset behavior of this field is:

TTRF, bit [19]
When FEAT_TRF is implemented:

Trap Trace Filter controls. Traps use of the Trace Filter control registers at EL2 and EL1 to EL3.

The Trace Filter registers trapped by this control are:

TTRFMeaning
0b0

Accesses to Trace Filter registers at EL2 and EL1 are not affected by this bit.

0b1

Accesses to Trace Filter registers at EL2 and EL1 generate a Trap exception to EL3, unless the access generates a higher priority exception.


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

STE, bit [18]
When FEAT_TRF is implemented:

Secure Trace enable. Enables tracing in Secure state.

STEMeaning
0b0

Trace prohibited in Secure state unless overridden by the IMPLEMENTATION DEFINED authentication interface.

0b1

Trace in Secure state is not affected by this bit.

This bit also controls the level of authentication required by an external debugger to enable external tracing. See 'Register controls to enable self-hosted trace'.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0b0, the Effective value of this bit is 0b1.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

SPME, bit [17]
When FEAT_PMUv3 is implemented and FEAT_PMUv3p7 is implemented:

Secure Performance Monitors Enable. Controls event counting in Secure state and EL3.

SPMEMeaning
0b0

When MDCR_EL3.MPMX == 0: Event counting is prohibited in Secure state. If PMCR_EL0.DP is 1, PMCCNTR_EL0 is disabled in Secure state. Otherwise, PMCCNTR_EL0 is not affected by this mechanism.

0b1

When MDCR_EL3.MPMX == 0: Event counting and PMCCNTR_EL0 are not affected by this mechanism.

When MDCR_EL3.MPMX is 0, this field affects the operation of all event counters in Secure state, and if PMCR_EL0.DP is 1, the operation of PMCCNTR_EL0 in Secure state.

When MDCR_EL3.MPMX is 1, this field affects the operation of event counters at EL3 only, and if PMCR_EL0.DP is 1, the operation of PMCCNTR_EL0 at EL3 only. See MDCR_EL3.MPMX for more information.

When PMCR_EL0.DP is 0, PMCCNTR_EL0 is not affected by this field.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0, then the Effective value of this field is 1.

The reset behavior of this field is:


When FEAT_PMUv3 is implemented and FEAT_Debugv8p2 is implemented:

Secure Performance Monitors Enable. Controls event counting in Secure state.

SPMEMeaning
0b0

Event counting is prohibited in Secure state. If PMCR_EL0.DP is 1, PMCCNTR_EL0 is disabled in Secure state. Otherwise, PMCCNTR_EL0 is not affected by this mechanism.

0b1

Event counting and PMCCNTR_EL0 are not affected by this mechanism.

This field affects the operation of all event counters in Secure state, and if PMCR_EL0.DP is 1, the operation of PMCCNTR_EL0 in Secure state. When PMCR_EL0.DP is 0, PMCCNTR_EL0 is not affected by this field.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0, then the Effective value of this field is 1.

The reset behavior of this field is:


When FEAT_PMUv3 is implemented:

Secure Performance Monitors Enable. Controls event counting in Secure state.

SPMEMeaning
0b0

If ExternalSecureNoninvasiveDebugEnabled() is FALSE, event counting is prohibited in Secure state, and if PMCR_EL0.DP is 1, PMCCNTR_EL0 is disabled in Secure state.

0b1

Event counting and PMCCNTR_EL0 are not affected by this mechanism.

If ExternalSecureNoninvasiveDebugEnabled() is TRUE, the event counters and PMCCNTR_EL0 are not affected by this field.

Otherwise, this field affects the operation of all event counters in Secure state, and if PMCR_EL0.DP is 1, the operation of PMCCNTR_EL0 in Secure state. When PMCR_EL0.DP is 0, PMCCNTR_EL0 is not affected by this field.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0, then the Effective value of this field is 1.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

SDD, bit [16]

AArch64 Secure Self-hosted invasive debug disable. Disables Software debug exceptions in Secure state, other than Breakpoint Instruction exceptions.

SDDMeaning
0b0

Debug exceptions in Secure state are not affected by this bit.

0b1

Debug exceptions, other than Breakpoint Instruction exceptions, are disabled from all Exception levels in Secure state.

The SDD bit is ignored unless both of the following are true:

If Secure EL2 is implemented and enabled, and Secure EL1 is using AArch32, then:

The reset behavior of this field is:

SPD32, bits [15:14]
When EL1 is capable of using AArch32:

AArch32 Secure self-hosted privileged debug. Enables or disables debug exceptions from Secure EL1 using AArch32, other than Breakpoint Instruction exceptions.

SPD32Meaning
0b00

Legacy mode. Debug exceptions from Secure EL1 are enabled by the IMPLEMENTATION DEFINED authentication interface.

0b10

Secure privileged debug disabled. Debug exceptions from Secure EL1 are disabled.

0b11

Secure privileged debug enabled. Debug exceptions from Secure EL1 are enabled.

Other values are reserved, and have the CONSTRAINED UNPREDICTABLE behavior that they must have the same behavior as 0b00. Software must not rely on this property as the behavior of reserved values might change in a future revision of the architecture.

This field has no effect on Breakpoint Instruction exceptions. These are always enabled.

This field is ignored unless both of the following are true:

If Secure EL1 is using AArch32, then:

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0b0, then the Effective value of this field is 0b11.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

NSPB, bits [13:12]
When FEAT_SPE is implemented:

Non-secure Profiling Buffer. Controls the owning translation regime and accesses to Statistical Profiling and Profiling Buffer control registers.

NSPBMeaning
0b00

Profiling Buffer uses Secure Virtual Addresses. Statistical Profiling enabled in Secure state and disabled in Non-secure state. Accesses to Statistical Profiling and Profiling Buffer control registers at EL2 and EL1 in Non-secure and Secure states generate Trap exceptions to EL3.

0b01

Profiling Buffer uses Secure Virtual Addresses. Statistical Profiling enabled in Secure state and disabled in Non-secure state. Accesses to Statistical Profiling and Profiling Buffer control registers at EL2 and EL1 in Non-secure state generate Trap exceptions to EL3.

0b10

Profiling Buffer uses Non-secure Virtual Addresses. Statistical Profiling enabled in Non-secure state and disabled in Secure state. Accesses to Statistical Profiling and Profiling Buffer control registers at EL2 and EL1 in Non-secure and Secure states generate Trap exceptions to EL3.

0b11

Profiling Buffer uses Non-secure Virtual Addresses. Statistical Profiling enabled in Non-secure state and disabled in Secure state. Accesses to Statistical Profiling and Profiling Buffer control registers at EL2 and EL1 in Secure state generate Trap exceptions to EL3.

The Statistical Profiling and Profiling Buffer control registers trapped by this control are:

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 1, then the Effective value of this field is 0b11.

If EL3 is not implemented and the Effective value of SCR_EL3.NS is 0, then the Effective value of this field is 0b01.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

Bit [11]

Reserved, RES0.

TDOSA, bit [10]
When FEAT_DoubleLock is implemented:

Trap debug OS-related register access. Traps EL2 and EL1 System register accesses to the powerdown debug registers to EL3.

Accesses to the registers are trapped as follows:

TDOSAMeaning
0b0

This control does not cause any instructions to be trapped.

0b1

EL2 and EL1 System register accesses to the powerdown debug registers are trapped to EL3, unless it is trapped by HDCR.TDOSA or MDCR_EL2.TDOSA.

Note

The powerdown debug registers are not accessible at EL0.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Trap debug OS-related register access. Traps EL2 and EL1 System register accesses to the powerdown debug registers to EL3.

The following registers are affected by this trap:

TDOSAMeaning
0b0

This control does not cause any instructions to be trapped.

0b1

EL2 and EL1 System register accesses to the powerdown debug registers are trapped to EL3, unless it is trapped by HDCR.TDOSA or MDCR_EL2.TDOSA.

Note

The powerdown debug registers are not accessible at EL0.

The reset behavior of this field is:

TDA, bit [9]

Trap Debug Access. Traps EL2, EL1, and EL0 System register accesses to those debug System registers that cannot be trapped using the MDCR_EL3.TDOSA field.

Accesses to the debug registers are trapped as follows:

TDAMeaning
0b0

This control does not cause any instructions to be trapped.

0b1

EL0, EL1, and EL2 accesses to the debug registers, other than the registers that can be trapped by MDCR_EL3.TDOSA, are trapped to EL3, from both Security states and both Execution states, unless it is trapped by DBGDSCRext.UDCCdis, MDSCR_EL1.TDCC, HDCR.TDA or MDCR_EL2.TDA.

The reset behavior of this field is:

Bits [8:7]

Reserved, RES0.

TPM, bit [6]
When FEAT_PMUv3 is implemented:

Trap Performance Monitor register accesses. Accesses to all Performance Monitor registers from EL0, EL1, and EL2 to EL3, from both Security states and both Execution states are trapped as follows:

TPMMeaning
0b0

This control does not cause any instructions to be trapped.

0b1

EL2, EL1, and EL0 System register accesses to all Performance Monitor registers are trapped to EL3, unless it is trapped by HDCR.TPM or MDCR_EL2.TPM.

The reset behavior of this field is:


Otherwise:

Reserved, RES0.

Bits [5:0]

Reserved, RES0.

Accessing MDCR_EL3

Accesses to this register use the following encodings in the System register encoding space:

MRS <Xt>, MDCR_EL3

op0op1CRnCRmop2
0b110b1100b00010b00110b001

if PSTATE.EL == EL0 then UNDEFINED; elsif PSTATE.EL == EL1 then UNDEFINED; elsif PSTATE.EL == EL2 then UNDEFINED; elsif PSTATE.EL == EL3 then return MDCR_EL3;

MSR MDCR_EL3, <Xt>

op0op1CRnCRmop2
0b110b1100b00010b00110b001

if PSTATE.EL == EL0 then UNDEFINED; elsif PSTATE.EL == EL1 then UNDEFINED; elsif PSTATE.EL == EL2 then UNDEFINED; elsif PSTATE.EL == EL3 then MDCR_EL3 = X[t];


30/09/2021 15:34; 092b4e1bbfbb45a293b198f9330c5f529ead2b0f

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