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Random freezes, missing sound and display glitches usually trace back to one bad driver. Find and replace yours safely.Free scan · under a minuteA program status word (PSW) is processor-level information that controls instruction sequencing and records aspects of the processor’s status while a program executes. It is an architecture term—not a general label for whether an application or project is active or complete.
What does “program status word” mean?
IBM’s z/VM glossary defines a program status word as “a collection of information used to control instruction sequencing and to hold and indicate much of the status of the processor in relation to the program currently being executed.” IBM z/VM Library glossary
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In practical terms, the PSW is part of the processor’s execution state: it relates to how the processor proceeds through instructions and to its status in connection with the executing program.
What does a PSW do?
The PSW serves two connected roles in the IBM glossary definition:
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- Instruction sequencing: it contains information used to control the order in which instructions are executed.
- Processor status: it holds and indicates information about the processor in relation to the program being run.
The exact fields and bit layout depend on the architecture. The general definition does not establish one universal PSW format.
Is a PSW the same as a program’s progress status?
No. Labels such as “active,” “complete,” or “off track” describe an application’s or project’s lifecycle or progress. A program status word, as defined by IBM, is processor control and state information associated with execution. The shared word “status” does not make these meanings interchangeable.
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What does the historical System/360 example show?
IBM’s 1967 System/360 Model 85 Functional Characteristics says, “Program status is the data necessary to preserve the task for resumption later.” The manual discusses program status and error information in the context of the machine-check old PSW and logout field. IBM System/360 Model 85 Functional Characteristics (1967)
This is a historical example tied to the Model 85’s machine-check discussion; it should not be treated as a specification for every PSW or as a universal description of modern processor formats.
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