Opcode Instruction Clocks Description
C3 RET 10+m Return (near) to caller
CB RET 18+m,pm=32+m Return (far) to caller, same
privilege
CB RET pm=68 Return (far), lesser privilege,
switch stacks
C2 iw RET imm16 10+m Return (near), pop imm16 bytes of
parameters
CA iw RET imm16 18+m,pm=32+m Return (far), same privilege, pop
imm16 bytes
CA iw RET imm16 pm=68 Return (far), lesser privilege, pop
imm16 bytes
IF instruction = near RET
THEN;
IF OperandSize = 16
THEN
IP := Pop();
EIP := EIP AND 0000FFFFH;
ELSE (* OperandSize = 32 *)
EIP := Pop();
FI;
IF instruction has immediate operand THEN eSP := eSP + imm16; FI;
FI;
IF (PE = 0 OR (PE = 1 AND VM = 1))
(* real mode or virtual 8086 mode *)
AND instruction = far RET
THEN;
IF OperandSize = 16
THEN
IP := Pop();
EIP := EIP AND 0000FFFFH;
CS := Pop(); (* 16-bit pop *)
ELSE (* OperandSize = 32 *)
EIP := Pop();
CS := Pop(); (* 32-bit pop, high-order 16-bits discarded *)
FI;
IF instruction has immediate operand THEN eSP := eSP + imm16; FI;
FI;
IF (PE = 1 AND VM = 0) (* Protected mode, not V86 mode *)
AND instruction = far RET
THEN
IF OperandSize=32
THEN Third word on stack must be within stack limits else #SS(0);
ELSE Second word on stack must be within stack limits else #SS(0);
FI;
Return selector RPL must be >= CPL ELSE #GP(return selector)
IF return selector RPL = CPL
THEN GOTO SAME-LEVEL;
ELSE GOTO OUTER-PRIVILEGE-LEVEL;
FI;
FI;
SAME-LEVEL:
Return selector must be non-null ELSE #GP(0)
Selector index must be within its descriptor table limits ELSE
#GP(selector)
Descriptor AR byte must indicate code segment ELSE #GP(selector)
IF non-conforming
THEN code segment DPL must equal CPL;
ELSE #GP(selector);
FI;
IF conforming
THEN code segment DPL must be <= CPL;
ELSE #GP(selector);
FI;
Code segment must be present ELSE #NP(selector);
Top word on stack must be within stack limits ELSE #SS(0);
IP must be in code segment limit ELSE #GP(0);
IF OperandSize=32
THEN
Load CS:EIP from stack
Load CS register with descriptor
Increment eSP by 8 plus the immediate offset if it exists
ELSE (* OperandSize=16 *)
Load CS:IP from stack
Load CS register with descriptor
Increment eSP by 4 plus the immediate offset if it exists
FI;
OUTER-PRIVILEGE-LEVEL:
IF OperandSize=32
THEN Top (16+immediate) bytes on stack must be within stack limits
ELSE #SS(0);
ELSE Top (8+immediate) bytes on stack must be within stack limits ELSE
#SS(0);
FI;
Examine return CS selector and associated descriptor:
Selector must be non-null ELSE #GP(0);
Selector index must be within its descriptor table limits ELSE
#GP(selector)
Descriptor AR byte must indicate code segment ELSE #GP(selector);
IF non-conforming
THEN code segment DPL must equal return selector RPL
ELSE #GP(selector);
FI;
IF conforming
THEN code segment DPL must be <= return selector RPL;
ELSE #GP(selector);
FI;
Segment must be present ELSE #NP(selector)
Examine return SS selector and associated descriptor:
Selector must be non-null ELSE #GP(0);
Selector index must be within its descriptor table limits
ELSE #GP(selector);
Selector RPL must equal the RPL of the return CS selector ELSE
#GP(selector);
Descriptor AR byte must indicate a writable data segment ELSE
#GP(selector);
Descriptor DPL must equal the RPL of the return CS selector ELSE
#GP(selector);
Segment must be present ELSE #NP(selector);
IP must be in code segment limit ELSE #GP(0);
Set CPL to the RPL of the return CS selector;
IF OperandMode=32
THEN
Load CS:EIP from stack;
Set CS RPL to CPL;
Increment eSP by 8 plus the immediate offset if it exists;
Load SS:eSP from stack;
ELSE (* OperandMode=16 *)
Load CS:IP from stack;
Set CS RPL to CPL;
Increment eSP by 4 plus the immediate offset if it exists;
Load SS:eSP from stack;
FI;
Load the CS register with the return CS descriptor;
Load the SS register with the return SS descriptor;
For each of ES, FS, GS, and DS
DO
IF the current register setting is not valid for the outer level,
set the register to null (selector := AR := 0);
To be valid, the register setting must satisfy the following
properties:
Selector index must be within descriptor table limits;
Descriptor AR byte must indicate data or readable code segment;
IF segment is data or non-conforming code, THEN
DPL must be >= CPL, or DPL must be >= RPL;
FI;
OD;
The optional numeric parameter to RET gives the number of stack bytes (OperandMode=16) or words (OperandMode=32) to be released after the return address is popped. These items are typically used as input parameters to the procedure called.
For the intrasegment (near) return, the address on the stack is a segment offset, which is popped into the instruction pointer. The CS register is unchanged. For the intersegment (far) return, the address on the stack is a long pointer. The offset is popped first, followed by the selector.
In real mode, CS and IP are loaded directly. In Protected Mode, an intersegment return causes the processor to check the descriptor addressed by the return selector. The AR byte of the descriptor must indicate a code segment of equal or lesser privilege (or greater or equal numeric value) than the current privilege level. Returns to a lesser privilege level cause the stack to be reloaded from the value saved beyond the parameter block.
The DS, ES, FS, and GS segment registers can be set to 0 by the RET instruction during an interlevel transfer. If these registers refer to segments that cannot be used by the new privilege level, they are set to 0 to prevent unauthorized access from the new privilege level.
up:
Chapter 17 -- 80386 Instruction Set
prev: REP/REPE/REPZ/REPNE/REPNZ Repeat Following String Operation
next: SAHF Store AH into Flags