Where does the CPU Enhanced mode Originate From?
Understanding the origin of the current CPU Enhanced mode is important for users to learn about their computer’s processor and how it works. Intel 80386 was the first 32-bit processor, and since then, Intel has been able to backward-support the 8086. All modern Intel-based processors run in Enhanced mode, capable of switching between Real mode and Protected mode.  The 8086 processor had two modes that it could operate in—Real mode and Protected mode. In Real mode, the processor behaves like a true 8086 with no extra features or advantages. The 8086 was designed to execute instructions one at a time in this manner so that older 16-bit programs could run without any modification or recompiling needed.   Protected mode is an enhanced operating environment provided by Intel for its 32-bit microprocessors, such as the Pentium 4, Core Duo, etc. It provides an improved memory management system by enabling quick access to all available physical memory from any given process running on the system.   Moreover, it provides virtual memory support, which can be used for multi-tasking applications and security features such as address space protection from malicious code execution or privilege escalation attempts by malicious processes. It also includes other features such as data caching, improved interrupt handling for better performance, additional instruction sets for optimized processing of certain types of data or tasks (such as MMX instructions), and more.   Intel added a new feature to its processors known as “CPU Enhanced Mode” in order to provide better compatibility between hardware platforms while still being able to take advantage of all these new features provided by protected mode without having to make drastic changes or modifications to existing software programs written for older systems that only operated in real mode. This allowed users to run both 16-bit applications written for real mode (such as DOS games) as well as 32/64-bit applications written for protected/enhanced modes on the same system without any conflicts occurring due to different operating environments being used simultaneously on one machine.