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 What is Protected Mode?
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     Protected mode, or protected virtual address mode, is the native
     addressing mode of the Intel 80286, 80386, and 80486 (or greater)
     microprocessors.  It supports multi-tasking, virtual-memory operating
     systems.

     Protected mode differs from real mode, which is the native addressing
     mode of the Intel 8086/88 microprocessors, in that protected mode allows
     access to physical memory addresses above 1 MB.  (This memory is also
     called extended memory.)  While an 8086 or 8088 microprocessor can only
     address 1 MB, an 80286/386/486 CPU running in 16-bit protected mode can
     address up to 16 MB of memory.