A microprocessor includes a bus interface unit that interfaces the microprocessor to a bus that includes a signal that, when asserted, instructs all bus agents to refrain from initiating bus transactions. Microcode causes the bus interface unit to assert the signal in response to detecting an event and resets the microprocessor, but does not reset a portion of the bus interface unit that asserts the signal on the bus. After the reset, the microcode causes the bus interface unit to deassert the signal on the bus. Additionally, the microcode sets a flag and saves the microprocessor state to memory before resetting itself, but does not reset the interrupt controller. After the reset, the microcode reloads the state of the microprocessor from the memory. However, if the microcode determines that the flag is set, it forgoes reloading the state of the interrupt controller.