>>>> like it is impossible to sample instructions with a period of 1? 
>>>
>>> Pretty much, imagine the cpu getting a trap every cycle.
>>
>> is this a hardware restriction? a slowdown is acceptable for me, as long
>> as i am able to collect a huge number of samples accurately ...
> 
> Large number of samples and sample interval are only related through the
> runtime of your application.
> 
> Use a sensible period (~10k ins) and run a 'little' longer.

well, for my application, i am not interested in statistical data, but
in the order of the events ...
(i am not doing profiling, but trying to gather a sequence of
machine-structured data for an artistic project)

tim

-- 
tim@klingt.org
http://tim.klingt.org

It is better to make a piece of music than to perform one, better to
perform one than to listen to one, better to listen to one than to
misuse it as a means of distraction, entertainment, or acquisition of
'culture'.
  John Cage