Abstract: Method and apparatus for enabling an XGA display adapter selectively to support VGA graphics mode virtualization during native mode operation of the adapter by rendering VGA graphics assist hardware and certain VGA registers accessible. In a preferred embodiment, the invention comprises an XGA display adapter which includes a host interface for interfacing the display adapter with a central processing unit (CPU) of a personal computer (PC), VGA graphics assist hardware for performing VGA graphics assist functions, a memory controller for reading and writing a video memory of the PC as requested by the CPU during video memory accesses, and a display interface for generating control and timing signals to a display of the PC. The XGA display adapter also includes a XGA Operating Mode Register having three control bits which can be written by applications software selectively to enable or disable the virtual VGA function of the present invention.