The EMMS Instruction: Why You Need It

Using EMMS is like emptying a container to accommodate new content. For instance, MMX(TM) instructions automatically enable an FP tag word in the register to enable use of the __m64 data type. This resets the FP register set to alias it as the MMX register set. To enable the FP register set again, reset the register state with the EMMS instruction or via the _mm_empty() intrinsic.

Why You Need EMMS to Reset After an MMX(TM) Instruction

Caution

Failure to empty the multimedia state after using an MMX instruction and before using a floating-point instruction can result in unexpected execution or poor performance.