A computer system with mechanisms for providing hint instructions to a processor without altering object code instruction sequences. A computer system according to the present teachings includes elements for generating a hint instruction in response to a set of object code to be executed by the processor and for inserting a break instruction into the object code such that the break instruction causes the processor to obtain and execute the hint instruction. The present techniques for providing hint instructions to a processor may be used to adapt object code to a micro-architecture of the processor.