linux-source debugging with kgdb-patch

linux-source debugging with kgdb-patch

[Mathur, Shobhit]

Hello,

BACKGROUND:

I was keen to see kgdb running  for  purely academic reasons. Thus,
I made a setup of 2 machines for source-level debugging of the
linux-kernel. The procedure mentioned on the web-site
[ kgdb.sourceforge.net] has  been adhered to.  I was able to
successfully configure the setup. Also, I decided to use "ddd" front-end
on gdb [local m/c]  for debugging  the kgdb-patched kernel on the remote
machine, which is the usual setup for such debugging-efforts.
    The m/c to be debugged stops with the message "Waiting for
connection from remote gdb..." until the "target remote" command is run
from the "gdb" prompt of "ddd", upon which the m/c to be debugged
continues it's bootup till it shows the command-prompt.

PROBLEM:

I was interested in setting a break-point in start_kernel thru' "ddd"
such that the boot-up  of the m/c to be debugged could be analysed
step-by-step remotely. Though, I am able to set the breakpoint in
start_kernel(),
the commands "run" or "continue" on the "gdb" prompt, only throw up the
following errors :

(gdb) info break
Num Type           Disp Enb Address    What
7   breakpoint      keep  y   0xc027e7f0 in start_kernel at
init/main.c:614
(gdb) run
warning: shared library handler failed to enable breakpoint
warning: Cannot insert breakpoint 7:
Cannot access memory at address 0xc027e7f0

QUESTION:

I very strongly suspect that this exercise follows a particular sequence
of steps to get it right. Either I am missing some step or I am not
following the "order".  In either case, I would be glad to receive some
help/comments on my academic endeavour to be able to remotely debug the
kernel.

- Kindly let me know a solution

- TIA

- Shobhit Mathur

Re: linux-source debugging with kgdb-patch

[george anzinger]

Mathur, Shobhit wrote:
> 
> 
> Hello,
> 
> BACKGROUND:
> 
> I was keen to see kgdb running  for  purely academic reasons. Thus,
> I made a setup of 2 machines for source-level debugging of the
> linux-kernel. The procedure mentioned on the web-site
> [ kgdb.sourceforge.net] has  been adhered to.  I was able to
> successfully configure the setup. Also, I decided to use "ddd" front-end
> on gdb [local m/c]  for debugging  the kgdb-patched kernel on the remote
> machine, which is the usual setup for such debugging-efforts.
>     The m/c to be debugged stops with the message "Waiting for
> connection from remote gdb..." until the "target remote" command is run
> from the "gdb" prompt of "ddd", upon which the m/c to be debugged
> continues it's bootup till it shows the command-prompt.
> 
> PROBLEM:
> 
> I was interested in setting a break-point in start_kernel thru' "ddd"
> such that the boot-up  of the m/c to be debugged could be analysed
> step-by-step remotely. Though, I am able to set the breakpoint in
> start_kernel(),
> the commands "run" or "continue" on the "gdb" prompt, only throw up the
> following errors :
> 
> (gdb) info break
> Num Type           Disp Enb Address    What
> 7   breakpoint      keep  y   0xc027e7f0 in start_kernel at
> init/main.c:614
> (gdb) run

The "run" command should not be used.  Kgdb/gdb debugging of the 
kernel is more like attaching to a running program than running it. 
When you use the run command you are telling gdb to, among other 
things, transfer conrol to the beginning of the program, which in the 
case of the kernel, is where the boot loader jumps on boot.  In the 
kernel this code in is memory that is released to free memory on the 
way up.

If you make this mistake often I recommend the following gdb macro:

define hook-run
echo "run is not available for kernel debugging \n"
p .
end

The "p ." will error out the command and snach you from the jaws of 
reboot/ fsck :)

This macro should be in .gdbinit file in the same directory as the 
vmlinux file.


> warning: shared library handler failed to enable breakpoint
> warning: Cannot insert breakpoint 7:
> Cannot access memory at address 0xc027e7f0
> 
> QUESTION:
> 
> I very strongly suspect that this exercise follows a particular sequence
> of steps to get it right. Either I am missing some step or I am not
> following the "order".  In either case, I would be glad to receive some
> help/comments on my academic endeavour to be able to remotely debug the
> kernel.
> 
> - Kindly let me know a solution
> 
> - TIA
> 
> - Shobhit Mathur
> -
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-- 
George Anzinger   george@mvista.com
High-res-timers:  http://sourceforge.net/projects/high-res-timers/
Preemption patch: http://www.kernel.org/pub/linux/kernel/people/rml