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authorJason Wessel <jason.wessel@windriver.com>2010-05-20 21:04:24 -0500
committerJason Wessel <jason.wessel@windriver.com>2010-05-20 21:04:24 -0500
commit84c08fd61e2d21702337e9fe366e97cdf09bf797 (patch)
tree6f5a0da88319c7f5270e58f4cb71c6fd5535f20e /Documentation/DocBook/kgdb.tmpl
parentada64e4c98eb5f04a9ca223c5ff9e7ac22ce6404 (diff)
kgdb,docs: Update the kgdb docs to include kdb
Update the kgdb docs to reflect the new directory structure and API. Merge in the kdb shell information. [Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@xenotime.net>: grammatical corrections] CC: Randy Dunlap <rdunlap@xenotime.net> Signed-off-by: Jason Wessel <jason.wessel@windriver.com>
Diffstat (limited to 'Documentation/DocBook/kgdb.tmpl')
-rw-r--r--Documentation/DocBook/kgdb.tmpl692
1 files changed, 516 insertions, 176 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/DocBook/kgdb.tmpl b/Documentation/DocBook/kgdb.tmpl
index 5cff41a5fa7c..55f12ac37acd 100644
--- a/Documentation/DocBook/kgdb.tmpl
+++ b/Documentation/DocBook/kgdb.tmpl
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
<book id="kgdbOnLinux">
<bookinfo>
- <title>Using kgdb and the kgdb Internals</title>
+ <title>Using kgdb, kdb and the kernel debugger internals</title>
<authorgroup>
<author>
@@ -17,33 +17,8 @@
</affiliation>
</author>
</authorgroup>
-
- <authorgroup>
- <author>
- <firstname>Tom</firstname>
- <surname>Rini</surname>
- <affiliation>
- <address>
- <email>trini@kernel.crashing.org</email>
- </address>
- </affiliation>
- </author>
- </authorgroup>
-
- <authorgroup>
- <author>
- <firstname>Amit S.</firstname>
- <surname>Kale</surname>
- <affiliation>
- <address>
- <email>amitkale@linsyssoft.com</email>
- </address>
- </affiliation>
- </author>
- </authorgroup>
-
<copyright>
- <year>2008</year>
+ <year>2008,2010</year>
<holder>Wind River Systems, Inc.</holder>
</copyright>
<copyright>
@@ -69,41 +44,76 @@
<chapter id="Introduction">
<title>Introduction</title>
<para>
- kgdb is a source level debugger for linux kernel. It is used along
- with gdb to debug a linux kernel. The expectation is that gdb can
- be used to "break in" to the kernel to inspect memory, variables
- and look through call stack information similar to what an
- application developer would use gdb for. It is possible to place
- breakpoints in kernel code and perform some limited execution
- stepping.
+ The kernel has two different debugger front ends (kdb and kgdb)
+ which interface to the debug core. It is possible to use either
+ of the debugger front ends and dynamically transition between them
+ if you configure the kernel properly at compile and runtime.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ Kdb is simplistic shell-style interface which you can use on a
+ system console with a keyboard or serial console. You can use it
+ to inspect memory, registers, process lists, dmesg, and even set
+ breakpoints to stop in a certain location. Kdb is not a source
+ level debugger, although you can set breakpoints and execute some
+ basic kernel run control. Kdb is mainly aimed at doing some
+ analysis to aid in development or diagnosing kernel problems. You
+ can access some symbols by name in kernel built-ins or in kernel
+ modules if the code was built
+ with <symbol>CONFIG_KALLSYMS</symbol>.
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ Kgdb is intended to be used as a source level debugger for the
+ Linux kernel. It is used along with gdb to debug a Linux kernel.
+ The expectation is that gdb can be used to "break in" to the
+ kernel to inspect memory, variables and look through call stack
+ information similar to the way an application developer would use
+ gdb to debug an application. It is possible to place breakpoints
+ in kernel code and perform some limited execution stepping.
</para>
<para>
- Two machines are required for using kgdb. One of these machines is a
- development machine and the other is a test machine. The kernel
- to be debugged runs on the test machine. The development machine
- runs an instance of gdb against the vmlinux file which contains
- the symbols (not boot image such as bzImage, zImage, uImage...).
- In gdb the developer specifies the connection parameters and
- connects to kgdb. The type of connection a developer makes with
- gdb depends on the availability of kgdb I/O modules compiled as
- builtin's or kernel modules in the test machine's kernel.
+ Two machines are required for using kgdb. One of these machines is
+ a development machine and the other is the target machine. The
+ kernel to be debugged runs on the target machine. The development
+ machine runs an instance of gdb against the vmlinux file which
+ contains the symbols (not boot image such as bzImage, zImage,
+ uImage...). In gdb the developer specifies the connection
+ parameters and connects to kgdb. The type of connection a
+ developer makes with gdb depends on the availability of kgdb I/O
+ modules compiled as built-ins or loadable kernel modules in the test
+ machine's kernel.
</para>
</chapter>
<chapter id="CompilingAKernel">
- <title>Compiling a kernel</title>
+ <title>Compiling a kernel</title>
+ <para>
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para>In order to enable compilation of kdb, you must first enable kgdb.</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>The kgdb test compile options are described in the kgdb test suite chapter.</para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
+ </para>
+ <sect1 id="CompileKGDB">
+ <title>Kernel config options for kgdb</title>
<para>
To enable <symbol>CONFIG_KGDB</symbol> you should first turn on
"Prompt for development and/or incomplete code/drivers"
(CONFIG_EXPERIMENTAL) in "General setup", then under the
- "Kernel debugging" select "KGDB: kernel debugging with remote gdb".
+ "Kernel debugging" select "KGDB: kernel debugger".
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ While it is not a hard requirement that you have symbols in your
+ vmlinux file, gdb tends not to be very useful without the symbolic
+ data, so you will want to turn
+ on <symbol>CONFIG_DEBUG_INFO</symbol> which is called "Compile the
+ kernel with debug info" in the config menu.
</para>
<para>
It is advised, but not required that you turn on the
- CONFIG_FRAME_POINTER kernel option. This option inserts code to
- into the compiled executable which saves the frame information in
- registers or on the stack at different points which will allow a
- debugger such as gdb to more accurately construct stack back traces
- while debugging the kernel.
+ <symbol>CONFIG_FRAME_POINTER</symbol> kernel option which is called "Compile the
+ kernel with frame pointers" in the config menu. This option
+ inserts code to into the compiled executable which saves the frame
+ information in registers or on the stack at different points which
+ allows a debugger such as gdb to more accurately construct
+ stack back traces while debugging the kernel.
</para>
<para>
If the architecture that you are using supports the kernel option
@@ -116,38 +126,160 @@
this option.
</para>
<para>
- Next you should choose one of more I/O drivers to interconnect debugging
- host and debugged target. Early boot debugging requires a KGDB
- I/O driver that supports early debugging and the driver must be
- built into the kernel directly. Kgdb I/O driver configuration
- takes place via kernel or module parameters, see following
- chapter.
+ Next you should choose one of more I/O drivers to interconnect
+ debugging host and debugged target. Early boot debugging requires
+ a KGDB I/O driver that supports early debugging and the driver
+ must be built into the kernel directly. Kgdb I/O driver
+ configuration takes place via kernel or module parameters which
+ you can learn more about in the in the section that describes the
+ parameter "kgdboc".
</para>
- <para>
- The kgdb test compile options are described in the kgdb test suite chapter.
+ <para>Here is an example set of .config symbols to enable or
+ disable for kgdb:
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para># CONFIG_DEBUG_RODATA is not set</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>CONFIG_FRAME_POINTER=y</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>CONFIG_KGDB=y</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>CONFIG_KGDB_SERIAL_CONSOLE=y</para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
</para>
-
+ </sect1>
+ <sect1 id="CompileKDB">
+ <title>Kernel config options for kdb</title>
+ <para>Kdb is quite a bit more complex than the simple gdbstub
+ sitting on top of the kernel's debug core. Kdb must implement a
+ shell, and also adds some helper functions in other parts of the
+ kernel, responsible for printing out interesting data such as what
+ you would see if you ran "lsmod", or "ps". In order to build kdb
+ into the kernel you follow the same steps as you would for kgdb.
+ </para>
+ <para>The main config option for kdb
+ is <symbol>CONFIG_KGDB_KDB</symbol> which is called "KGDB_KDB:
+ include kdb frontend for kgdb" in the config menu. In theory you
+ would have already also selected an I/O driver such as the
+ CONFIG_KGDB_SERIAL_CONSOLE interface if you plan on using kdb on a
+ serial port, when you were configuring kgdb.
+ </para>
+ <para>If you want to use a PS/2-style keyboard with kdb, you would
+ select CONFIG_KDB_KEYBOARD which is called "KGDB_KDB: keyboard as
+ input device" in the config menu. The CONFIG_KDB_KEYBOARD option
+ is not used for anything in the gdb interface to kgdb. The
+ CONFIG_KDB_KEYBOARD option only works with kdb.
+ </para>
+ <para>Here is an example set of .config symbols to enable/disable kdb:
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para># CONFIG_DEBUG_RODATA is not set</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>CONFIG_FRAME_POINTER=y</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>CONFIG_KGDB=y</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>CONFIG_KGDB_SERIAL_CONSOLE=y</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>CONFIG_KGDB_KDB=y</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>CONFIG_KDB_KEYBOARD=y</para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
+ </para>
+ </sect1>
</chapter>
- <chapter id="EnableKGDB">
- <title>Enable kgdb for debugging</title>
- <para>
- In order to use kgdb you must activate it by passing configuration
- information to one of the kgdb I/O drivers. If you do not pass any
- configuration information kgdb will not do anything at all. Kgdb
- will only actively hook up to the kernel trap hooks if a kgdb I/O
- driver is loaded and configured. If you unconfigure a kgdb I/O
- driver, kgdb will unregister all the kernel hook points.
+ <chapter id="kgdbKernelArgs">
+ <title>Kernel Debugger Boot Arguments</title>
+ <para>This section describes the various runtime kernel
+ parameters that affect the configuration of the kernel debugger.
+ The following chapter covers using kdb and kgdb as well as
+ provides some examples of the configuration parameters.</para>
+ <sect1 id="kgdboc">
+ <title>Kernel parameter: kgdboc</title>
+ <para>The kgdboc driver was originally an abbreviation meant to
+ stand for "kgdb over console". Today it is the primary mechanism
+ to configure how to communicate from gdb to kgdb as well as the
+ devices you want to use to interact with the kdb shell.
+ </para>
+ <para>For kgdb/gdb, kgdboc is designed to work with a single serial
+ port. It is intended to cover the circumstance where you want to
+ use a serial console as your primary console as well as using it to
+ perform kernel debugging. It is also possible to use kgdb on a
+ serial port which is not designated as a system console. Kgdboc
+ may be configured as a kernel built-in or a kernel loadable module.
+ You can only make use of <constant>kgdbwait</constant> and early
+ debugging if you build kgdboc into the kernel as a built-in.
</para>
+ <sect2 id="kgdbocArgs">
+ <title>kgdboc arguments</title>
+ <para>Usage: <constant>kgdboc=[kbd][[,]serial_device][,baud]</constant></para>
+ <sect3 id="kgdbocArgs1">
+ <title>Using loadable module or built-in</title>
<para>
- All drivers can be reconfigured at run time, if
- <symbol>CONFIG_SYSFS</symbol> and <symbol>CONFIG_MODULES</symbol>
- are enabled, by echo'ing a new config string to
- <constant>/sys/module/&lt;driver&gt;/parameter/&lt;option&gt;</constant>.
- The driver can be unconfigured by passing an empty string. You cannot
- change the configuration while the debugger is attached. Make sure
- to detach the debugger with the <constant>detach</constant> command
- prior to trying unconfigure a kgdb I/O driver.
+ <orderedlist>
+ <listitem><para>As a kernel built-in:</para>
+ <para>Use the kernel boot argument: <constant>kgdboc=&lt;tty-device&gt;,[baud]</constant></para></listitem>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>As a kernel loadable module:</para>
+ <para>Use the command: <constant>modprobe kgdboc kgdboc=&lt;tty-device&gt;,[baud]</constant></para>
+ <para>Here are two examples of how you might formate the kgdboc
+ string. The first is for an x86 target using the first serial port.
+ The second example is for the ARM Versatile AB using the second
+ serial port.
+ <orderedlist>
+ <listitem><para><constant>kgdboc=ttyS0,115200</constant></para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para><constant>kgdboc=ttyAMA1,115200</constant></para></listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
</para>
+ </listitem>
+ </orderedlist></para>
+ </sect3>
+ <sect3 id="kgdbocArgs2">
+ <title>Configure kgdboc at runtime with sysfs</title>
+ <para>At run time you can enable or disable kgdboc by echoing a
+ parameters into the sysfs. Here are two examples:</para>
+ <orderedlist>
+ <listitem><para>Enable kgdboc on ttyS0</para>
+ <para><constant>echo ttyS0 &gt; /sys/module/kgdboc/parameters/kgdboc</constant></para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>Disable kgdboc</para>
+ <para><constant>echo "" &gt; /sys/module/kgdboc/parameters/kgdboc</constant></para></listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
+ <para>NOTE: You do not need to specify the baud if you are
+ configuring the console on tty which is already configured or
+ open.</para>
+ </sect3>
+ <sect3 id="kgdbocArgs3">
+ <title>More examples</title>
+ <para>You can configure kgdboc to use the keyboard, and or a serial device
+ depending on if you are using kdb and or kgdb, in one of the
+ following scenarios.
+ <orderedlist>
+ <listitem><para>kdb and kgdb over only a serial port</para>
+ <para><constant>kgdboc=&lt;serial_device&gt;[,baud]</constant></para>
+ <para>Example: <constant>kgdboc=ttyS0,115200</constant></para>
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem><para>kdb and kgdb with keyboard and a serial port</para>
+ <para><constant>kgdboc=kbd,&lt;serial_device&gt;[,baud]</constant></para>
+ <para>Example: <constant>kgdboc=kbd,ttyS0,115200</constant></para>
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem><para>kdb with a keyboard</para>
+ <para><constant>kgdboc=kbd</constant></para>
+ </listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
+ </para>
+ </sect3>
+ <para>NOTE: Kgdboc does not support interrupting the target via the
+ gdb remote protocol. You must manually send a sysrq-g unless you
+ have a proxy that splits console output to a terminal program.
+ A console proxy has a separate TCP port for the debugger and a separate
+ TCP port for the "human" console. The proxy can take care of sending
+ the sysrq-g for you.
+ </para>
+ <para>When using kgdboc with no debugger proxy, you can end up
+ connecting the debugger at one of two entry points. If an
+ exception occurs after you have loaded kgdboc, a message should
+ print on the console stating it is waiting for the debugger. In
+ this case you disconnect your terminal program and then connect the
+ debugger in its place. If you want to interrupt the target system
+ and forcibly enter a debug session you have to issue a Sysrq
+ sequence and then type the letter <constant>g</constant>. Then
+ you disconnect the terminal session and connect gdb. Your options
+ if you don't like this are to hack gdb to send the sysrq-g for you
+ as well as on the initial connect, or to use a debugger proxy that
+ allows an unmodified gdb to do the debugging.
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
+ </sect1>
<sect1 id="kgdbwait">
<title>Kernel parameter: kgdbwait</title>
<para>
@@ -162,103 +294,204 @@
</para>
<para>
The kernel will stop and wait as early as the I/O driver and
- architecture will allow when you use this option. If you build the
- kgdb I/O driver as a kernel module kgdbwait will not do anything.
+ architecture allows when you use this option. If you build the
+ kgdb I/O driver as a loadable kernel module kgdbwait will not do
+ anything.
</para>
</sect1>
- <sect1 id="kgdboc">
- <title>Kernel parameter: kgdboc</title>
- <para>
- The kgdboc driver was originally an abbreviation meant to stand for
- "kgdb over console". Kgdboc is designed to work with a single
- serial port. It was meant to cover the circumstance
- where you wanted to use a serial console as your primary console as
- well as using it to perform kernel debugging. Of course you can
- also use kgdboc without assigning a console to the same port.
+ <sect1 id="kgdbcon">
+ <title>Kernel parameter: kgdbcon</title>
+ <para> The kgdbcon feature allows you to see printk() messages
+ inside gdb while gdb is connected to the kernel. Kdb does not make
+ use of the kgdbcon feature.
+ </para>
+ <para>Kgdb supports using the gdb serial protocol to send console
+ messages to the debugger when the debugger is connected and running.
+ There are two ways to activate this feature.
+ <orderedlist>
+ <listitem><para>Activate with the kernel command line option:</para>
+ <para><constant>kgdbcon</constant></para>
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem><para>Use sysfs before configuring an I/O driver</para>
+ <para>
+ <constant>echo 1 &gt; /sys/module/kgdb/parameters/kgdb_use_con</constant>
+ </para>
+ <para>
+ NOTE: If you do this after you configure the kgdb I/O driver, the
+ setting will not take effect until the next point the I/O is
+ reconfigured.
+ </para>
+ </listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
+ <para>IMPORTANT NOTE: You cannot use kgdboc + kgdbcon on a tty that is an
+ active system console. An example incorrect usage is <constant>console=ttyS0,115200 kgdboc=ttyS0 kgdbcon</constant>
+ </para>
+ <para>It is possible to use this option with kgdboc on a tty that is not a system console.
+ </para>
</para>
- <sect2 id="UsingKgdboc">
- <title>Using kgdboc</title>
- <para>
- You can configure kgdboc via sysfs or a module or kernel boot line
- parameter depending on if you build with CONFIG_KGDBOC as a module
- or built-in.
- <orderedlist>
- <listitem><para>From the module load or build-in</para>
- <para><constant>kgdboc=&lt;tty-device&gt;,[baud]</constant></para>
+ </sect1>
+ </chapter>
+ <chapter id="usingKDB">
+ <title>Using kdb</title>
<para>
- The example here would be if your console port was typically ttyS0, you would use something like <constant>kgdboc=ttyS0,115200</constant> or on the ARM Versatile AB you would likely use <constant>kgdboc=ttyAMA0,115200</constant>
+ </para>
+ <sect1 id="quickKDBserial">
+ <title>Quick start for kdb on a serial port</title>
+ <para>This is a quick example of how to use kdb.</para>
+ <para><orderedlist>
+ <listitem><para>Boot kernel with arguments:
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para><constant>console=ttyS0,115200 kgdboc=ttyS0,115200</constant></para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist></para>
+ <para>OR</para>
+ <para>Configure kgdboc after the kernel booted; assuming you are using a serial port console:
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para><constant>echo ttyS0 &gt; /sys/module/kgdboc/parameters/kgdboc</constant></para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
</para>
</listitem>
- <listitem><para>From sysfs</para>
- <para><constant>echo ttyS0 &gt; /sys/module/kgdboc/parameters/kgdboc</constant></para>
+ <listitem><para>Enter the kernel debugger manually or by waiting for an oops or fault. There are several ways you can enter the kernel debugger manually; all involve using the sysrq-g, which means you must have enabled CONFIG_MAGIC_SYSRQ=y in your kernel config.</para>
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para>When logged in as root or with a super user session you can run:</para>
+ <para><constant>echo g &gt; /proc/sysrq-trigger</constant></para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>Example using minicom 2.2</para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>Control-a</constant></para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>f</constant></para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>g</constant></para>
</listitem>
- </orderedlist>
- </para>
- <para>
- NOTE: Kgdboc does not support interrupting the target via the
- gdb remote protocol. You must manually send a sysrq-g unless you
- have a proxy that splits console output to a terminal problem and
- has a separate port for the debugger to connect to that sends the
- sysrq-g for you.
+ <listitem><para>When you have telneted to a terminal server that supports sending a remote break</para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>Control-]</constant></para>
+ <para>Type in:<constant>send break</constant></para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>Enter</constant></para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>g</constant></para>
+ </listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem><para>From the kdb prompt you can run the "help" command to see a complete list of the commands that are available.</para>
+ <para>Some useful commands in kdb include:
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para>lsmod -- Shows where kernel modules are loaded</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>ps -- Displays only the active processes</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>ps A -- Shows all the processes</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>summary -- Shows kernel version info and memory usage</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>bt -- Get a backtrace of the current process using dump_stack()</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>dmesg -- View the kernel syslog buffer</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>go -- Continue the system</para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
</para>
- <para>When using kgdboc with no debugger proxy, you can end up
- connecting the debugger for one of two entry points. If an
- exception occurs after you have loaded kgdboc a message should print
- on the console stating it is waiting for the debugger. In case you
- disconnect your terminal program and then connect the debugger in
- its place. If you want to interrupt the target system and forcibly
- enter a debug session you have to issue a Sysrq sequence and then
- type the letter <constant>g</constant>. Then you disconnect the
- terminal session and connect gdb. Your options if you don't like
- this are to hack gdb to send the sysrq-g for you as well as on the
- initial connect, or to use a debugger proxy that allows an
- unmodified gdb to do the debugging.
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>When you are done using kdb you need to consider rebooting the
+ system or using the "go" command to resuming normal kernel
+ execution. If you have paused the kernel for a lengthy period of
+ time, applications that rely on timely networking or anything to do
+ with real wall clock time could be adversely affected, so you
+ should take this into consideration when using the kernel
+ debugger.</para>
+ </listitem>
+ </orderedlist></para>
+ </sect1>
+ <sect1 id="quickKDBkeyboard">
+ <title>Quick start for kdb using a keyboard connected console</title>
+ <para>This is a quick example of how to use kdb with a keyboard.</para>
+ <para><orderedlist>
+ <listitem><para>Boot kernel with arguments:
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para><constant>kgdboc=kbd</constant></para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist></para>
+ <para>OR</para>
+ <para>Configure kgdboc after the kernel booted:
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para><constant>echo kbd &gt; /sys/module/kgdboc/parameters/kgdboc</constant></para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
</para>
- </sect2>
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem><para>Enter the kernel debugger manually or by waiting for an oops or fault. There are several ways you can enter the kernel debugger manually; all involve using the sysrq-g, which means you must have enabled CONFIG_MAGIC_SYSRQ=y in your kernel config.</para>
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para>When logged in as root or with a super user session you can run:</para>
+ <para><constant>echo g &gt; /proc/sysrq-trigger</constant></para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>Example using a laptop keyboard</para>
+ <para>Press and hold down: <constant>Alt</constant></para>
+ <para>Press and hold down: <constant>Fn</constant></para>
+ <para>Press and release the key with the label: <constant>SysRq</constant></para>
+ <para>Release: <constant>Fn</constant></para>
+ <para>Press and release: <constant>g</constant></para>
+ <para>Release: <constant>Alt</constant></para>
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem><para>Example using a PS/2 101-key keyboard</para>
+ <para>Press and hold down: <constant>Alt</constant></para>
+ <para>Press and release the key with the label: <constant>SysRq</constant></para>
+ <para>Press and release: <constant>g</constant></para>
+ <para>Release: <constant>Alt</constant></para>
+ </listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>Now type in a kdb command such as "help", "dmesg", "bt" or "go" to continue kernel execution.</para>
+ </listitem>
+ </orderedlist></para>
</sect1>
- <sect1 id="kgdbcon">
- <title>Kernel parameter: kgdbcon</title>
- <para>
- Kgdb supports using the gdb serial protocol to send console messages
- to the debugger when the debugger is connected and running. There
- are two ways to activate this feature.
+ </chapter>
+ <chapter id="EnableKGDB">
+ <title>Using kgdb / gdb</title>
+ <para>In order to use kgdb you must activate it by passing
+ configuration information to one of the kgdb I/O drivers. If you
+ do not pass any configuration information kgdb will not do anything
+ at all. Kgdb will only actively hook up to the kernel trap hooks
+ if a kgdb I/O driver is loaded and configured. If you unconfigure
+ a kgdb I/O driver, kgdb will unregister all the kernel hook points.
+ </para>
+ <para> All kgdb I/O drivers can be reconfigured at run time, if
+ <symbol>CONFIG_SYSFS</symbol> and <symbol>CONFIG_MODULES</symbol>
+ are enabled, by echo'ing a new config string to
+ <constant>/sys/module/&lt;driver&gt;/parameter/&lt;option&gt;</constant>.
+ The driver can be unconfigured by passing an empty string. You cannot
+ change the configuration while the debugger is attached. Make sure
+ to detach the debugger with the <constant>detach</constant> command
+ prior to trying to unconfigure a kgdb I/O driver.
+ </para>
+ <sect1 id="ConnectingGDB">
+ <title>Connecting with gdb to a serial port</title>
<orderedlist>
- <listitem><para>Activate with the kernel command line option:</para>
- <para><constant>kgdbcon</constant></para>
+ <listitem><para>Configure kgdboc</para>
+ <para>Boot kernel with arguments:
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para><constant>kgdboc=ttyS0,115200</constant></para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist></para>
+ <para>OR</para>
+ <para>Configure kgdboc after the kernel booted:
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para><constant>echo ttyS0 &gt; /sys/module/kgdboc/parameters/kgdboc</constant></para></listitem>
+ </itemizedlist></para>
</listitem>
- <listitem><para>Use sysfs before configuring an io driver</para>
- <para>
- <constant>echo 1 &gt; /sys/module/kgdb/parameters/kgdb_use_con</constant>
- </para>
- <para>
- NOTE: If you do this after you configure the kgdb I/O driver, the
- setting will not take effect until the next point the I/O is
- reconfigured.
- </para>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>Stop kernel execution (break into the debugger)</para>
+ <para>In order to connect to gdb via kgdboc, the kernel must
+ first be stopped. There are several ways to stop the kernel which
+ include using kgdbwait as a boot argument, via a sysrq-g, or running
+ the kernel until it takes an exception where it waits for the
+ debugger to attach.
+ <itemizedlist>
+ <listitem><para>When logged in as root or with a super user session you can run:</para>
+ <para><constant>echo g &gt; /proc/sysrq-trigger</constant></para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>Example using minicom 2.2</para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>Control-a</constant></para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>f</constant></para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>g</constant></para>
</listitem>
- </orderedlist>
- </para>
- <para>
- IMPORTANT NOTE: Using this option with kgdb over the console
- (kgdboc) is not supported.
+ <listitem><para>When you have telneted to a terminal server that supports sending a remote break</para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>Control-]</constant></para>
+ <para>Type in:<constant>send break</constant></para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>Enter</constant></para>
+ <para>Press: <constant>g</constant></para>
+ </listitem>
+ </itemizedlist>
</para>
- </sect1>
- </chapter>
- <chapter id="ConnectingGDB">
- <title>Connecting gdb</title>
- <para>
- If you are using kgdboc, you need to have used kgdbwait as a boot
- argument, issued a sysrq-g, or the system you are going to debug
- has already taken an exception and is waiting for the debugger to
- attach before you can connect gdb.
- </para>
- <para>
- If you are not using different kgdb I/O driver other than kgdboc,
- you should be able to connect and the target will automatically
- respond.
- </para>
+ </listitem>
+ <listitem>
+ <para>Connect from from gdb</para>
<para>
- Example (using a serial port):
+ Example (using a directly connected port):
</para>
<programlisting>
% gdb ./vmlinux
@@ -266,7 +499,7 @@
(gdb) target remote /dev/ttyS0
</programlisting>
<para>
- Example (kgdb to a terminal server on tcp port 2012):
+ Example (kgdb to a terminal server on TCP port 2012):
</para>
<programlisting>
% gdb ./vmlinux
@@ -283,6 +516,83 @@
communications. You do this prior to issuing the <constant>target
remote</constant> command by typing in: <constant>set debug remote 1</constant>
</para>
+ </listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
+ <para>Remember if you continue in gdb, and need to "break in" again,
+ you need to issue an other sysrq-g. It is easy to create a simple
+ entry point by putting a breakpoint at <constant>sys_sync</constant>
+ and then you can run "sync" from a shell or script to break into the
+ debugger.</para>
+ </sect1>
+ </chapter>
+ <chapter id="switchKdbKgdb">
+ <title>kgdb and kdb interoperability</title>
+ <para>It is possible to transition between kdb and kgdb dynamically.
+ The debug core will remember which you used the last time and
+ automatically start in the same mode.</para>
+ <sect1>
+ <title>Switching between kdb and kgdb</title>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>Switching from kgdb to kdb</title>
+ <para>
+ There are two ways to switch from kgdb to kdb: you can use gdb to
+ issue a maintenance packet, or you can blindly type the command $3#33.
+ Whenever kernel debugger stops in kgdb mode it will print the
+ message <constant>KGDB or $3#33 for KDB</constant>. It is important
+ to note that you have to type the sequence correctly in one pass.
+ You cannot type a backspace or delete because kgdb will interpret
+ that as part of the debug stream.
+ <orderedlist>
+ <listitem><para>Change from kgdb to kdb by blindly typing:</para>
+ <para><constant>$3#33</constant></para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>Change from kgdb to kdb with gdb</para>
+ <para><constant>maintenance packet 3</constant></para>
+ <para>NOTE: Now you must kill gdb. Typically you press control-z and
+ issue the command: kill -9 %</para></listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
+ </para>
+ </sect2>
+ <sect2>
+ <title>Change from kdb to kgdb</title>
+ <para>There are two ways you can change from kdb to kgdb. You can
+ manually enter kgdb mode by issuing the kgdb command from the kdb
+ shell prompt, or you can connect gdb while the kdb shell prompt is
+ active. The kdb shell looks for the typical first commands that gdb
+ would issue with the gdb remote protocol and if it sees one of those
+ commands it automatically changes into kgdb mode.</para>
+ <orderedlist>
+ <listitem><para>From kdb issue the command:</para>
+ <para><constant>kgdb</constant></para>
+ <para>Now disconnect your terminal program and connect gdb in its place</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>At the kdb prompt, disconnect the terminal program and connect gdb in its place.</para></listitem>
+ </orderedlist>
+ </sect2>
+ </sect1>
+ <sect1>
+ <title>Running kdb commands from gdb</title>
+ <para>It is possible to run a limited set of kdb commands from gdb,
+ using the gdb monitor command. You don't want to execute any of the
+ run control or breakpoint operations, because it can disrupt the
+ state of the kernel debugger. You should be using gdb for
+ breakpoints and run control operations if you have gdb connected.
+ The more useful commands to run are things like lsmod, dmesg, ps or
+ possibly some of the memory information commands. To see all the kdb
+ commands you can run <constant>monitor help</constant>.</para>
+ <para>Example:
+ <informalexample><programlisting>
+(gdb) monitor ps
+1 idle process (state I) and
+27 sleeping system daemon (state M) processes suppressed,
+use 'ps A' to see all.
+Task Addr Pid Parent [*] cpu State Thread Command
+
+0xc78291d0 1 0 0 0 S 0xc7829404 init
+0xc7954150 942 1 0 0 S 0xc7954384 dropbear
+0xc78789c0 944 1 0 0 S 0xc7878bf4 sh
+(gdb)
+ </programlisting></informalexample>
+ </para>
+ </sect1>
</chapter>
<chapter id="KGDBTestSuite">
<title>kgdb Test Suite</title>
@@ -309,34 +619,36 @@
</para>
</chapter>
<chapter id="CommonBackEndReq">
- <title>KGDB Internals</title>
+ <title>Kernel Debugger Internals</title>
<sect1 id="kgdbArchitecture">
<title>Architecture Specifics</title>
<para>
- Kgdb is organized into three basic components:
+ The kernel debugger is organized into a number of components:
<orderedlist>
- <listitem><para>kgdb core</para>
+ <listitem><para>The debug core</para>
<para>
- The kgdb core is found in kernel/kgdb.c. It contains:
+ The debug core is found in kernel/debugger/debug_core.c. It contains:
<itemizedlist>
- <listitem><para>All the logic to implement the gdb serial protocol</para></listitem>
- <listitem><para>A generic OS exception handler which includes sync'ing the processors into a stopped state on an multi cpu system.</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>A generic OS exception handler which includes
+ sync'ing the processors into a stopped state on an multi-CPU
+ system.</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>The API to talk to the kgdb I/O drivers</para></listitem>
- <listitem><para>The API to make calls to the arch specific kgdb implementation</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>The API to make calls to the arch-specific kgdb implementation</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>The logic to perform safe memory reads and writes to memory while using the debugger</para></listitem>
<listitem><para>A full implementation for software breakpoints unless overridden by the arch</para></listitem>
+ <listitem><para>The API to invoke either the kdb or kgdb frontend to the debug core.</para></listitem>
</itemizedlist>
</para>
</listitem>
- <listitem><para>kgdb arch specific implementation</para>
+ <listitem><para>kgdb arch-specific implementation</para>
<para>
This implementation is generally found in arch/*/kernel/kgdb.c.
As an example, arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c contains the specifics to
implement HW breakpoint as well as the initialization to
dynamically register and unregister for the trap handlers on
- this architecture. The arch specific portion implements:
+ this architecture. The arch-specific portion implements:
<itemizedlist>
- <listitem><para>contains an arch specific trap catcher which
+ <listitem><para>contains an arch-specific trap catcher which
invokes kgdb_handle_exception() to sta