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1 | <?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?> | ||
2 | <!DOCTYPE book PUBLIC "-//OASIS//DTD DocBook XML V4.1.2//EN" | ||
3 | "http://www.oasis-open.org/docbook/xml/4.1.2/docbookx.dtd" []> | ||
4 | |||
5 | <book id="kgdbOnLinux"> | ||
6 | <bookinfo> | ||
7 | <title>Using kgdb and the kgdb Internals</title> | ||
8 | |||
9 | <authorgroup> | ||
10 | <author> | ||
11 | <firstname>Jason</firstname> | ||
12 | <surname>Wessel</surname> | ||
13 | <affiliation> | ||
14 | <address> | ||
15 | <email>jason.wessel@windriver.com</email> | ||
16 | </address> | ||
17 | </affiliation> | ||
18 | </author> | ||
19 | </authorgroup> | ||
20 | |||
21 | <authorgroup> | ||
22 | <author> | ||
23 | <firstname>Tom</firstname> | ||
24 | <surname>Rini</surname> | ||
25 | <affiliation> | ||
26 | <address> | ||
27 | <email>trini@kernel.crashing.org</email> | ||
28 | </address> | ||
29 | </affiliation> | ||
30 | </author> | ||
31 | </authorgroup> | ||
32 | |||
33 | <authorgroup> | ||
34 | <author> | ||
35 | <firstname>Amit S.</firstname> | ||
36 | <surname>Kale</surname> | ||
37 | <affiliation> | ||
38 | <address> | ||
39 | <email>amitkale@linsyssoft.com</email> | ||
40 | </address> | ||
41 | </affiliation> | ||
42 | </author> | ||
43 | </authorgroup> | ||
44 | |||
45 | <copyright> | ||
46 | <year>2008</year> | ||
47 | <holder>Wind River Systems, Inc.</holder> | ||
48 | </copyright> | ||
49 | <copyright> | ||
50 | <year>2004-2005</year> | ||
51 | <holder>MontaVista Software, Inc.</holder> | ||
52 | </copyright> | ||
53 | <copyright> | ||
54 | <year>2004</year> | ||
55 | <holder>Amit S. Kale</holder> | ||
56 | </copyright> | ||
57 | |||
58 | <legalnotice> | ||
59 | <para> | ||
60 | This file is licensed under the terms of the GNU General Public License | ||
61 | version 2. This program is licensed "as is" without any warranty of any | ||
62 | kind, whether express or implied. | ||
63 | </para> | ||
64 | |||
65 | </legalnotice> | ||
66 | </bookinfo> | ||
67 | |||
68 | <toc></toc> | ||
69 | <chapter id="Introduction"> | ||
70 | <title>Introduction</title> | ||
71 | <para> | ||
72 | kgdb is a source level debugger for linux kernel. It is used along | ||
73 | with gdb to debug a linux kernel. The expectation is that gdb can | ||
74 | be used to "break in" to the kernel to inspect memory, variables | ||
75 | and look through a cal stack information similar to what an | ||
76 | application developer would use gdb for. It is possible to place | ||
77 | breakpoints in kernel code and perform some limited execution | ||
78 | stepping. | ||
79 | </para> | ||
80 | <para> | ||
81 | Two machines are required for using kgdb. One of these machines is a | ||
82 | development machine and the other is a test machine. The kernel | ||
83 | to be debugged runs on the test machine. The development machine | ||
84 | runs an instance of gdb against the vmlinux file which contains | ||
85 | the symbols (not boot image such as bzImage, zImage, uImage...). | ||
86 | In gdb the developer specifies the connection parameters and | ||
87 | connects to kgdb. Depending on which kgdb I/O modules exist in | ||
88 | the kernel for a given architecture, it may be possible to debug | ||
89 | the test machine's kernel with the development machine using a | ||
90 | rs232 or ethernet connection. | ||
91 | </para> | ||
92 | </chapter> | ||
93 | <chapter id="CompilingAKernel"> | ||
94 | <title>Compiling a kernel</title> | ||
95 | <para> | ||
96 | To enable <symbol>CONFIG_KGDB</symbol>, look under the "Kernel debugging" | ||
97 | and then select "KGDB: kernel debugging with remote gdb". | ||
98 | </para> | ||
99 | <para> | ||
100 | Next you should choose one of more I/O drivers to interconnect debugging | ||
101 | host and debugged target. Early boot debugging requires a KGDB | ||
102 | I/O driver that supports early debugging and the driver must be | ||
103 | built into the kernel directly. Kgdb I/O driver configuration | ||
104 | takes place via kernel or module parameters, see following | ||
105 | chapter. | ||
106 | </para> | ||
107 | <para> | ||
108 | The kgdb test compile options are described in the kgdb test suite chapter. | ||
109 | </para> | ||
110 | |||
111 | </chapter> | ||
112 | <chapter id="EnableKGDB"> | ||
113 | <title>Enable kgdb for debugging</title> | ||
114 | <para> | ||
115 | In order to use kgdb you must activate it by passing configuration | ||
116 | information to one of the kgdb I/O drivers. If you do not pass any | ||
117 | configuration information kgdb will not do anything at all. Kgdb | ||
118 | will only actively hook up to the kernel trap hooks if a kgdb I/O | ||
119 | driver is loaded and configured. If you unconfigure a kgdb I/O | ||
120 | driver, kgdb will unregister all the kernel hook points. | ||
121 | </para> | ||
122 | <para> | ||
123 | All drivers can be reconfigured at run time, if | ||
124 | <symbol>CONFIG_SYSFS</symbol> and <symbol>CONFIG_MODULES</symbol> | ||
125 | are enabled, by echo'ing a new config string to | ||
126 | <constant>/sys/module/<driver>/parameter/<option></constant>. | ||
127 | The driver can be unconfigured by passing an empty string. You cannot | ||
128 | change the configuration while the debugger is attached. Make sure | ||
129 | to detach the debugger with the <constant>detach</constant> command | ||
130 | prior to trying unconfigure a kgdb I/O driver. | ||
131 | </para> | ||
132 | <sect1 id="kgdbwait"> | ||
133 | <title>Kernel parameter: kgdbwait</title> | ||
134 | <para> | ||
135 | The Kernel command line option <constant>kgdbwait</constant> makes | ||
136 | kgdb wait for a debugger connection during booting of a kernel. You | ||
137 | can only use this option you compiled a kgdb I/O driver into the | ||
138 | kernel and you specified the I/O driver configuration as a kernel | ||
139 | command line option. The kgdbwait parameter should always follow the | ||
140 | configuration parameter for the kgdb I/O driver in the kernel | ||
141 | command line else the I/O driver will not be configured prior to | ||
142 | asking the kernel to use it to wait. | ||
143 | </para> | ||
144 | <para> | ||
145 | The kernel will stop and wait as early as the I/O driver and | ||
146 | architecture will allow when you use this option. If you build the | ||
147 | kgdb I/O driver as a kernel module kgdbwait will not do anything. | ||
148 | </para> | ||
149 | </sect1> | ||
150 | <sect1 id="kgdboc"> | ||
151 | <title>Kernel parameter: kgdboc</title> | ||
152 | <para> | ||
153 | The kgdboc driver was originally an abbreviation meant to stand for | ||
154 | "kgdb over console". Kgdboc is designed to work with a single | ||
155 | serial port. It was meant to cover the circumstance | ||
156 | where you wanted to use a serial console as your primary console as | ||
157 | well as using it to perform kernel debugging. Of course you can | ||
158 | also use kgdboc without assigning a console to the same port. | ||
159 | </para> | ||
160 | <sect2 id="UsingKgdboc"> | ||
161 | <title>Using kgdboc</title> | ||
162 | <para> | ||
163 | You can configure kgdboc via sysfs or a module or kernel boot line | ||
164 | parameter depending on if you build with CONFIG_KGDBOC as a module | ||
165 | or built-in. | ||
166 | <orderedlist> | ||
167 | <listitem><para>From the module load or build-in</para> | ||
168 | <para><constant>kgdboc=<tty-device>,[baud]</constant></para> | ||
169 | <para> | ||
170 | 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> | ||
171 | </para> | ||
172 | </listitem> | ||
173 | <listitem><para>From sysfs</para> | ||
174 | <para><constant>echo ttyS0 > /sys/module/kgdboc/parameters/kgdboc</constant></para> | ||
175 | </listitem> | ||
176 | </orderedlist> | ||
177 | </para> | ||
178 | <para> | ||
179 | NOTE: Kgdboc does not support interrupting the target via the | ||
180 | gdb remote protocol. You must manually send a sysrq-g unless you | ||
181 | have a proxy that splits console output to a terminal problem and | ||
182 | has a separate port for the debugger to connect to that sends the | ||
183 | sysrq-g for you. | ||
184 | </para> | ||
185 | <para>When using kgdboc with no debugger proxy, you can end up | ||
186 | connecting the debugger for one of two entry points. If an | ||
187 | exception occurs after you have loaded kgdboc a message should print | ||
188 | on the console stating it is waiting for the debugger. In case you | ||
189 | disconnect your terminal program and then connect the debugger in | ||
190 | its place. If you want to interrupt the target system and forcibly | ||
191 | enter a debug session you have to issue a Sysrq sequence and then | ||
192 | type the letter <constant>g</constant>. Then you disconnect the | ||
193 | terminal session and connect gdb. Your options if you don't like | ||
194 | this are to hack gdb to send the sysrq-g for you as well as on the | ||
195 | initial connect, or to use a debugger proxy that allows an | ||
196 | unmodified gdb to do the debugging. | ||
197 | </para> | ||
198 | </sect2> | ||
199 | </sect1> | ||
200 | <sect1 id="kgdbcon"> | ||
201 | <title>Kernel parameter: kgdbcon</title> | ||
202 | <para> | ||
203 | Kgdb supports using the gdb serial protocol to send console messages | ||
204 | to the debugger when the debugger is connected and running. There | ||
205 | are two ways to activate this feature. | ||
206 | <orderedlist> | ||
207 | <listitem><para>Activate with the kernel command line option:</para> | ||
208 | <para><constant>kgdbcon</constant></para> | ||
209 | </listitem> | ||
210 | <listitem><para>Use sysfs before configuring an io driver</para> | ||
211 | <para> | ||
212 | <constant>echo 1 > /sys/module/kgdb/parameters/kgdb_use_con</constant> | ||
213 | </para> | ||
214 | <para> | ||
215 | NOTE: If you do this after you configure the kgdb I/O driver, the | ||
216 | setting will not take effect until the next point the I/O is | ||
217 | reconfigured. | ||
218 | </para> | ||
219 | </listitem> | ||
220 | </orderedlist> | ||
221 | </para> | ||
222 | <para> | ||
223 | IMPORTANT NOTE: Using this option with kgdb over the console | ||
224 | (kgdboc) or kgdb over ethernet (kgdboe) is not supported. | ||
225 | </para> | ||
226 | </sect1> | ||
227 | </chapter> | ||
228 | <chapter id="ConnectingGDB"> | ||
229 | <title>Connecting gdb</title> | ||
230 | <para> | ||
231 | If you are using kgdboc, you need to have used kgdbwait as a boot | ||
232 | argument, issued a sysrq-g, or the system you are going to debug | ||
233 | has already taken an exception and is waiting for the debugger to | ||
234 | attach before you can connect gdb. | ||
235 | </para> | ||
236 | <para> | ||
237 | If you are not using different kgdb I/O driver other than kgdboc, | ||
238 | you should be able to connect and the target will automatically | ||
239 | respond. | ||
240 | </para> | ||
241 | <para> | ||
242 | Example (using a serial port): | ||
243 | </para> | ||
244 | <programlisting> | ||
245 | % gdb ./vmlinux | ||
246 | (gdb) set remotebaud 115200 | ||
247 | (gdb) target remote /dev/ttyS0 | ||
248 | </programlisting> | ||
249 | <para> | ||
250 | Example (kgdb to a terminal server): | ||
251 | </para> | ||
252 | <programlisting> | ||
253 | % gdb ./vmlinux | ||
254 | (gdb) target remote udp:192.168.2.2:6443 | ||
255 | </programlisting> | ||
256 | <para> | ||
257 | Example (kgdb over ethernet): | ||
258 | </para> | ||
259 | <programlisting> | ||
260 | % gdb ./vmlinux | ||
261 | (gdb) target remote udp:192.168.2.2:6443 | ||
262 | </programlisting> | ||
263 | <para> | ||
264 | Once connected, you can debug a kernel the way you would debug an | ||
265 | application program. | ||
266 | </para> | ||
267 | <para> | ||
268 | If you are having problems connecting or something is going | ||
269 | seriously wrong while debugging, it will most often be the case | ||
270 | that you want to enable gdb to be verbose about its target | ||
271 | communications. You do this prior to issuing the <constant>target | ||
272 | remote</constant> command by typing in: <constant>set remote debug 1</constant> | ||
273 | </para> | ||
274 | </chapter> | ||
275 | <chapter id="KGDBTestSuite"> | ||
276 | <title>kgdb Test Suite</title> | ||
277 | <para> | ||
278 | When kgdb is enabled in the kernel config you can also elect to | ||
279 | enable the config parameter KGDB_TESTS. Turning this on will | ||
280 | enable a special kgdb I/O module which is designed to test the | ||
281 | kgdb internal functions. | ||
282 | </para> | ||
283 | <para> | ||
284 | The kgdb tests are mainly intended for developers to test the kgdb | ||
285 | internals as well as a tool for developing a new kgdb architecture | ||
286 | specific implementation. These tests are not really for end users | ||
287 | of the Linux kernel. The primary source of documentation would be | ||
288 | to look in the drivers/misc/kgdbts.c file. | ||
289 | </para> | ||
290 | <para> | ||
291 | The kgdb test suite can also be configured at compile time to run | ||
292 | the core set of tests by setting the kernel config parameter | ||
293 | KGDB_TESTS_ON_BOOT. This particular option is aimed at automated | ||
294 | regression testing and does not require modifying the kernel boot | ||
295 | config arguments. If this is turned on, the kgdb test suite can | ||
296 | be disabled by specifying "kgdbts=" as a kernel boot argument. | ||
297 | </para> | ||
298 | </chapter> | ||
299 | <chapter id="CommonBackEndReq"> | ||
300 | <title>KGDB Internals</title> | ||
301 | <sect1 id="kgdbArchitecture"> | ||
302 | <title>Architecture Specifics</title> | ||
303 | <para> | ||
304 | Kgdb is organized into three basic components: | ||
305 | <orderedlist> | ||
306 | <listitem><para>kgdb core</para> | ||
307 | <para> | ||
308 | The kgdb core is found in kernel/kgdb.c. It contains: | ||
309 | <itemizedlist> | ||
310 | <listitem><para>All the logic to implement the gdb serial protocol</para></listitem> | ||
311 | <listitem><para>A generic OS exception handler which includes sync'ing the processors into a stopped state on an multi cpu system.</para></listitem> | ||
312 | <listitem><para>The API to talk to the kgdb I/O drivers</para></listitem> | ||
313 | <listitem><para>The API to make calls to the arch specific kgdb implementation</para></listitem> | ||
314 | <listitem><para>The logic to perform safe memory reads and writes to memory while using the debugger</para></listitem> | ||
315 | <listitem><para>A full implementation for software breakpoints unless overridden by the arch</para></listitem> | ||
316 | </itemizedlist> | ||
317 | </para> | ||
318 | </listitem> | ||
319 | <listitem><para>kgdb arch specific implementation</para> | ||
320 | <para> | ||
321 | This implementation is generally found in arch/*/kernel/kgdb.c. | ||
322 | As an example, arch/x86/kernel/kgdb.c contains the specifics to | ||
323 | implement HW breakpoint as well as the initialization to | ||
324 | dynamically register and unregister for the trap handlers on | ||
325 | this architecture. The arch specific portion implements: | ||
326 | <itemizedlist> | ||
327 | <listitem><para>contains an arch specific trap catcher which | ||
328 | invokes kgdb_handle_exception() to start kgdb about doing its | ||
329 | work</para></listitem> | ||
330 | <listitem><para>translation to and from gdb specific packet format to pt_regs</para></listitem> | ||
331 | <listitem><para>Registration and unregistration of architecture specific trap hooks</para></listitem> | ||
332 | <listitem><para>Any special exception handling and cleanup</para></listitem> | ||
333 | <listitem><para>NMI exception handling and cleanup</para></listitem> | ||
334 | <listitem><para>(optional)HW breakpoints</para></listitem> | ||
335 | </itemizedlist> | ||
336 | </para> | ||
337 | </listitem> | ||
338 | <listitem><para>kgdb I/O driver</para> | ||
339 | <para> | ||
340 | Each kgdb I/O driver has to provide an implemenation for the following: | ||
341 | <itemizedlist> | ||
342 | <listitem><para>configuration via builtin or module</para></listitem> | ||
343 | <listitem><para>dynamic configuration and kgdb hook registration calls</para></listitem> | ||
344 | <listitem><para>read and write character interface</para></listitem> | ||
345 | <listitem><para>A cleanup handler for unconfiguring from the kgdb core</para></listitem> | ||
346 | <listitem><para>(optional) Early debug methodology</para></listitem> | ||
347 | </itemizedlist> | ||
348 | Any given kgdb I/O driver has to operate very closely with the | ||
349 | hardware and must do it in such a way that does not enable | ||
350 | interrupts or change other parts of the system context without | ||
351 | completely restoring them. The kgdb core will repeatedly "poll" | ||
352 | a kgdb I/O driver for characters when it needs input. The I/O | ||
353 | driver is expected to return immediately if there is no data | ||
354 | available. Doing so allows for the future possibility to touch | ||
355 | watch dog hardware in such a way as to have a target system not | ||
356 | reset when these are enabled. | ||
357 | </para> | ||
358 | </listitem> | ||
359 | </orderedlist> | ||
360 | </para> | ||
361 | <para> | ||
362 | If you are intent on adding kgdb architecture specific support | ||
363 | for a new architecture, the architecture should define | ||
364 | <constant>HAVE_ARCH_KGDB</constant> in the architecture specific | ||
365 | Kconfig file. This will enable kgdb for the architecture, and | ||
366 | at that point you must create an architecture specific kgdb | ||
367 | implementation. | ||
368 | </para> | ||
369 | <para> | ||
370 | There are a few flags which must be set on every architecture in | ||
371 | their <asm/kgdb.h> file. These are: | ||
372 | <itemizedlist> | ||
373 | <listitem> | ||
374 | <para> | ||
375 | NUMREGBYTES: The size in bytes of all of the registers, so | ||
376 | that we can ensure they will all fit into a packet. | ||
377 | </para> | ||
378 | <para> | ||
379 | BUFMAX: The size in bytes of the buffer GDB will read into. | ||
380 | This must be larger than NUMREGBYTES. | ||
381 | </para> | ||
382 | <para> | ||
383 | CACHE_FLUSH_IS_SAFE: Set to 1 if it is always safe to call | ||
384 | flush_cache_range or flush_icache_range. On some architectures, | ||
385 | these functions may not be safe to call on SMP since we keep other | ||
386 | CPUs in a holding pattern. | ||
387 | </para> | ||
388 | </listitem> | ||
389 | </itemizedlist> | ||
390 | </para> | ||
391 | <para> | ||
392 | There are also the following functions for the common backend, | ||
393 | found in kernel/kgdb.c, that must be supplied by the | ||
394 | architecture-specific backend unless marked as (optional), in | ||
395 | which case a default function maybe used if the architecture | ||
396 | does not need to provide a specific implementation. | ||
397 | </para> | ||
398 | !Iinclude/linux/kgdb.h | ||
399 | </sect1> | ||
400 | <sect1 id="kgdbocDesign"> | ||
401 | <title>kgdboc internals</title> | ||
402 | <para> | ||
403 | The kgdboc driver is actually a very thin driver that relies on the | ||
404 | underlying low level to the hardware driver having "polling hooks" | ||
405 | which the to which the tty driver is attached. In the initial | ||
406 | implementation of kgdboc it the serial_core was changed to expose a | ||
407 | low level uart hook for doing polled mode reading and writing of a | ||
408 | single character while in an atomic context. When kgdb makes an I/O | ||
409 | request to the debugger, kgdboc invokes a call back in the serial | ||
410 | core which in turn uses the call back in the uart driver. It is | ||
411 | certainly possible to extend kgdboc to work with non-uart based | ||
412 | consoles in the future. | ||
413 | </para> | ||
414 | <para> | ||
415 | When using kgdboc with a uart, the uart driver must implement two callbacks in the <constant>struct uart_ops</constant>. Example from drivers/8250.c:<programlisting> | ||
416 | #ifdef CONFIG_CONSOLE_POLL | ||
417 | .poll_get_char = serial8250_get_poll_char, | ||
418 | .poll_put_char = serial8250_put_poll_char, | ||
419 | #endif | ||
420 | </programlisting> | ||
421 | Any implementation specifics around creating a polling driver use the | ||
422 | <constant>#ifdef CONFIG_CONSOLE_POLL</constant>, as shown above. | ||
423 | Keep in mind that polling hooks have to be implemented in such a way | ||
424 | that they can be called from an atomic context and have to restore | ||
425 | the state of the uart chip on return such that the system can return | ||
426 | to normal when the debugger detaches. You need to be very careful | ||
427 | with any kind of lock you consider, because failing here is most | ||
428 | going to mean pressing the reset button. | ||
429 | </para> | ||
430 | </sect1> | ||
431 | </chapter> | ||
432 | <chapter id="credits"> | ||
433 | <title>Credits</title> | ||
434 | <para> | ||
435 | The following people have contributed to this document: | ||
436 | <orderedlist> | ||
437 | <listitem><para>Amit Kale<email>amitkale@linsyssoft.com</email></para></listitem> | ||
438 | <listitem><para>Tom Rini<email>trini@kernel.crashing.org</email></para></listitem> | ||
439 | </orderedlist> | ||
440 | In March 2008 this document was completely rewritten by: | ||
441 | <itemizedlist> | ||
442 | <listitem><para>Jason Wessel<email>jason.wessel@windriver.com</email></para></listitem> | ||
443 | </itemizedlist> | ||
444 | </para> | ||
445 | </chapter> | ||
446 | </book> | ||
447 | |||