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linux-kernel-module-cheat/debugging.md
Ciro Santilli 6c51ecaf7b split build and run scripts due to option conflicts
Remove -v from travis as it blew log length
2017-11-02 17:51:38 +00:00

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# Debugging
To GDB the Linux kernel, first run:
./run -d
If you want to break immediately at a symbol, e.g. `start_kernel` of the boot sequence, run on another shell:
./rungdb start_kernel
Now QEMU will stop there, and you can use the normal GDB commands:
l
n
c
To skip the boot, run just:
./rungdb
and when you want to break, do `Ctrl + C` from GDB.
To have some fun, you can first run inside QEMU:
/count.sh
which counts to infinity to stdout, and then in GDB:
Ctrl + C
break sys_write
continue
continue
continue
And you now control the counting from GDB.
See also: <http://stackoverflow.com/questions/11408041/how-to-debug-the-linux-kernel-with-gdb-and-qemu>
`O=0` is an impossible dream, `O=2` being the default: <https://stackoverflow.com/questions/29151235/how-to-de-optimize-the-linux-kernel-to-and-compile-it-with-o0> So get ready for some weird jumps, and `<value optimized out>` fun. Why, Linux, why.
## Kernel module debugging
Loadable kernel modules are a bit trickier since the kernel can place them at different memory locations depending on load order.
So we cannot set the breakpoints before `insmod`.
However, the Linux kernel GDB scripts offer the `lx-symbols` command, which takes care of that beautifully for us:
./run -d
./rungdb
In QEMU:
insmod /fops.ko
In GDB, hit `Ctrl + C`, and note how it says:
scanning for modules in ../kernel_module-1.0/
loading @0xffffffffa0000000: ../kernel_module-1.0//fops.ko
That's `lx-symbols` working! Now simply:
b fop_write
c
In QEMU:
printf a >/sys/kernel/debug/lkmc_fops/f
and GDB now breaks at our `fop_write` function!
Just don't forget to remove your breakpoints after `rmmod`, or they will point to stale memory locations.
TODO: why does `break work_func` for `insmod kthread.ko` not break the first time I `insmod`, but breaks the second time?
### Bypassing lx-symbols
Useless, but a good way to show how hardcore you are. From inside QEMU:
insmod /fops.ko
cat /proc/modules
This will give a line of form:
fops 2327 0 - Live 0xfffffffa00000000
And then tell GDB where the module was loaded with:
Ctrl + C
add-symbol-file ../kernel_module-1.0/fops.ko 0xfffffffa00000000
## Debug kernel early boot
TODO: why can't we break at early startup stuff such as:
./rungdb extract_kernel
./rungdb main
See also: <https://stackoverflow.com/questions/2589845/what-are-the-first-operations-that-the-linux-kernel-executes-on-boot>