This manual provides information on the tools used to debug a kernel
and analyze a crash dump file of the
Tru64TM UNIX®
(formerly DIGITAL UNIX)
operating system.
It also explains how to write extensions to the kernel debugging
tools.
You can use extensions to display customized information from kernel
data structures or a crash dump file.
Audience
This manual is intended for system programmers who write programs that
use kernel data structures and are built into the kernel.
It is also intended
for system administrators who are responsible for managing the operating system.
System programmers and administrators should have in-depth knowledge of operating
system concepts, commands, and utilities.
New and Changed Features
The following list describes changes that have been made to this manual for Tru64 UNIX Version 5.0:
The former Chapter 4, Managing Crash Dumps, has been deleted and its contents have been moved to the System Administration manual. All information on that subject is now in one manual. The System Administration manual was chosen because many aspects of managing crash dumps (such as storage considerations and default settings) are handled by a system administrator, often during system installation.
Crash dumps are now compressed by default and are stored in
compressed crash dump files.
These are named
vmzcore.n
to differentiate them from the uncompressed
vmcore.n
files.
Starting with Version
5.0, all the Tru64 UNIX debugging tools can read
vmzcore.n
as well as
vmcore.n
files.
Examples throughout this manual have been updated to show use of
vmzcore.n
files.
When debugging a crash dump with
dbx
or
kdbx, you can examine the call stack of the user program whose execution
precipitated the kernel crash.
For more information, see
Section 2.1.9.
If a loadable kernel module was moved to another location
after a kernel crash, you can specify the directory path where
dbx
should look for the module.
For more information, see
Section 2.1.3.
This manual consists of four chapters and one appendix:
| Chapter 1 | Introduces the concepts of kernel debugging and crash dump analysis. |
| Chapter 2 | Describes the tools used to debug kernels and analyze crash dump files. |
| Chapter 3 | Describes how to write a
kdbx
debugger extension.
This chapter assumes you have purchased and installed
a Tru64 UNIX Source Kit and so have access to source files. |
| Chapter 4 | Provides background information useful for and examples of analyzing crash dump files. |
| Appendix A | Contains example output from the
crashdc
utility. |
For additional information, refer to the following manuals:
The Alpha Architecture Reference Manual describes how the operating system interfaces with the Alpha hardware.
The Alpha Architecture Handbook gives an overview of the Alpha hardware architecture and describes the 64-bit Alpha RISC (Reduced Instruction Set Computing) instruction set.
The Installation Guide and Installation Guide -- Advanced Topics describe how to install your operating system.
The System Administration manual provides information on managing and monitoring your system, including managing crash dumps.
The
Programmer's Guide
provides information on the tools, specifically
the
dbx
debugger, for programming on the Tru64 UNIX operating
system.
This manual also provides information about creating configurable
kernel subsystems.
The
Writing Kernel Modules
manual discusses how to code kernel modules (single
binary images) that can be statically loaded as part of the
/vmunix
kernel or dynamically loaded into memory, that enhance the functionality
of the Unix kernel.
Icons on Tru64 UNIX Printed Books
The printed version of the Tru64 UNIX documentation uses letter icons on the spines of the books to help specific audiences quickly find the books that meet their needs. (You can order the printed documentation from Compaq.) The following list describes this convention:
| G | Books for general users |
| S | Books for system and network administrators |
| P | Books for programmers |
| D | Books for device driver writers |
| R | Books for reference page users |
Some books in the documentation help meet the needs of several audiences. For example, the information in some system books is also used by programmers. Keep this in mind when searching for information on specific topics.
The
Documentation Overview
provides
information on all of the books in the Tru64 UNIX documentation set.
Reader's Comments
Compaq welcomes any comments and suggestions you have on this and other Tru64 UNIX manuals.
You can send your comments in the following ways:
Fax: 603-884-0120 Attn: UBPG Publications, ZKO3-3/Y32
Internet electronic mail:
readers_comment@zk3.dec.com
A Reader's Comment form is located on your system in the following location:
/usr/doc/readers_comment.txt
Mail:
Compaq Computer Corporation
UBPG Publications Manager
ZKO3-3/Y32
110 Spit Brook Road
Nashua, NH 03062-2698
A Reader's Comment form is located in the back of each printed manual. The form is postage paid if you mail it in the United States.
Please include the following information along with your comments:
The full title of the book and the order number. (The order number is printed on the title page of this book and on its back cover.)
The section numbers and page numbers of the information on which you are commenting.
The version of Tru64 UNIX that you are using.
If known, the type of processor that is running the Tru64 UNIX software.
The Tru64 UNIX Publications group cannot respond to system problems or
technical support inquiries.
Please address technical questions to your
local system vendor or to the appropriate Compaq technical support office.
Information provided with the software media explains how to send problem
reports to Compaq.
Conventions
The following conventions are used in this manual:
%$A percent sign represents the C shell system prompt. A dollar sign represents the system prompt for the Bourne, Korn, and POSIX shells.
#A number sign represents the superuser prompt.
% catBoldface type in interactive examples indicates typed user input.
Italic (slanted) type indicates variable values, placeholders, and function argument names.
In syntax definitions, brackets indicate items that are optional and braces indicate items that are required. Vertical bars separating items inside brackets or braces indicate that you choose one item from among those listed.
coloredtext
In syntax definitions, literal elements are colored green. Variable values, placeholders, and function argument names are colored red. No special colored text is used outside of syntax descriptions.
A vertical ellipsis indicates that a portion of an example that would normally be present is not shown.
cat(1)A cross-reference to a reference page includes the appropriate section
number in parentheses.
For example,
cat(1)
indicates that you can find information on the
cat
command in Section 1 of the reference pages.
This symbol indicates that you hold down the first named key while pressing the key or mouse button that follows the slash. In examples, this key combination is enclosed in a box (for example, [Ctrl/C] ).