HP Integrity rx2800 Kernel Debugging Guide - Page 11

1 Debugging the kernel locally If you have programmed on the Windows operating system for any length of time, you are probably familiar with user-mode debuggers and aware of kernel-mode debuggers. User-mode debuggers help developers to debug applications. Kernel-mode debuggers are used mostly by driver writers to debug device drivers and by support professionals to analyze system crashes. This chapter describes how to locally debug the operating system kernel on HP Integrity servers. In a local debugging environment, you are physically located near the server you want to debug. You use a host machine, typically a laptop, that has the Windows debugging software installed on it. You connect the host machine to the server with a cable (this sometimes requires the use of a custom-made converter plug), and begin the debugging process. NOTE: You can use the local debugging procedures described in this chapter on all HP Integrity servers, except the following: • HP Integrity rx7640 servers • HP Integrity rx8640 servers • HP Integrity Superdome servers with the sx2000 chipset You debug these servers remotely, over a LAN, using the methods described in the next chapter. Overview A typical local kernel debugging environment for Windows systems consists of a host machine, which runs the debugging software; a connecting cable (and sometimes a custom-made converter plug); and an HP Integrity server target machine. The host is usually a laptop with Microsoft Debugging Tools for Windows (x86) software installed, and the cable is either a null modem serial or CAT-5 cable. The target is always an HP Integrity server for the purposes of this guide. Use the following table to determine which setup is required, based on your target: Table 1-1 Kernel debugging setup options Host (+ Debugging software) Cable (+ Converter) Target Overview 11