I am having a problem setting up kernel debugging using a Win2k SP4 host and a XP 2002 SP2 target. My Dell notebook with XP SP2 does not have a built in serial port – and I know I can’t use a USB-to-serial adapter for WinDBG for kernel debugging – so I bought a PCMCIA to serial card. I would assume that PCMCIA card is sort of a PCI bus for laptops, meaning on a desktop machine a PCI serial card would be detected by kernel without all that virtualization that USB adapter has, therefore I assume that a PCMCIA would have a similar effect on the notebook. Are there different types of PCMCIA serial cards – this one is a Serial Gear MG-1SCBH – some that virtualize and some that don’t?
The card defaults to COM5 when installed, but I can change that COM1 through the property page. I was able to use Hyperterminal to communication boths between the host and target.
Here is my boot.ini line for kernel debugging on XP:
multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS=“Kernel Debugging with Null Modem” /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut /debug /debugport=COM1 /baudrate=115200
In the operating system selection page at boot, this line displays as: Kernel Debugging with Null Modem [debugger enabled]
Note: I had this kernel Windbg working on a Win2K to Win2K setup (two desktop machines with built in serial ports), but need XP to work around some bugs that WDF KMDF 1.1 has.
I can set up a 1394 card in my Win2k SP4 Desktop and the notebook has it built in, but according to the Windbg documentation, 13894 only works on XP or later systems.
This will not work, you need a legacy serial port for the test machine, and
the PCMCIA card will not do it.
–
Don Burn (MVP, Windows DDK)
Windows 2k/XP/2k3 Filesystem and Driver Consulting http://www.windrvr.com
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wrote in message news:xxxxx@windbg… >I am having a problem setting up kernel debugging using a Win2k SP4 host >and a XP 2002 SP2 target. My Dell notebook with XP SP2 does not have a >built in serial port – and I know I can’t use a USB-to-serial adapter for >WinDBG for kernel debugging – so I bought a PCMCIA to serial card. I >would assume that PCMCIA card is sort of a PCI bus for laptops, meaning on >a desktop machine a PCI serial card would be detected by kernel without all >that virtualization that USB adapter has, therefore I assume that a PCMCIA >would have a similar effect on the notebook. Are there different types of >PCMCIA serial cards – this one is a Serial Gear MG-1SCBH – some that >virtualize and some that don’t? > > The card defaults to COM5 when installed, but I can change that COM1 > through the property page. I was able to use Hyperterminal to > communication boths between the host and target. > > Here is my boot.ini line for kernel debugging on XP: > > multi(0)disk(0)rdisk(0)partition(2)\WINDOWS=“Kernel Debugging with Null > Modem” /fastdetect /NoExecute=OptOut /debug /debugport=COM1 > /baudrate=115200 > > In the operating system selection page at boot, this line displays as: > Kernel Debugging with Null Modem [debugger enabled] > > Note: I had this kernel Windbg working on a Win2K to Win2K setup (two > desktop machines with built in serial ports), but need XP to work around > some bugs that WDF KMDF 1.1 has. > > I can set up a 1394 card in my Win2k SP4 Desktop and the notebook has it > built in, but according to the Windbg documentation, 13894 only works on > XP or later systems. >
Thanks Don. I guess I need to upgrade my Win2K to XP and use 1394 or get another target machine with a real serial port. If I am going to do that, I might as well go 1394 for the speed, but I saw something in the docs about disabling the 1394 host controller on the target machine. Are there any other gotchas using 1394?
* On Sat, Sep 02, 2006 at 02:26:18PM -0400 xxxxx@yahoo.com wrote:
Thanks Don. I guess I need to upgrade my Win2K to XP and use 1394 or
get another target machine with a real serial port. If I am going to
do that, I might as well go 1394 for the speed, but I saw something in
the docs about disabling the 1394 host controller on the target
machine. Are there any other gotchas using 1394?
as you noted a Dell laptop: If you get a docking station “D/Port
Advanced Port Replicator”, you have a fully functional serial port to
use with WinDBG (on the target). I am using it this setup myself.
Unfortunately I listened to a friend and didn’t pay enough attention when I bought this laptop (Dell Inspiron 5160): Only two USB ports, no capability for a docking station to get additional ports. I have seen 3rd party USB port replicators, but that will give me the same problem I have now except for more money. At the time I bought it, I wasn’t debugging kernel stuff and I didn’t think that far ahead.
This particular Dell has enough stuff on it: USB 2.0, 1394, 802.11g, Ethernet, Dual-Layer DVD burner Hyperthreaded P4, etc. to make it appear very sexy to the average “power” user. We developers need real serial ports/parallel ports, more than 2 USB ports, etc. to do our job.
I am afraid of upgrading my Win 2K desktop box as it has my complete world on it – though I backup my data regularly, it takes around 15 hours to reinstall 2K get all the patches and hotfixes and install all my software – and if the upgrade fails it will really screw me. Lucky for me I wasn’t swept up in the great Dell-Sony laptop battery recall of the last month (this model is not affected).
I am probably going to get a new desktop XP system in a couple of weeks and go the 1394 and that should solve this problem. I have other problems I can deal with in the meantime without kernel debugging. Lucky for me I have a 30 day money back guarantee on the PCMCIA serial card (less the shipping there and back) so this whole experiment cost me around $9 out-of-pocket.
You actually can get a PCMCIA card that is a true 16550 UART to work
(sometimes). You know if it is a 16550 UART if it loads the in box
serial.sys. I have gotten this setup to work in the past.
d
-----Original Message-----
From: xxxxx@lists.osr.com
[mailto:xxxxx@lists.osr.com] On Behalf Of xxxxx@yahoo.com
Sent: Saturday, September 02, 2006 2:52 PM
To: Kernel Debugging Interest List
Subject: RE:[windbg] Win 2K host to XP target kernel Debug
Unfortunately I listened to a friend and didn’t pay enough attention
when I bought this laptop (Dell Inspiron 5160): Only two USB ports, no
capability for a docking station to get additional ports. I have seen
3rd party USB port replicators, but that will give me the same problem I
have now except for more money. At the time I bought it, I wasn’t
debugging kernel stuff and I didn’t think that far ahead.
This particular Dell has enough stuff on it: USB 2.0, 1394, 802.11g,
Ethernet, Dual-Layer DVD burner Hyperthreaded P4, etc. to make it appear
very sexy to the average “power” user. We developers need real serial
ports/parallel ports, more than 2 USB ports, etc. to do our job.
I am afraid of upgrading my Win 2K desktop box as it has my complete
world on it – though I backup my data regularly, it takes around 15
hours to reinstall 2K get all the patches and hotfixes and install all
my software – and if the upgrade fails it will really screw me. Lucky
for me I wasn’t swept up in the great Dell-Sony laptop battery recall of
the last month (this model is not affected).
I am probably going to get a new desktop XP system in a couple of weeks
and go the 1394 and that should solve this problem. I have other
problems I can deal with in the meantime without kernel debugging.
Lucky for me I have a 30 day money back guarantee on the PCMCIA serial
card (less the shipping there and back) so this whole experiment cost me
around $9 out-of-pocket.
This card supports up to 921.6 kbps, so I don’t know if has an actual 16550 or just plays one on TV
The vendor has a 1-800 free tech support, so on Tuesday I will call them and find out if this can use serial.sys. Maybe there is some configuration utility to “dumb” this thing down to appear as a legacy serial port.
What is more robust for kernel debugging under windbg: Serial or 1394?
