Hello dear friends! I ask you to help me resolve the issue.
I encountered problems when debugging the NT 3.51 workstation kernel, namely, I just can’t connect with the WinDbg debugger (I tried i386kd and the result was the same) to the target.
To connect host and target (for a debug session) I use a null modem cable.
For debugging I use a real old PC and laptop, I install version NT 3.51 build 782, but when I try to connect to the target, it stops, and I get the following in the Windbg window:
KD version has unknown processor architecture
or
freeze lock
and nothing more can be done except forcefully reload the target…
I would like to ask you, how possible is it to debug the NT 3.51 kernel and do you have a manual?
Thank you in advance for your help!
What version of WinDbg are you trying to connect to this Model T antique? Remember that NT 3.51 was released more than a quarter of a century ago. You may need to find a 20th Century copy of the DDK in order to get a WinDbg that is compatible.
Thanks Tim, I tried WinDbg Preview, WinDbg 6.0, WinDbg 4.0, WinDbg 3.51 (from DDK NT 3.51) and the result is no different…
Also I can’t find a complete guide for debugging NT 3.51 systems, do such guides (or books) exist?
How are you connecting? NT 3.51 only did serial debugging. Do you have a crossover serial cable or a LapLink cable?
Hello Tim, yes I have the required cable, for the connection I use a cable with com ports (null modem), speed 19200 (host and target).
I tried Daytona 782 and 1057 workstation builds.
The target stops when I press “break” in WinDbg, but in neither case can I step through debugging and use the debugger’s capabilities.
Here is an example log from WinDbg (target NT 3.51 build 1057):
**Opened \.\COM1
Microsoft (R) Windows Kernel Debugger Version 4.0.0011.0
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Waiting to reconnect…
FreezeLock was jammed! Backup SpinLock was used!
Port lock was not acquired!
*** Assertion failed: AdditionalData->Length == 0
*** Source File: D:\nt\private\ntos\kd\up..\i386\kdcpuapi.c, line 637
FreezeLock was jammed! Backup SpinLock was used!
Port lock was not acquired!
Break, Ignore, Terminate Process or Terminate Thread (bipt)? **
I tried WinDbg and the NT 1057 build as host and got this result (WinDbg log):
Symbol search path is: f:\nt\private
WARNING: f:\nt\private is not accessible
WARNING: f:\nt\private is not accessible
WARNING: f:\nt\private\ntos is not accessible
WARNING: f:\nt\private\ntos\init\up\obj\i386\ntoskrnl.exe is not accessible
Opened \.\com1
Microsoft (R) Windows Kernel Debugger Version 4.0.0011.0
Copyright (c) Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.
Waiting to reconnect…
Unable to read selector for PCR for processor 0
Loaded dbghelp extension DLL
Loaded ext extension DLL
Loaded kext extension DLL
Loaded kdextx86 extension DLL
Symbol search path is: f:\nt\private\ntos\init\up\obj\i386;f:\nt\private\ntos
WARNING: f:\nt\private\ntos\init\up\obj\i386 is not accessible
WARNING: f:\nt\private\ntos is not accessible
WARNING: f:\nt\private\ntos\init\up\obj\i386 is not accessible
WARNING: f:\nt\private\ntos is not accessible
WARNING: f:\nt\private\ntos\init\up\obj\i386\ntoskrnl.exe is not accessible
WARNING: f:\nt\private\ntos is not accessible
Connected to Windows NT 4 1057 x86 compatible target, ptr64 FALSE
Kernel Debugger connection established.
Symbol search path is: f:\nt\private\ntos\init\up\obj\i386;f:\nt\private\ntos
Executable search path is: f:\nt\private\ntos\init\up\obj\i386\ntoskrnl.exe
Module List has empty entry in it - skipping
Unable to read selector for PCR for processor 0
Unable to read KLDR_DATA_TABLE_ENTRY at 04c2ed66 - NTSTATUS 0xC0000001
Module “nt” was not found in the module list.
Debugger will attempt to load module “nt” by guessing the base address.
Please provide the full image name, including the extension (i.e. kernel32.dll) for more reliable results.
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nt
Unable to load module at 00000000
Windows NT 4 Kernel Version 1057 UP Free x86 compatible
Kernel base = 0x80100000 PsLoadedModuleList = 0x80145af0
System Uptime: 0 days 0:00:01
CS descriptor lookup failed
Break instruction exception - code 80000003 (first chance)
0010:0108 ?? ???
May I take a side trip and ask about the hardware you are using for the target? The header shows you have the single processor kernel. The fact that you got as far as you did is a good sign, however.
In fact, the fact that you got this far suggests that you have already installed the operating system. Does NT 3.51 boot correctly without the kernel debugger?
Good afternoon Tim, as a target, I am using a Toshiba 4300 laptop (Intel Pentium III 650 MHz), 128 Mb RAM, 6Gb HDD, CD-ROM, FDD, USB…)
, and as a host I have an i5-7600k 16Gb RAM.
The NT 3.51 operating system loads correctly, regardless of the selected boot option.
I have several of them (boot options in boot.ini), but I use the option with the parameters /DEBUG, /BAUDRATE=19200, /DEBUGPORT=COM1.
Here is another log after I downloaded and added the kdextx86 library to the folder with the debugger after the break command
the target stopped, I selected unhandled exception (kd>gn) and the target rebooted…:
Please provide the full image name, including the extension (i.e. kernel32.dll) for more reliable results.
*** WARNING: Unable to verify timestamp for nt
Unable to load module at 00000000
Windows NT 4 Kernel Version 1057 UP Free x86 compatible
Kernel base = 0x80100000 PsLoadedModuleList = 0x80145af0
Debug session time: Wed Apr 22 22:24:51 2009
System Uptime: 43063 days 17:28:40
CS descriptor lookup failed
Break instruction exception - code 80000003 (first chance)
0010:0108 ?? ???
kd> .load c:\kdextx86.dll
Loaded c:\kdextx86.dll extension DLL
kd> gn
Assertion failed: g:\ntdepot\sdktools\debuggers_v4\ntsd64\dbgkdapi.cpp(1138)
a->ActualBytesWritten <= TransferCount
SetContext failed, 0x80004005
MachineInfo::SetContext failed - Thread: 04B41D70 Handle: 1 Id: 1 - Error == 0x80004005