escher@Apple.COM (Michael Crawford) (08/08/90)
Is there a good low-level debugger for DOS machines that will take over the system when it crashes? I am thinking of something like motorola's Macsbug, which has been extensively improved on the Apple Mac. Basically, it needs to run as an alternative to DOS when it is executing, rather than using DOS, it needs to disable interrupts (so it must poll the keyboard), and it should take over the machine when a crash is detected. It would be nice to be able to get into it with ctrl-alt-del or the hard reset switch. All the DOS debuggers I have seen are not suitable for debugging any thing like communication software or device drivers. It would be nice, if all the above were satisfied, if it had built-ins for displaying the system data structures. Let me know if it works with MS Windows or not; I can go either way, but it would be nice to have one that worked with it. Please e-mail your responses and I will post a summary. Thanks, -- Michael D. Crawford Oddball Enterprises Consulting for Apple Computer Inc. 606 Modesto Avenue escher@apple.com Santa Cruz, CA 95060 Applelink: escher@apple.com@INTERNET# oddball!mike@ucscc.ucsc.edu The opinions expressed here are solely my own. alias make '/bin/make & rn'
dlow@hpspcoi.HP.COM (Danny Low) (08/09/90)
>Is there a good low-level debugger for DOS machines that will take over >the system when it crashes? There are ICE machines for Intel based PCs. Intel makes them as does Hewlett Packard. The HP 64000 will support all Intel processers (except the 486) up to 25MHZ. There are also PC hardware debugging boards that snoop the SPU. The Atran Probe is one that comes to mind. If you are willing to pay the money there are some very good low-level debuggers for DOS machines that are just what you are looking for. Danny Low "Question Authority and the Authorities will question You" Valley of Hearts Delight, Silicon Valley HP SPCD dlow%hpspcoi@hplabs.hp.com ...!hplabs!hpspcoi!dlow
dmurdoch@watstat.uwaterloo.ca (Duncan Murdoch) (08/10/90)
In article <10210006@hpspcoi.HP.COM> dlow@hpspcoi.HP.COM (Danny Low) writes: >>Is there a good low-level debugger for DOS machines that will take over >>the system when it crashes? > >There are ICE machines for Intel based PCs. Intel makes them as >does Hewlett Packard. The HP 64000 >will support all Intel processers (except the 486) up to 25MHZ. There are >also PC hardware debugging boards that snoop the SPU. The Atran Probe is one >that comes to mind. If you are willing to pay the money there are some >very good low-level debuggers for DOS machines that are just what you >are looking for. If you're on a really tight budget, it might be enough to install an NMI breakout switch. The current issue of PC Techniques gives details; all it involves is connecting a normally open momentary contact switch from one of the bus lines (A1, I think, but don't trust my memory!) to ground. With a debugger like Borland's Turbo Debugger fielding NMI interrupts, this might let you break out of an infinite loop even with interrupts disabled. Duncan Murdoch