4.1.1 Establishing a Kernel Debugging Session

Set up a kernel debugging session as follows:

  1. Connect the host and target machines with a null-modem serial cable, using any available port. The connection should then be tested. For details on the cable and how to test a connection, see Section 4.1.2.

  2. On the target machine:

    • Install the checked build of Windows NT. It is necessary that this be the same version of Windows NT as you install on the host. For more information on installing a checked build of Windows NT, please see the Getting Started guide.

    • Install your driver. For more information on installing Windows NT device drivers, see Chapter 2 of this guide.

    • Enable kernel debugging for this system using the appropriate options for the port that is connected to the host machine. For more information on enabling debugging, see Section 4.1.4 

  3. On the host machine:

    • Install the free build of Windows NT. It is necessary that this be the same version of Windows NT as you install on the target. For more information on installing a free build of Windows NT, please see the Getting Started guide.

    • Install the SDK, which also installs WinDbg.

    • Copy the symbols from the target machine to the host machine into the symbol tree. For information on the exact layout of the symbol tree see Section 4.1.5.

    • Copy your driver’s source to the host machine.

    • Start WinDbg with kernel debugging enabled. For more information on starting WinDbg as a kernel debugger, see Section 4.1.6 

    • Using the User DLLs dialog box from the Options menu, specify the symbol search path to the symbol tree where you copied the required symbols.

    • Using the Debug dialog box from the Options menu, specify the source search path to where you copied the source for your driver.

    • Select Go from the Run menu and wait for “KD: waiting to connect...” message to appear in the Command window.

  4. Boot the target machine and select the version of Windows NT for which you enabled kernel debugging. To have WinDbg automatically stop the system at initial load time, you can set the Initial Breakpoint option in the Options dialog.

  5. To break into WinDbg, press CTRL+C on the host machine, or press SYSRQ on the target machine. To continue execution, select Go from the Run menu.