WinDbg
WinDbg is one of a number of tools available from Microsoft that can be used for debugging Windows guests in XenServer environments.
You can get QEMU to passive-open a TCP port on dom0 for serial output and wait for a connection, this method will work if you're running on a machine with a dynamically assigned IP address:
on XenServer 6.2 or later
xe vm-param-add uuid=<uuid> param-name=platform hvm_serial=tcp::<port>,server,nodelay
on earlier versions
xe vm-param-add uuid=<uuid> param-name=other-config hvm_serial=tcp::<port>,server,nodelay
Then:
- Grab a copy of HW Virtual Serial Port from http://www.hw-group.com/products/hw_vsp/hw_vsp2_en.html and install it.
- Fire up the application and configure a COM port to point at your dom0 IP address and the <port> you specified to QEMU above). Make sure that you uncheck 'NVT Enable' in the Settings tab.
- Start the COM port.
- Configure debugging inside the guest by editing boot.ini in the usual way.
- Reboot the VM.
- Start windbg and point it at the COM port you created.
An Unofficial Method
To the best of my knowledge we have never released sockpipe.exe but this is a method some of our own developers use, it isn't supported but may be useful to developers in a debug scenario.
If you're running windbg on a machine with a statically assigned IP address then you can use the following setting to get QEMU to active-open a TCP port on your machine for serial output:
on XenServer 6.2 or later
xe vm-param-add uuid=<uuid> param-name=platform hvm_serial=tcp:<machine>:<port>
on earlier versions
xe vm-param-add uuid=<uuid> param-name=other-config hvm_serial=tcp:<machine>:<port>
Then:
- Run sockpipe.exe (which seems to be available here) on the machine where you want to run windbg. Run it without arguments to get help; it should be fairly obvious what's going on. For example, you could use 'sockpipe <name> <port>' (where <port> is the name number as specified to QEMU above).
- Fire up windbg and go ``File->Kernel Debugging'', make sure that ``Pipe'' is ticked, and enter \.pipe<name> in the Port box, where <name> is the pipe name specified to sockpipe. Hit OK.
- Configure debugging inside the guest by editing boot.ini in the usual way.
- Reboot the VM.
- Debug as normal.
I'm told it may be a bit slow, but it mostly works although it has limitations; it will not work for SMP 64 bit or SMP Vista.
Further Information
- Some users have recommended this external blog detailing WinDbg in XenServer environments and in conjunction with other Citrix products, the advice contianed has not been reviewed by Citrix: http://vikashkumarroy.blogspot.ru/2012_08_01_archive.html