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From: Martin Pool <mbp@sourcefrog.net>
Subject: Re: KDB in the mainstream 2.4.x kernels?
Date: Wed, 13 Aug 2003 14:40:31 +1000
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To: Andi Kleen <ak@muc.de>, linux-kernel@vger.kernel.org
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On Fri, 18 Jul 2003 22:43:57 +0200, Andi Kleen wrote:

> KDB is usually not useful for debugging hangs on desktop boxes (and even
> many servers) because you have usually X running. When the machine crashes
> and goes in KDB you cannot see the text output and debug anything. I
> learned to type "go<return>" blind when I had still an KDB aware kernel,
> but it's not very useful overall.

Perhaps in the case where the console is on a vt, kdb could try to
switch to the right vc before presenting its prompt?  I realize calling into
the vc code might be risky but it seems like there's not much to lose.  
(If you do have a bug in say the agp driver then you need a serial
console...)   If it works, you'll be able to debug and continue.

It could even set the colors to white on blue. :-)

-- 
Martin

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