Subject: Re: Package Status
To: Alex Kirk <alex@3acesolutions.com>
From: Pat Wendorf <mlist@beholder.homeunix.net>
List: port-dreamcast
Date: 02/03/2003 13:10:38
Does the default kernel on dreamcast come with a kernel debugger? =20

I imagine these crashes are kernel related.  I'm not familar with the Net=
BSD=20
kernel debugger, but I know the FreeBSD one can kick in after some really=
 bad=20
crashes and let you inspect the code it's currently executing (assuming y=
ou=20
compiled with the debug symbols).

Does anyone who is familar with this concept think this is possible?  Or =
is=20
the dreamcast crashing so hard the kernel debugger is not available?

- Pat

On February 3, 2003 12:00 pm, Alex Kirk wrote:
> > Maybe it would be good to actually fix the system to not crash?
>
> Optimally, yes, this would be the case. There are some things holding t=
his
> possibility back, however:
>
> 1) The total and complete lack of any error messages related to these
> crashes. The system just hangs -- and the syslogs have nothing even clo=
se
> to the time of the crash. Sadly, this sort of thing is a frequent occur=
ance
> when compiling  anything of any size on the Dreamcast.
> 2) While I have dabbled with C programming, I'm not anywhere close to
> competent enough to track down a problem like this -- and from the comm=
ents
> of others on this list, neither is anyone else who is active with the p=
ort
> (except perhaps Iszumi or Marcus, but they're both already busy with ot=
her
> bugs). Thus, I figured I'd do what I could and do this manually.
>
> In all honesty, the Dreamcast port has been badly neglected for quite s=
ome
> time -- there's little interest in it, particularly compared to what th=
e
> Linux/DC folks are doing. I'm hoping that by doing things like rewritin=
g
> the FAQ and making packages available, I can generate enough interest t=
hat
> people come back to the port, and progress resumes.
>
> Alex Kirk