OpenVMS VAX System Dump Analyzer Utility Manual

Document revision date: 19 July 1999

OpenVMS VAX System Dump Analyzer Utility Manual

Contents

Index

To examine a range of locations, you can designate starting and ending locations separated by a colon. For example:

SDA> EXAMINE G40:G200

Alternatively, you can specify a location and a length, in bytes, separated by a semicolon. For example:

SDA> EXAMINE G400;16

When used to display the contents of a range of locations, the EXAMINE command displays six columns of information:

Each of the first four columns represents a longword of memory, the contents of which are displayed in hexadecimal format.
The fifth column lists the ASCII value of each byte in each longword displayed in the previous four columns.
The sixth column contains the address of the first, or rightmost, longword in each line. This address is also the address of the first, or leftmost, character in the ASCII representation of the longwords. Thus, you read the hexadecimal dump display from right to left, and the ASCII display from left to right.

If a series of virtual addresses does not exist in physical memory, SDA displays a message specifying the range of addresses that were not translated. For example:

SDA> EXAMINE 100:220

Virtual locations 00000100 through 000001FF are not in physical memory 0130011A 0120011B 0130011E 0110011F ......0... ...0. 00000200 01200107 02300510 04310216 04210218 ..!...1...0... . 00000210 01100103 01100104 01200105 01200106 .. ... ......... 00000220

Addresses 100₁₆ through 1FF₁₆ do not exist in memory, as the message indicates. SDA displays the contents of those addresses that do exist (200₁₆ through 220₁₆).

If a range of virtual locations contains only zeros, SDA displays this message:

Zeros suppressed from 'loc1' to 'loc2'

Note that if you make a mistake specifying a virtual address for the EXAMINE command and you are examining global page table entries, your system may crash with a bugcheck. This occurs rarely and only when you use ANALYZE/SYSTEM.

Decoding Locations

You can translate the contents of memory locations into MACRO instruction format by using the /INSTRUCTION qualifier. This qualifier causes SDA to display the location in symbolic notation (if possible) and its contents in instruction format. The operands of decoded instructions are also displayed in symbolic notation.

If the specified range of locations does not begin on an instruction boundary, SDA skips bytes until it locates the next valid instruction and issues the following message:

%SDA-W-INSKIPPED, unreasonable instruction stream - n bytes skipped

In this message, n represents the number of bytes that SDA could not translate.

Examining Memory Regions

You can display an entire region of virtual memory by using one or more of the qualifiers /ALL, /SYSTEM, /P0, and P1, with the EXAMINE command.

Other Uses

Other uses of the EXAMINE command appear in the following examples.

Examples

#1
SDA> EXAMINE/SYSTEM System Region Memory -------------------- 00040039 8FBC0010 00040038 8FBC0010 ....8.......9... 800000000 . . .

This example shows only the first two lines of the display generated by the EXAMINE/SYSTEM command. Note that in the dump the fifth byte from the right contains the value 38₁₆. The ASCII value of 38₁₆, the character 8, is represented in the fifth character from the left in column 5.
Likewise, the thirteenth byte from the right in the dump columns contains the value 39₁₆. The ASCII value of 39₁₆ is 9, and 9 is represented in the ASCII column as the thirteenth character from the left.

#2
SDA> EXAMINE/PSL G1268 CMP TP FPD IS CURMOD PRVMOD IPL DV FU IV T N Z V C 1 0 0 0 KERN KERN 00 0 1 0 1 1 1 0 0

This example shows the display produced by the EXAMINE/PSL command. The address of the longword examined is 80001268₁₆.

#3
SDA> EXAMINE/PTE G775F480

|31 28|27 24|23 20|19 16|15 12|11 8|7 | | | | | | | +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--> |1 | 1 1 1 0 |1 |--| 0 0 |--| 0| 00F0F4 +--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--+--> Vld Prot= URKW M Own=K W Page Frame Number Page is Active and Valid

The EXAMINE/PTE command displays and formats the system page table entry at 8775F480₁₆.

#4
SDA> EXAMINE/TIME EXE$GQ_SYSTIME 18-FEB-1993 02:07:25.88

The EXAMINE/TIME command displays the formatted value of the system time quadword (EXE$GQ_SYSTIME).

EXIT

Exits from an SDA display or from the SDA utility.

Format

EXIT

Parameters

None.

Qualifiers

None.

Description

If SDA is displaying information about a video display terminal---and if that information extends beyond one screen---SDA displays a screen overflow prompt at the bottom of the screen:⁴
Press RETURN for more. SDA>
If you want to discontinue the current display at this point, enter the EXIT command. If you want SDA to execute another command, enter that command. SDA discontinues the display as if you entered EXIT, and then executes the command you entered.
When the screen overflow prompt does not immediately precede the SDA> prompt, entering EXIT causes your process to cease executing the SDA utility. When you issue EXIT within a command procedure (either the SDA initialization file or a command procedure invoked with the @ command), SDA terminates execution of the procedure and returns to the SDA prompt.

Note

⁴ On hardcopy terminals, SDA does not display such a prompt.

FORMAT

Displays a formatted list of the contents of a block of memory.

Format

FORMAT [/qualifier] location

Parameter

location
Location of the beginning of the data block. The location can be given as any valid SDA expression.

Qualifier

/TYPE=block-type
Forces SDA to characterize and format a data block at location as the specified type of data structure. The /TYPE qualifier thus overrides the default behavior of the FORMAT command in determining the type of a data block, as described in the Description section. The block-type can be the symbolic prefix of any data structure.

Description

The FORMAT command performs the following actions:

Characterizes a range of locations as a system data block
Assigns, if possible, a symbol to each item of data within the block
Displays all the data within the block
Normally, you use the FORMAT command without the /TYPE qualifier. Used in this manner, it examines the byte in the structure that contains the type of the structure. In most data structures, this byte occurs at an offset of 0A₁₆ into the structure. If this byte does not contain a valid block type, the FORMAT command halts with this message:
%SDA-E-INVBLKTYP, invalid block type in specified block
However, if this byte does contain a valid block type, SDA checks the next byte (offset 0B₁₆) for a secondary block type. When SDA has determined the type of block, it searches for the symbols that correspond to that type of block.
If SDA cannot find the symbols associated with the block type it has found (or that you specified in the /TYPE qualifier), it issues this message:
No "block-type" symbols found to format this block
If you receive this message, you might want to read additional symbols into the SDA symbol table and retry the FORMAT command. Most symbols that define data structures are contained within SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDEF.STB. Thus, you would issue the following command:
$ READ SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDEF.STB
Certain data structures do not contain a block type at offset 0A₁₆. If this byte contains information other than a block type---or the byte does not contain a valid block type---SDA displays this message:
%SDA-E-INVBLKTYP, invalid block type in specified block
To format such a block, you must reissue the FORMAT command, using the /TYPE qualifier to designate a block-type.
The FORMAT command produces a 3-column display:

The first column shows the virtual address of each item within the block.
The second column lists each symbolic name associated with a location within the block.
The third column shows the contents of each item in hexadecimal format.

Example


SDA> READ SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDEF.STB SDA> FORMAT 800B81F0 800B81F0 UCB$L_FQFL 80000F10 UCB$L_RQFL UCB$W_MB_SEED UCB$W_UNIT_SEED 800B81F4 UCB$L_FQBL 800026A8 UCB$L_RQBL 800B81F8 UCB$W_SIZE 00E0 800B81FA UCB$B_TYPE 10 800B81FB UCB$B_FLCK 07 800B81FC UCB$L_ASTQFL 800F80E0 UCB$L_FPC UCB$T_PARTNER 800B8200 UCB$L_ASTQBL 8002CF80 UCB$L_FR3 800B8204 UCB$L_FIRST 8002CA00 UCB$L_FR4 UCB$W_MSGMAX UCB$W_MSGCNT . . .

SDA> READ SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDEF.STB
SDA> FORMAT 800B81F0
800B81F0   UCB$L_FQFL              80000F10
           UCB$L_RQFL
           UCB$W_MB_SEED
           UCB$W_UNIT_SEED
800B81F4   UCB$L_FQBL              800026A8
           UCB$L_RQBL
800B81F8   UCB$W_SIZE                  00E0
800B81FA   UCB$B_TYPE                10
800B81FB   UCB$B_FLCK              07
800B81FC   UCB$L_ASTQFL            800F80E0
           UCB$L_FPC
           UCB$T_PARTNER
800B8200   UCB$L_ASTQBL            8002CF80
           UCB$L_FR3
800B8204   UCB$L_FIRST             8002CA00
           UCB$L_FR4
           UCB$W_MSGMAX
           UCB$W_MSGCNT
   .
   .
   .

From SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDEF.STB, the READ command loads into SDA's symbol table the symbols needed for formatting system data structures. The FORMAT command displays the data structure that begins at 800B81F0₁₆, a unit control block (UCB). If a field has more than one symbolic name, all such names are displayed. Thus, the field that starts at 800B8204₁₆ has three designations: UCB$L_FIRST and UCB$L_FR4, alternative names for the longword; and the two subfields, UCB$W_MSGMAX and UCB$W_MSGCNT.
The contents of each field appear to the right of the symbolic name of the field. Thus, the contents of UCB$L_FIRST are 8002CA00₁₆.

HELP

Displays information about the SDA utility, its operation, and the format of its commands.

Format

HELP [command-name]

Parameter

command-name
Command for which you need information.
You can also specify the following keywords in place of command-name.

Keyword Function

CPU_CONTEXT Describes the concept of CPU context as it governs the behavior of SDA in uniprocessor and multiprocessor environments

EXECUTE_COMMAND Causes SDA to execute SDA commands contained in a file

EXPRESSIONS Prints a description of SDA expressions

INITIALIZATION Describes the circumstances under which SDA executes an initialization file when first invoked

OPERATION Describes how to operate SDA at your terminal and by means of the site-specific startup procedure

PROCESS_CONTEXT Describes the concept of process context as it governs the behavior of SDA in uniprocessor and multiprocessor environments

SYMBOLS Consists of up to 31 letters and numbers, and can include the dollar sign ($) and underscore (_) characters. When you invoke SDA, it reads in the global symbols from symbols table psect of SYS$BASE_IMAGE.EXE, and from REQSYSDEF.STB, a required subset of the symbols in the file SYSDEF.STB. You can add other symbols to SDA's symbol table by using the DEFINE and READ commands.

Keyword	Function
CPU_CONTEXT	Describes the concept of CPU context as it governs the behavior of SDA in uniprocessor and multiprocessor environments
EXECUTE_COMMAND	Causes SDA to execute SDA commands contained in a file
EXPRESSIONS	Prints a description of SDA expressions
INITIALIZATION	Describes the circumstances under which SDA executes an initialization file when first invoked
OPERATION	Describes how to operate SDA at your terminal and by means of the site-specific startup procedure
PROCESS_CONTEXT	Describes the concept of process context as it governs the behavior of SDA in uniprocessor and multiprocessor environments
SYMBOLS	Consists of up to 31 letters and numbers, and can include the dollar sign ($) and underscore (_) characters. When you invoke SDA, it reads in the global symbols from symbols table psect of SYS$BASE_IMAGE.EXE, and from REQSYSDEF.STB, a required subset of the symbols in the file SYSDEF.STB. You can add other symbols to SDA's symbol table by using the DEFINE and READ commands.

Qualifiers

None.

Description

The HELP command displays brief descriptions of SDA commands and concepts on the terminal screen (or sends these descriptions to the file designated in a SET OUTPUT command). You can request additional information by specifying the name of a topic in response to the Topic? prompt.
If you do not specify a parameter in the HELP command, it lists those commands and topics for which you can request help, as follows:
Information available: ATTACH COPY CPU_Context DEFINE EVALUATE EXAMINE Execute_Command EXIT Expressions FORMAT HELP Initialization Operation Process_Context READ REPEAT SEARCH SET SHOW SPAWN Symbols VALIDATE QUEUE Topic?

READ

Loads the global symbols contained in the specified object module into the SDA symbol table.

Format

READ {/EXECUTIVE directory-spec| [RELOCATE=expression]|filespec}

Parameter

filespec
Name of the device, directory, and file that contains the object module from which you want to copy global symbols. The filespec defaults to SYS$DISK:[default-dir]filename.STB, where SYS$DISK and [default-dir] represent the disk and directory specified in your last SET DEFAULT command. You must specify a file name.

Qualifiers

/EXECUTIVE directory-spec
Reads into the SDA symbol table all global symbols and global entry points defined within all loadable images that make up the executive. (See Table SDA-13 for a list of those images.)
The directory-spec is the name of the directory containing the loadable images of the executive. This parameter defaults to SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES.
/RELOCATE=expression
Adds the value of expression to the value of each symbol in the symbol table file to be read. You can use the /RELOCATE qualifier only if you also specify a filespec. The /RELOCATE qualifier is useful for examining images that are position independent and are loaded at a base of zero.

Description

The READ command symbolically identifies locations in memory for which the default symbol table (SYS$SYSTEM:SYS.STB) provides no definition. In other words, the required global symbols are located in modules that have been compiled and linked separately from the executive.⁵
The object module file specified in the READ command can be one of the following:

Output of a compiler or assembler (for example, an .OBJ file)
Output generated by the linker qualifier /SYMBOL_TABLE (for example, an .STB file)

Most often the object module file is a file provided by the operating system in SYS$SYSTEM or SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES. Many SDA applications, for instance, need to load the definitions of system data structures by issuing a READ command specifying SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDEF.STB. Others require the definitions of specific global entry points within the executive image that are contained within those object modules included in the executive.
Table SDA-12 lists those object module files provided in SYS$SYSTEM. Table SDA-13 lists those loadable images in SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES that define locations within the executive image.

Table SDA-12 Modules Containing Global Symbols Used by SDA
File Contents

CLUSTRLOA.STB Symbols for loadable VAXcluster management code

DCLDEF.STB Symbols for the DCL interpreter

IMGDEF.STB Symbols for the image activator

NETDEF.STB Symbols for DECnet data structures

RMSDEF.STB Symbols that define RMS internal and user data structures and RMS$_ xxx completion codes

SCSDEF.STB Symbols that define data structures for system communications services

SYSDEF.STB Symbols that define system data structures, including the I/O database

Table SDA-13 Modules Defining Global Locations Within the Executive Image
File Contents

CPULOA.EXE Processor-specific data and initialization routines

ERRORLOG.EXE Error logging routines and system services

EVENT_FLAGS_AND_ASTS.EXE Event flag and AST delivery routines and system services

EXCEPTION.EXE Bugcheck and exception handling routines and those system services that declare condition and exit handlers

IMAGE_MANAGEMENT.EXE Image activator and the related system services

IO_ROUTINES.EXE $QIO system service, related system services (for example, SYS$CANCEL and SYS$ASSIGN), and supporting routines

LMF$GROUP_TABLE.EXE Data for valid, licensed product groups

LOCKING.EXE Lock management routines and system services

LOGICAL_NAMES.EXE Logical name routines and system services

MESSAGE_ROUTINES.EXE System message routines and system services (including SYS$SNDJBC and SYS$GETTIM)

PAGE_MANAGEMENT.EXE System pager, its supporting routines, and page management system services (including SYS$CRMPSC, SYS$CREDEL, and SYS$ADJSTK)

PRIMITIVE_IO.EXE Console I/O routines

PROCESS_MANAGEMENT.EXE Scheduler, report system event, and supporting routines and system services

RECOVERY_UNIT_SERVICES.EXE Recovery unit system services

RMS.EXE Global symbols and entry points for RMS

SECURITY.EXE Security management routines and system services

SYSDEVICE.EXE Mailbox driver and null driver

SYSGETSYI.EXE Get System Information system service (SYS$GETSYI)

SYSLICENSE.EXE Licensing system service (SYS$LICENSE)

SYSMSG.EXE System messages

SYSTEM_PRIMITIVES.EXE Miscellaneous basic system routines, including those that allocate system memory, maintain system time, create fork processes, and control mutex acquisition

SYSTEM_SYNCHRONIZATION.EXE Routines that enforce synchronization in a multiprocessing system

WORKING_SET_MANAGEMENT.EXE Swapper, its supporting routines, and working set management system services

**Table SDA-12 Modules Containing Global Symbols Used by SDA**
File	Contents
CLUSTRLOA.STB	Symbols for loadable VAXcluster management code
DCLDEF.STB	Symbols for the DCL interpreter
IMGDEF.STB	Symbols for the image activator
NETDEF.STB	Symbols for DECnet data structures
RMSDEF.STB	Symbols that define RMS internal and user data structures and RMS$_ xxx completion codes
SCSDEF.STB	Symbols that define data structures for system communications services
SYSDEF.STB	Symbols that define system data structures, including the I/O database

**Table SDA-13 Modules Defining Global Locations Within the Executive Image**
File	Contents
CPULOA.EXE	Processor-specific data and initialization routines
ERRORLOG.EXE	Error logging routines and system services
EVENT_FLAGS_AND_ASTS.EXE	Event flag and AST delivery routines and system services
EXCEPTION.EXE	Bugcheck and exception handling routines and those system services that declare condition and exit handlers
IMAGE_MANAGEMENT.EXE	Image activator and the related system services
IO_ROUTINES.EXE	$QIO system service, related system services (for example, SYS$CANCEL and SYS$ASSIGN), and supporting routines
LMF$GROUP_TABLE.EXE	Data for valid, licensed product groups
LOCKING.EXE	Lock management routines and system services
LOGICAL_NAMES.EXE	Logical name routines and system services
MESSAGE_ROUTINES.EXE	System message routines and system services (including SYS$SNDJBC and SYS$GETTIM)
PAGE_MANAGEMENT.EXE	System pager, its supporting routines, and page management system services (including SYS$CRMPSC, SYS$CREDEL, and SYS$ADJSTK)
PRIMITIVE_IO.EXE	Console I/O routines
PROCESS_MANAGEMENT.EXE	Scheduler, report system event, and supporting routines and system services
RECOVERY_UNIT_SERVICES.EXE	Recovery unit system services
RMS.EXE	Global symbols and entry points for RMS
SECURITY.EXE	Security management routines and system services
SYSDEVICE.EXE	Mailbox driver and null driver
SYSGETSYI.EXE	Get System Information system service (SYS$GETSYI)
SYSLICENSE.EXE	Licensing system service (SYS$LICENSE)
SYSMSG.EXE	System messages
SYSTEM_PRIMITIVES.EXE	Miscellaneous basic system routines, including those that allocate system memory, maintain system time, create fork processes, and control mutex acquisition
SYSTEM_SYNCHRONIZATION.EXE	Routines that enforce synchronization in a multiprocessing system
WORKING_SET_MANAGEMENT.EXE	Swapper, its supporting routines, and working set management system services

Examples

#1
SDA> READ SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDEF.STB %SDA-I-READSYM, reading symbol table SYS$COMMON:[SYSEXE]SYSDEF.STB;1

The READ command causes SDA to add all the global symbols in SYS$SYSTEM:SYSDEF.STB to the SDA symbol table. Such symbols are useful when you are formatting an I/O data structure, such as a unit control block or an I/O request packet.

#2
SDA> EXAM/INST EXE$QIO+2;4 EXE$QIO+00002: CHMK #001F EXE$QIO+00006: RET SDA> EXAM/INST V_EXE$QIO %SDA-E-BADSYM, unknown symbol "V_EXE$QIO" SDA> READ/RELOCATE=IO_ROUTINES SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES:IO_ROUTINES.EXE %SDA-I-READSYM, reading symbol table SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]IO_ROUTINES.EXE;1 SDA> EXAM/INST EXE$QIO+2;4 EXE$QIO+00002: MOVZBL 04(AP),R3 EXE$QIO+00006: CMPB R3,#3F SDA> EXAM/INST V_EXE$QIO+2;4 V_EXE$QIO+00002: CHMK #001F V_EXE$QIO+00006: RET

SDA>  EXAM/INST EXE$QIO+2;4
EXE$QIO+00002:  CHMK    #001F
EXE$QIO+00006:  RET
SDA>  EXAM/INST V_EXE$QIO
%SDA-E-BADSYM, unknown symbol "V_EXE$QIO"
SDA>  READ/RELOCATE=IO_ROUTINES SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES:IO_ROUTINES.EXE
%SDA-I-READSYM, reading symbol table  SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]IO_ROUTINES.EXE;1
SDA>  EXAM/INST EXE$QIO+2;4
EXE$QIO+00002:  MOVZBL  04(AP),R3
EXE$QIO+00006:  CMPB    R3,#3F
SDA>  EXAM/INST V_EXE$QIO+2;4
V_EXE$QIO+00002:  CHMK    #001F
V_EXE$QIO+00006:  RET

This SDA session shows that the initial examination of the instructions at EXE$QIO+2 and EXE$QIO+6 produces the vector for the system service, not the system service code itself. The subsequent READ instruction brings into the SDA symbol table the global symbols defined for the system's I/O routines, including one that redefines the entry point of the system service to be the start of the routine EXE$QIO. Thus, the second examination of the same memory locations produces the first two instructions in the routine. The READ command creates a special symbol, V_EXE$QIO, that points to the system service vector.

#3
SDA> SHOW STACK Process stacks (on CPU 01) -------------------------- Current operating stack (KERNEL): 7FF8F2B0 806BA870 7FF8F2B4 7FF8F4C0 7FF8F2B8 8016F33E PAGE_MANAGEMENT+0053E . . . SDA> READ/RELOCATE=PAGE_MANAGEMENT SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES:PAGE_MANAGEMENT.EXE %SDA-I-READSYM, reading symbol table SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]PAGE_MANAGEMENT.EXE;1 SDA> SHOW STACK Process stacks (on CPU 01) -------------------------- Current operating stack (KERNEL): 7FF8F2B0 806BA870 7FF8F2B4 7FF8F4C0 7FF8F2B8 8016F33E MMG$LOCK_SYSTEM_PAGES+00188 . . .

SDA>  SHOW STACK
Process stacks (on CPU 01)
--------------------------
Current operating stack (KERNEL):
                                 
                7FF8F2B0  806BA870
                7FF8F2B4  7FF8F4C0
                7FF8F2B8  8016F33E     PAGE_MANAGEMENT+0053E
   .
   .
   .
SDA>  READ/RELOCATE=PAGE_MANAGEMENT SYS$LOADABLE_IMAGES:PAGE_MANAGEMENT.EXE
%SDA-I-READSYM, reading symbol table SYS$COMMON:[SYS$LDR]PAGE_MANAGEMENT.EXE;1
SDA>  SHOW STACK
Process stacks (on CPU 01)
--------------------------
Current operating stack (KERNEL):
                                 
                7FF8F2B0  806BA870
                7FF8F2B4  7FF8F4C0
                7FF8F2B8  8016F33E     MMG$LOCK_SYSTEM_PAGES+00188
   .
   .
   .

The initial SHOW STACK command contains an address that SDA resolves into an offset from the PAGE_MANAGEMENT module of the executive. The READ command loads the corresponding symbols into the SDA symbol table such that the reissue of the SHOW STACK command subsequently identifies the same location as an offset within a specific page management routine.

#4
READ/EXEC

Note

⁵ SDA extracts no local symbols from the object module.

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OpenVMS VAX System Dump Analyzer Utility Manual

Examples

EXIT

Format

EXIT

Parameters

Qualifiers

Description

4 On hardcopy terminals, SDA does not display such a prompt.

FORMAT

Format

FORMAT [/qualifier] location

Parameter

location

Qualifier

/TYPE=block-type

Description

Example

HELP

Format

HELP [command-name]

Parameter

command-name

Qualifiers

Description

READ

Format

READ {/EXECUTIVE directory-spec| [RELOCATE=expression]|filespec}

Parameter

filespec

Qualifiers

/EXECUTIVE directory-spec

/RELOCATE=expression

Description

Examples

5 SDA extracts no local symbols from the object module.

⁴ On hardcopy terminals, SDA does not display such a prompt.

⁵ SDA extracts no local symbols from the object module.