Method and system for remote software debugging

• US 7,543,277 B1
• Filed: 06/24/2004
• Issued: 06/02/2009
• Est. Priority Date: 06/27/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: American Megatrends International, LLC
• Original Assignee: American Megatrends Incorporated
• Inventors: Mills, Eric, Righi, Stefano
• Primary Examiner(s): Dam; Tuan Q
• Assistant Examiner(s): RUTTEN, JAMES D
• Application Number:
  US10/875,641
• Time in Patent Office: 1,804 Days
• Field of Search: 717/125, 717/172, 709/221, 712/227, 714/799
• US Class Current: 717/125
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/362 Software debugging
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 11/3664 Environments for testing or debugging software

Abstract

Methods and systems for remotely debugging a software program are provided. The methods and systems make use of a debugger application executing on a host computer and configured to communicate with a debugger module executing on a target computer via a distributed computing network, such as the Internet.

Claims

1. A system for remote software debugging, the system comprising:

a target computer comprising a network adapter coupled to a network, the target computer operative to execute a basic input/output system (BIOS), the BIOS including a debugger module operative for communication with a host computer via the network adapter and including a pre-boot execution environment module; and

the host computer comprising a network adapter coupled to the network, the host computer operative to execute a debugger application for communicating via the network adapter with the debugger module, wherein the debugger module of the BIOS executing on the target computer utilizes the pre-boot execution environment module of the BIOS executing on the target computer to communicate debugging data with the debugger application executing on the host computer without conversion of the debugging data to a format compatible with a non-network adapter, and wherein the debugger module of the BIOS executing on the target computer further utilizes the pre-boot execution environment module of the BIOS executing on the target computer to receive and respond to commands received from the debugger application.

2. The system of claim 1, wherein the debugger application is further operative to identify an error within the BIOS executing on the target computer and transmit debugging commands to the debugger module, the debugging commands including a first command to upload a new version of the BIOS and a second command to program the new version of the BIOS into a non-volatile storage area of the target computer storing the BIOS.

3. The system of claim 1, wherein the debugger module is further operative to transmit the debugging data to the debugger application via the network adapter.

4. The system of claim 1, wherein the pre-boot execution environment module is operative to enable communication between the debugger module and the network via the network adapter of the target computer prior to the loading of an operating system on the target computer.

5. A method for remote software debugging, the method comprising:

providing a basic input/output system (BIOS) for controlling the operation of a target computer, the BIOS including a debugger module operative for communication with a host computer via a network adapter installed in the target computer and including a pre-boot execution environment module; and

providing a debugger application for execution on the host computer and operative to communicate with the debugger module via a network adapter installed in the host computer, wherein the debugger module of the BIOS controlling the operation of the target computer utilizes the pre-boot execution environment module of the BIOS controlling the operation of the target computer to communicate debugging data with the debugger application executing on the host computer without conversion of the debugging data to a format compatible with a non-network adapter, and wherein the debugger module of the BIOS controlling the operation of the target computer further utilizes the pre-boot execution environment module of the BIOS controlling the operation of the target computer to receive and respond to commands received from the debugger application.

6. The method of claim 5, wherein the debugger application is further operative to identify an error within the BIOS and transmit debugging commands to the debugger module and wherein the debugger module is further operative to receive and respond to the debugging commands, the debugging commands including a first command to upload a new version of the BIOS and a second command to program the new version of the BIOS into a non-volatile storage area of the target computer storing the BIOS.

7. The method of claim 5, wherein the debugger module is further operative to transmit the debugging data to the debugger application via the network adapter.

8. The method of claim 5, wherein the pre-boot execution environment module is operative to enable communication between the debugger module and a network via the network adapter of the target computer prior to the loading of an operating system on the target computer.