Xv6

Overview

Xv6 is an instructional OS consisting of a stripped down version of unix. To get ready to work within xv6, please start reading the xv6 book as well as the other xv6 resources listed below.

Resources

Getting Started (sledge)

In sledge, most software is pre-installed, so you only need to download xv6.

[sledge] $ cd ~
[sledge] $ git clone https://github.com/mit-pdos/xv6-public.git xv6
...
[sledge] $ cd xv6
[sledge] $ make
[sledge] $ echo "add-auto-load-safe-path $HOME/xv6/.gdbinit" > ~/.gdbinit

Getting Started (VM)

Get familiar with development environment. You can use course machine (sledge) or setup your own VM as follows.

  1. Download and install Virtualbox/Vagrant/SSH client

Note: Ubuntu users may want to use the following commands to install Virtualbox and Vagrant

[host] $ sudo apt-get install virtualbox
[host] $ sudo apt-get install vagrant
  1. Add guest OS and run the VM
# download a 64-bit VM
[host] $ vagrant box add ubuntu/xenial64
==> box: Loading metadata for box 'ubuntu/xenial64'
    box: URL: https://atlas.hashicorp.com/ubuntu/xenial64
==> box: Adding box 'ubuntu/xenial64' (v20170331.0.0) for provider: virtualbox
    box: Downloading: https://atlas.hashicorp.com/ubuntu/boxes/xenial64/versions/20170331.0.0/providers/virtualbox.box
==> box: Successfully added box 'ubuntu/xenial64' (v20170331.0.0) for 'virtualbox'!

# move to your working directory
[host] $ mkdir cs153
[host] $ cd cs153

# initialize the VM
[host] $ vagrant init ubuntu/xenial64
A `Vagrantfile` has been placed in this directory. You are now
ready to `vagrant up` your first virtual environment! Please read
the comments in the Vagrantfile as well as documentation on
`vagrantup.com` for more information on using Vagrant.

# launch!
[host] $ vagrant up
Bringing machine 'default' up with 'virtualbox' provider...
==> default: Importing base box 'ubuntu/xenial64'...
...

[host] $ vagrant ssh
Welcome to Ubuntu 16.04.2 LTS (GNU/Linux 4.4.0-71-generic x86_64)
...
ubuntu@ubuntu-xenial:~$
  1. Once you have the VM up and running, let’s initialize your VM for this course:
# in the VM, install toolchain
[vm] $ sudo apt-get update
[vm] $ sudo apt-get install -y build-essential gdb git gcc-multilib

# install the patched QEMU
#
[vm] $ cd ~
[vm] $ git clone http://web.mit.edu/ccutler/www/qemu.git -b 6.828-2.3.0
[vm] $ sudo apt-get install -y libsdl1.2-dev libtool-bin libglib2.0-dev libz-dev libpixman-1-dev
[vm] $ cd qemu
[vm] $ ./configure --disable-kvm --target-list="i386-softmmu x86_64-softmmu"
[vm] $ make
[vm] $ sudo make install

# finally it's time for setting up xv6
#
[vm] $ cd ~
[vm] $ git clone https://github.com/mit-pdos/xv6-public.git xv6
...
[vm] $ cd xv6
[vm] $ make

# NOTE: allow local gdbinit to be loaded (only done once)
#
[vm] $ echo "add-auto-load-safe-path $HOME/xv6/.gdbinit" > ~/.gdbinit

Debugging

Open two terminal windows (and enter the VM if not on sledge). Alternatively, you can also try screen (shortcut) or byobu (not on sledge).

# in window one
[vm|sledge] $ cd ~/xv6
[vm|sledge] $ make qemu-nox-gdb

# this starts up QEMU, but QEMU stops just before the processor
# executes the first instruction and waits for a debugging
# connection from GDB.

# in window two
#
# NOTE: -q removes the annoying init message
#
[vm|sledge] $ cd xv6
[vm|sledge] $ gdb -q
+ target remote localhost:26000
warning: A handler for the OS ABI "GNU/Linux" is not built into this configuration
of GDB.  Attempting to continue with the default i8086 settings.

The target architecture is assumed to be i8086
[f000:fff0]    0xffff0:     ljmp   $0xf000,$0xe05b
0x0000fff0 in ?? ()
+ symbol-file kernel

# to terminate, for now, in window 2
[vm] $ killall qemu-system-i386

# for sledge
[sledge] kill $(pgrep qemu)

Read more on how to use gdb with QEMU/JOS.