1 files changed, 39 insertions, 0 deletions
diff --git a/Documentation/parisc/debugging b/Documentation/parisc/debugging
new file mode 100644
index 000000000000..d728594058e5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/Documentation/parisc/debugging
@@ -0,0 +1,39 @@
+okay, here are some hints for debugging the lower-level parts of
+linux/parisc.
+
+
+1. Absolute addresses
+
+A lot of the assembly code currently runs in real mode, which means
+absolute addresses are used instead of virtual addresses as in the
+rest of the kernel.  To translate an absolute address to a virtual
+address you can lookup in System.map, add __PAGE_OFFSET (0x10000000
+currently).
+
+
+2. HPMCs
+
+When real-mode code tries to access non-existent memory, you'll get
+an HPMC instead of a kernel oops.  To debug an HPMC, try to find
+the System Responder/Requestor addresses.  The System Requestor
+address should match (one of the) processor HPAs (high addresses in
+the I/O range); the System Responder address is the address real-mode
+code tried to access.
+
+Typical values for the System Responder address are addresses larger
+than __PAGE_OFFSET (0x10000000) which mean a virtual address didn't
+get translated to a physical address before real-mode code tried to
+access it.
+
+
+3. Q bit fun
+
+Certain, very critical code has to clear the Q bit in the PSW.  What
+happens when the Q bit is cleared is the CPU does not update the
+registers interruption handlers read to find out where the machine
+was interrupted - so if you get an interruption between the instruction
+that clears the Q bit and the RFI that sets it again you don't know
+where exactly it happened.  If you're lucky the IAOQ will point to the
+instrucion that cleared the Q bit, if you're not it points anywhere
+at all.  Usually Q bit problems will show themselves in unexplainable
+system hangs or running off the end of physical memory.