windows-server-2003/enduser/stuff/simics/howto.txt

Section 1: Creating a bootable disk image file
Section 2: Updating hives etc. from a recent 32-bit build


Section 1: Creating a bootable disk image file

SIMICS boots NT from a disk image file.  This file is called amd64.hdd by 
convention.  The steps necessary to create this file are as follows:

0) Enlist in the private AMD64 branch for base\hals, base\boot and 
   sdktools\debuggers
1) Create a partition on an IDE drive
2) Install the debug serial port
3) Create custom newfiles.cmd
4) Build the disk image
5) Boot


Step 0: Enlist in the private AMD64 branch for base\hals, base\boot and 
        sdktools\debuggers.

From the <sdxroot>\base directory, modify your client view by running "sd 
client".  Your client view should consist of the first line below.  Add the 
two additional lines,  replacing <clientroot> with whatever already appears 
on your client for <clientroot> in the first line.

//depot/Lab01_N/base/... //<clientroot>/...
//depot/private/amd64/boot/... //<clientroot>/boot/...
//depot/private/amd64/hals/... //<clientroot>/hals/...

Then run "sd sync -f ..." in base\boot and base\hals, this should copy down 
the files from the private branch.


Step 1: Create a partition on an IDE drive.

- Choose an empty IDE drive on your simulator machine.  Note the disk 
number.  These steps assume that this is drive 1.

- Via Disk Manager, remove all partitions on the drive.

- Run mbr.exe found in this directory, supplying the disk number, as in: 
MBR 1.

- Again via Disk Manager, create a single, basic, primary partition on this 
drive that is relatively small... right now, 3GB is a good size.  Either 
FAT32 or NTFS should work, I use NTFS.

- Mark the partition "active"

Do not partition the remainder of the drive, otherwise the partition table 
included in the image file will refer to partitions that do not exist and 
the OS will be confused.


Step 2: Install serial port

Use a standard kernel-debugger serial port to connect between com1 on 
the simics machine to a host machine running a kernel debugger.  Set the 
host side to 19200 baud.


Step 3: Create custom newfiles.cmd

Copy newfiles.cmd from <SDXROOT>\enduser\stuff\simics to the root of the
newly created partition and appropriately modify the commented environment 
variables therein.

Note that the main binary source (%SOURCE_1%) should be a UNC path to 
_NTTREE on your amd64 build machine.


Step 4: Build the disk image

Change the current drive to the AMD64 image and run newfiles.cmd with no 
arguments.  This will copy the necessary files over and build the amd64.hdd 
boot image.  NOTE: The build process must have completed successfully, 
including all of postbuild.


Step 5: Boot

First, start kd on the host side.

Next, from a sygwin command window in the x86-test-machine directory, 
execute "simics.bat -x amd64-serial.simics".  This will launch the 
simulator and boot process.

If all goes well, the system will begin booting and you will see the 
standard sign-on messages on the kernel debugger.  If any breakpoints are 
encountered on the simics console, just continue with the "run" command.

To attempt to boot a new set of binaries, repeat steps 4 and 5.  Supplying
an argument to newfiles.cmd will cause only that file to be updated 
before generating a new image, usefull if for example you've built a new 
kernel and want to boot with that.












Section 2: Updating hives etc. from a recent 32-bit build

*NOTE*: The steps in this section are not a part of the normal image 
building process.  I (forrestf) expect to be the only one performing 
these steps periodically.  The steps are included here in case I get hit 
by a bus.

The install tree is "hand-assembled" via the process described in section 
1.  Some of the files that are not built during the build process, e.g. 
registry hives, user profiles etc. must be copied from a parallel 32-bit 
installation, ideally from a recent build.

These files are checked in to the stuff\simics tree but should be refreshed 
periodically so that the hives contain the expected layout.

The 32-bit template machine must be set up like this:
1.  A "safe" build must be installed on a disk other than C:
2.  The "recent" build must be installed in C:\WINDOWS and have the
    following characteristics:

    2a. Running in a workgroup, not a domain
    2b. Two users.  I use "Admin" and "Admin2" with no password.
    2c. Screen resolution set to 640x480.

To refresh the binaries, run refresh.cmd, supplying the UNC path to 
the C: root of the template, 32-bit installation.  e.g.

refresh \\bootsim\c$

Remember to "sd submit ..." when it is finished.