Debug

Developed by Tim Paterson

Debug is a method of looking at portions of
your computer and writing assembly code to
perform certain task.

The debug command is an external
command and is available in the below
Microsoft Operating Systems.
All Versions of MS-DOS
Windows 95
Windows 98
Windows ME
Windows NT
Windows 2000
Windows XP / Vista

Assemble: A [address]
Creates machine executable code in memory
beginning at CS:0100 (or the specified
address) from the 8086/8088 (and 8087)
-a100


Compare: C range address
Compares two blocks of memory. If there are no
differences, then DEBUG simply displays another
prompt (-).

-c 140 148 340

The bytes at locations 140 through 148 are being
compared to those at 340 (through 348, implied);
the bytes are displayed side by side for those which
are different (with their exact locations on either side
of them).
Dump: D [range]
Displays the contents of a block of memory.

-d c000:0010

-d 100 133
Enter: E address [list]
Used to enter data or instructions
(as machinecode) directly into Memory
locations.


-e ffcb d2
Fill: F range list
This command can also be used to clear large
areas of Memory as well as filling smaller
areas with a continuously repeating phrase or
single byte.
Examples:
-f 100 12f BUFFER
-d 100 12f -f 0 ffff 0
Go: G [address]
Go is used to run a program and set
breakpoints in the program's code.

-g
Hex: H value1 value2
A very simple (add and subtract only) hexcalculator.

Enter two Hex values (only up to four hexdigits each), and
DEBUG shows first the SUM and thenthe DIFFERENCE (no
carries past the fourth digit).

Examples:
-h 123 100 -h 100 123 -h ffff 1
0223 0023 0223 FFDD 0000 FFFE
Input: I port
The use of I/O commands while running Windows maybe unreliable!
This is especially true when trying to directly access hard disks
through I/O commands!

-o 70 04 <-- Check the hours.
-i 71

-o 70 02 <-- Check the minutes.
-i 71
Move: M range address
This command should really be called: COPY (not Move) as it
actually copies all the bytes from within the specified range
to a new address.

Examples:
-m 7c00 7cff 600
Copies all the bytes between Offset 7C00 and
7CFF(inclusive) to Offset 0600 and following...

-m 100 2ff 70
Proceed: P
Proceed acts exactly the same as Debug's T (Trace)
command for most types of instructions...

EXCEPT:
Proceed will immediately execute ALL the instructions

Quit: Q
Immediately quits (exits) the Debug program!
Register: R [register]
Entering ' r ' all by itself will display all of the
8086 register's contents
Search: S range list
Searches within a range of addresses for a pattern of one or more
byte values given in a list. The list can be comprised of numbers or
character strings enclosed by matching single or double quote
marks.

Examples:

-s fe00:0 ffff "BIOS"FE00:0021FE00:006F
Trace: T [=address] [number]
The T command is used to trace (step through) CPU instructions
one at a time.

If you enter the T command all by itself, it will step through only ONE
instruction beginning at the location specified by your CS:IP
registers, halt program execution and then display all the CPU
registers plus an unassembled version of the next instruction to be
executed; this is the 'default' mode of the TRACE command.

To trace and execute seven instructions beginning at address
CS:0205

-t =205 7
Unassemble: U [range]
Disassembles machine instructions into 8086
Assembly code.

Example: -u 126 133

Run the following program and
examine the effect to the registers
Data Transfer

MOV BX, 67FE
MOV CL, BH
MOV BL, CH
MOV DX, AX
MOV DX, 5F
Arithmetic Operations

MOV AL, 0F
MOV BL, 0F
MOV DL, 0A
ADD AL, BL
SUB AL, DL
MUL DL
DIV BL
Bit Manipulation
Prior to execution
MOV AL, 0F
MOV DL, F0
MOV CL, 0FF
AND AL, CL
XOR AL, DL
Determine the output function
of the following program
Program 1:
MOV AH, 02
MOV DL, 41
INT 21
INT 20


PROGRAM 2:
MOV AH, 02
MOV DL, 41
INT 21
MOV DL, 42
INT 21
MOV DL, 45
INT 21
INT 20
Keyboard Input Function
Use debug to encode instruction listed below
and assemble it on A100

MOV AH,01
INT 21
INT 20
Print String Function
Write the program listed below at offset address
0100

xxxx: 0100 MOV DX, 109
xxxx: 0103 MOV AH, 09
xxxx: 0105 INT 21
xxxx: 0107 INT 20
xxxx: 0109 db Reality bites$
xxxx: 011F
Buffered Keyboard Input
Function
On debug write the program listed below
MOV DX, 109
MOV AH, 0A
INT 21
INT 20
DB 30

Run the program upon pressing g on the prompt.
Type string of characters until it stopped
Printer Output Function
Mov ah,05
Mov dl, 4a
Int 21
Mov ah, 5
Mov dl, 41
Int 21
Mov ah, 5
Mov dl, 42
Int 21
Int 20
Using NASM
(Netwide Assembler)
I/O DOS Function





NASM is an acronym for Netwide Assembler,
unlike DEBUG that is specifically for
debugging purposes, this software
assembles program written in assembly in
any platform.
NASM was among the first of the Open-
Source, freely available, assemblers
available for the x86. The project was started
in the 1996 time frame as a way of creating a
portable x86 assembler.


* Source: Webster



Comparison between C and ASM


How to run NASM
1. Run the NASMIDE software located at
c:\NASM. Type NASMIDE at the prompt
C:\NASM\> nasmide
2. Click File-New-ASM Assistant, select the
options for code generation, starting address
and segment code.
3. Encode your assembly language program,
save the file (*.asm) and execute (Ctrl-F9)
ASCII