Debugging a kernel

Having to debug the Linux kernel is not the most easy task, but it needs to be accomplished to make sure that the development process moves forward. Understanding the Linux kernel is, of course, one of the prerequisites. Some of the available bugs are very hard to solve and may be available inside the Linux kernel for a long period of time.

For most of the trivial ones, some of the following steps should be taken. First, identify the bug properly; it is not only useful when define the problem, but also helps with reproducing it. The second step involves finding the source of the problem. Here, I am referring to the first kernel version in which the bug was first reported. Good knowledge about the bug or the source code of the Linux kernel is always useful, so make sure that you understand the code before you start working on it.

The bugs inside the Linux kernel have a wide spread. They vary from a variable not being stored properly to race conditions or hardware management...