SoftICE is a kernel mode debugger for Microsoft Windows. A debugger is a Computer program that is used to test and Debug other programs Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Crucially, it is designed to run underneath Windows such that the operating system is unaware of its presence. An operating system (commonly abbreviated OS and O/S) is the software component of a Computer system that is responsible for the management and coordination Unlike an application debugger, SoftICE is capable of suspending all operations in Windows when instructed. For driver debugging this is critical due to how hardware is accessed and the kernel of the operating system functions.
Microsoft offers two kernel-mode debuggers, WinDbg and KD, for no charge. In Computer science, the kernel is the central component of most computer Operating systems (OS WinDbg is a multipurpose Debugger for Microsoft Windows, distributed on the web by Microsoft However, the full capabilites of WinDbg and KD are available only when two interlinked computers are used. SoftICE therefore is an exceptionally useful tool for difficult driver related development and continues to function well even with Microsoft's latest operating system versions.
Older versions exist for DOS and compatible operating systems. DOS, short for "Disk Operating System" is a shorthand term for several closely related Operating systems that dominated the IBM PC compatible market SoftICE was originally produced by a company called NuMega, and was subsequently acquired by Compuware. NuMega Technologies (or NuMega) was a Software company founded in 1987 by Frank Grossman and Jim Moskun in Nashua NH. Compuware Corporation is a Software company with products aimed at the information technology (IT departments of large businesses
SoftICE is also popular as a software cracking tool. Software cracking is the modification of Software to remove protection methods Copy prevention, trial/demo version serial number hardware key CD check
The "ICE" part of the name is an allusion to in-circuit emulator. An allusion is a figure of speech that makes a reference or representation of or to a well-known person place event literary work myth, or work of art An in-circuit emulator (ICE is a hardware device used to debug the Software of an Embedded system.
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History
The original SoftICE for DOS was written in 1987 by NuMega founders Frank Grossman and Jim Moskun. Year 1987 ( MCMLXXXVII) was a Common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar) The program, written in 80386 assembly language, played the role of an operating system and ran software in virtual 8086 mode. See the terminology section below for information regarding inconsistent use of the terms assembly and assembler In the 80386 Microprocessor and later Virtual 8086 mode, also called virtual real mode or VM86, allows the execution of Real mode It sold for $386.
SoftICE/W (for Windows) was developed in the 1990 time frame, and was instrumental in the Writing of "Undocumented Windows", by Andrew Schulman, David Maxey, and Matt Pietrek. SoftIce/W was derived from an earlier, lesser known product, SoftICE for Netware (32-bit protected mode). One of the key advantages it had over Microsoft's debuggers is that it enabled single machine debugging, rather than requiring a second machine to be connected over a serial port.
The principal developers of SoftICE were Dom Basile ('Mr. SoftICE'), Tom Guinther (Kitchen Sink, Symbol Engine), Gerald Ryckman (Video Drivers and Kitchen Sink), Ray Hsu (Video Drivers W95), and Dan Babcock (SoftICE/NT 3. 1/3. 5: Universal Video Driver, Symbol Engine), with contributions by a variety of NuMega developers including Frank Grossman, Jim Moskun, and Matt Pietrek.
In 1995 the codebase for SoftICE/95 was ported to run on the Windows NT platform.
Newer versions of SoftICE patch deep into Microsoft Windows. As such, old versions of SoftICE are rarely compatible with new versions of Windows. Compuware therefore offers SoftICE as a subscription so that it can be kept up to date and in sync with the latest Microsoft Windows version.
It used to be offered as part of Compuware's DriverStudio package but was discontinued in April 2006. Year 2006 ( MMVI) was a Common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar.
A eulogy for SoftIce can be found here
Termination
As of April 3rd, 2006 the DriverStudio product family has been discontinued because of "a variety of technical and business issues as well as general market conditions". Events 1043 - Edward the Confessor is crowned King of England. Maintenance support was offered until March 31, 2007. Events 307 - After divorcing his wife Minervina, Constantine marries Fausta, the daughter of the retired Roman Emperor Year 2007 ( MMVII) was a Common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century.
Commercial Replacements
Syser Debugger aims to be a comprehensive replacement for SoftICE, running on 32-bit versions of Windows Vista/XP/2003/2000, including SMP, HyperThreading and multi-core CPUs. Syser is a 32-bit x86 kernel-level debugger for the Windows NT OS family
Open Source Replacements
An open source kernel debugger similar to SoftICE named Rasta Ring 0 Debugger is available on the project page. It provides low level debugging for Microsoft Windows, Linux, OpenBSD, NetBSD, and FreeBSD. Microsoft Windows is a series of Software Operating systems and Graphical user interfaces produced by Microsoft. Linux (commonly pronounced ˈlɪnəks OpenBSD is a Unix-like computer Operating system descended from Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD a Unix derivative developed at the NetBSD is a freely redistributable Open source version of the Unix -derivative Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD Computer Operating FreeBSD is a Unix-like free Operating system descended from AT&T UNIX via the Berkeley Software Distribution (BSD branch through As of the time of this writing a Mac OS X version is in the works. Mac OS X (mæk oʊ ɛs tɛn is a line of computer Operating systems developed marketed and sold by Apple Inc, the latest of which is pre-loaded on all currently
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