Intel's Last Branch Record for SMM Debugging Explained
/ 1 min read
🛠️ Exploring Intel’s Last Branch Record for SMM Debugging. The second part of the series on debugging System Management Mode (SMM) using JTAG focuses on utilizing Intel’s Last Branch Record (LBR) for dynamic analysis of code execution within SMM. Unlike other trace features that crash the target, LBR operates effectively in SMM, providing a non-intrusive way to track the last executed instructions. The article explains how to set breakpoints and leverage LBR to gain insights into SMM operations, while also offering practical tips for clearing LBR MSRs to ensure clean trace data. Future discussions will delve deeper into SMRAM and visualizing its state during debugging. For hobbyists and researchers, a more affordable SourcePoint Home license is available for non-commercial use.
