Re: Program to convert core file to executable.

From: vamsi krishna
Date: Wed May 24 2006 - 13:24:27 EST


Hello All,

o I have written the following program to convert a core file to a
executable, and tried to execute the converted executable but my
system __HANGED__, The kernel did'nt give any messages the complete
system was stuck.

o Theoretically , the OS loader should jump into the virtual address
specified at 'ELF_HDR.e_entry and start executing instructions from
that point if the ELF_TYPE is ET_EXEC.

o So I wrote a program which
changes ELF_TYPE form ET_CORE to ET_EXEC and modifies e_entry to
virtual address of the 'main' symbol, since the core file has valid offset
to access the PHDRS, and for ET_EXEC the elf loader just need to map
the PHDRS at the vaddr specified and start jump to e_entry.

o Is there anything I'am missing, can some experts throw light on why
kernel does not load this program, could it be a bug in the kernel code ?

o The following is the program which converts core file to executable,
its simple to use just compile it with 'gcc convertcore.c -o
convertcore' , run with 'convertcore <core-file-name> <new-exec-name>
<vaddr-of-main>'

o I dump the core by CRTL+\

really appreciate your inputs

========================<BEGIN>===============================
#include<elf.h>
#include<stdio.h>
#include<sys/types.h>
#include<sys/stat.h>
#include<fcntl.h>

#ifndef __64_BIT__
#define __32_BIT__
#endif

#ifdef __32_BIT__
#define ELF_EHDR Elf32_Ehdr
#else
#define ELF_EHDR Elf64_Ehdr
#endif

ELF_EHDR place_holder;

/*Chages the elf_header in the file with ptr */
int ChangeElfHeader(int CoreFd, int WriteFd, unsigned long vaddr){

unsigned long got_len=0;

if((got_len = read(CoreFd,&place_holder,sizeof(ELF_EHDR)))
!= sizeof(ELF_EHDR)){
perror("Unable to read the ELF Header::");
exit(1);
}
/*Change the ET_CORE tto ET_EXEC*/
if(place_holder.e_type == ET_CORE) {
place_holder.e_type = ET_EXEC;
} else {
fprintf(stderr,"The file is not of ELF core file");
exit(1);
}

/*Change the entry */

place_holder.e_entry = vaddr;

/*Write back the header*/
got_len = 0;
if (( got_len = write(WriteFd,&place_holder,sizeof(ELF_EHDR)))
!= sizeof(ELF_EHDR)) {
perror("Unable to write the header::");
exit(1);
}
return 1;
}

static void finishWriting(int coreFd, int writeFd) {

unsigned char write_buffer[4*1024];
int got_len = -1;

while( (got_len = read(coreFd,write_buffer,4096)) != 0) {
if(write(writeFd,write_buffer,got_len) != got_len ){
perror("Unable to to write the length which was read:");
exit(1);
}
}
close(writeFd);
close(coreFd);

}

int main(int argc,char* argv[]){

int coreFd;
int writeFd;
unsigned long vaddr;

if( argc < 3 ) {
fprintf(stderr,"Usage core2elf core.file exe.file.name");
exit(1);
}
if( (coreFd = open(argv[1],O_RDONLY)) < 0) {
perror("Unable to open the core file:");
exit(1);
}
if ((writeFd = open(argv[2],O_WRONLY| O_CREAT)) < 0) {
perror("Unable to open the write file::");
exit(1);
}
sscanf(argv[3],"%lx",&vaddr);
ChangeElfHeader(coreFd,writeFd,vaddr);
finishWriting(coreFd,writeFd);


}
=========================<END>===========================

Best Regards,
Vamsi kundeti.
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