deci3dbg
Ida Pro debugger module for Playstation 3

Whoever used to debug on Playstation 3 knows that there is only one debugger available - SN Systems ProDG. It has some nice features (that I even miss in others debuggers) but overall... its not that good. There also was a gdb client but it was pulled around 1.xx sdk (specification changed, there is no more step cmd, etc). So after some time that I spent with ProDG I realized that it just dont works for me and decided to get host debugger to communicate with Ida. It would have allowed me to use all those nice features like scripts, plugins, tracing, leaving comments in place, interface and hotkeys to which I am used to over the years.
Okay, I hear that someone of you is asking why I did Ida module and not some kind of gdb proxy instead, and reasons are simple:


•I already have experience of making gdb proxys and hosts, but not had experience of making Ida debugger modules (actually not much who did this)
•Ida's gdb client is not open source
•ppc stub is buggy in 6.1. I do own the latest build of Ida Pro, but lets be honest here, most dont. So I was making this code around this version of Ida. Do not need to mention that Ida Pro 6.5 is backward compatible with 6.1, and even debugger module compiled with idasdk61 would work just fine (much better) with 6.5.



So I did it and it works pretty well. Was testing it for months, catching bugs. At the last time fixed some remaining bugs around half year ago, so it should be much better, but not used it much since then.


Features


•PPU debugging
•General and Float registers
•Exceptions, Breakpoints, Step thru code
•Hardware breakpoints (DABR)
•Threads and Modules
•Read/Write memory
•Works with official Sony's Reference Tools and Debug Stations (DECR/DECH)
•Also works with custom firmwares



Notes

•It uses ProDG's TMAPI for communication over deci3 protocol with ps3. Its pretty good and even if deci3 specification docs are leaked its saved alot of time. Therefor, its supports only Windows platform.



Compilation

•Copy content of "C:\Program Files (x86)\SN Systems\PS3\sdk" of your ProDG installation to project folder



Installation

•Copy deci3dbg.plw and deci3dbg.p64 to plugins folder inside your Ida Pro installation.



How to use

1.Load PPC binary in Ida Pro
2.Debugger -> Select debugger... -> DECI3 debugger plugin
3.Debugger -> Attach to process...
4.Select target and press OK (target may be showed as 'disconnected', bug of TMAPI)
5.Select process

This is a release for scene developers by a scene hacker that some of you may know as oct0xor (the developer who cracked PS3UserCheat dongle). Recently the developer released a new IDA Pro debugger module for use on the PlayStation 3 Console for scene developers. All the details of this release can be found below.

Screenshot: You must login or register to view this content.



Source: You must login or register to view this content.
Build: You must login or register to view this content.

Wow goodbye Prodg! Thanks!!!

ProDG allows DEX users to edit memory. IDA Pro only allows us to look at the file index/HEX/Bytes => can't edit memory with it

Wrong. This is what the whole thread is about lol. This is a new IDA Pro Debugger to allow you to edit the memory on DEX with your PS3. This is a lot more useful than Prodg Debugger in my eyes because you can look through the strings and the ppc. The only possible downside is that you can't put on auto-refresh. Unless I just can't find the option for it.

ProDG allows DEX users to edit memory. IDA Pro only allows us to look at the file index/HEX/Bytes => can't edit memory with it