# vitoplantamura/BugChecker

SoftICE-like kernel debugger for Windows 11

Repository: https://github.com/vitoplantamura/BugChecker
Canonical: https://ross.abutalabs.com/products/bugchecker
Language: C
License: LGPL-2.1
License Family: copyleft
Topics: kernel-debugger, windows-kernel
Last push: 2023-07-18T06:54:18+00:00

## Health v2 (maintenance only)
Score: 22/100 (v2, computed 2026-09-02T17:46:02.011165+00:00)
- activity 0, release rhythm 8, longevity 95
- inputs: {"age_days": 1339, "days_push": 1142, "days_rel": null, "gap_med": null, "n_releases_24m": 0}
- flags: none
- formula: round(0.45*activity + 0.35*rhythm + 0.20*longevity); archived -> min(score, 10)

## Adoption (not part of the score)
Stars 1055, forks 144 (observed 2026-08-28T04:03:24.179078+00:00)

## What it is
BugChecker is a SoftICE-like kernel and user-mode debugger for Windows (XP through 11, x86 and x64) that runs entirely on the machine being debugged, without requiring a second host. It works by intercepting the kernel's KD API (KdSendPacket/KdReceivePacket) via a KDCOM.DLL replacement, presenting itself as an external kernel debugger while displaying output on a linear framebuffer and accepting input from a PS/2 keyboard.

## Use cases
- debug windows kernel without a second machine
- softice-like debugger for windows 11
- single-machine kernel debugging on windows
- set breakpoints and inspect memory in kernel mode
- debug wow64 processes on x64 windows
- disable patchguard while kernel debugging
- step through kernel code with js expressions

## When to choose
- you need kernel debugging on a single Windows machine without a host debugger or serial cable
- you want a SoftICE-style full-screen debugger experience on modern Windows
- you need to support debugging from Windows XP through Windows 11, x86 and x64
- you want to script debugger commands with JavaScript expressions

## When to avoid
- you need a debugger with a modern GUI or IDE integration
- your machine lacks a PS/2 keyboard (built-in or external) and a linear framebuffer
- you require official vendor support or long-term stability guarantees
- you need to debug non-Windows operating systems

## Facets
- artifact type: application
- maturity: active
- function: developer-tools, cli, terminal-ui
- domain: developer-tools, operating-systems, security, reverse-engineering
- platform: windows, cpp, c
- tags: kernel-debugger, softice, windbg, windows-kernel, kd-api, single-machine-debugging, reverse-engineering, debugging

## Member repositories
- vitoplantamura/BugChecker (main) score 22

## Provenance
- Observed fields: from GitHub, fetched 2026-08-28T04:03:24.179078+00:00.
- Health v2: computed from the inputs above; adoption is never an input.
- Inferred fields (summary, facets, guidance): AI-extracted, prompt v1, taxonomy v1, on 2026-08-30T06:58:41.868334+00:00, confidence not recorded.
  - readme: https://github.com/vitoplantamura/BugChecker (fetched 2026-08-28T04:03:24.179078+00:00, sha bdf4d55108fa)
- Data as of 2026-08-30T08:39:29.467469+00:00.