Re: running system, can't exec programs.

[Roland McGrath]

> Is exec still running? At least in theory, I think it should work to
> just kill it, and then a new one should be started automatically when
> needed.

So let's think about how that works.  A passive translator is started by
the parent calling file_exec, which works in the filesystem by calling
exec_exec on its port to the exec server.  This is why the exec server is a
special part of the bootstrap process: it's the only thing that can load a
program into another task!

> If possible, it might be even better to use settrans to detach exec
> from its node, so that you can get a new one, and attach gdb to the
> old one.

Using settrans to install a new active translator on /servers/exec ought to
work, but there might be some problems with things not getting a new port
when their old one dies.  Try it and debug it.  But note that it will only
ever work right if the old translator dies so that the open ports to it die.