Without kernel debuginfo installed, observe the following: # stap -vvv -e 'probe process("/bin/program_that_does_not_exist").death { }' SystemTap translator/driver (version 0.7/0.131 git branch work, commit 8c392b1a + changes) Copyright (C) 2005-2008 Red Hat, Inc. and others This is free software; see the source for copying conditions. Created temporary directory "/tmp/stapFUASeP" Searched '/usr/local/share/systemtap/tapset/i686/*.stp', found 1 Searched '/usr/local/share/systemtap/tapset/*.stp', found 38 Pass 1: parsed user script and 39 library script(s) in 420usr/20sys/449real ms. Pass 2: analyzed script: 1 probe(s), 0 function(s), 2 embed(s), 0 global(s) in 10usr/0sys/8real ms. probe_1063 locks nothing Pass 3: translated to C into "/tmp/stapFUASeP/stap_30b9314753167af7ce6a944b8c61ae71_431.c" in 0usr/10sys/3real ms. Pass 3: translation failed. Try again with more '-v' (verbose) options. Running rm -rf /tmp/stapFUASeP Even if this shouldn't compile, a better error message (or any for that matter) should be emitted. (This bug might be related to bug #4311)
Chances are the problem is in the code associated with collecting symbol table data. I'm already working on the area, and will probably end up borrowing code from jkenisto's dwarfless branch (looking for System.map?) order to do the deed.
fixed in commit 84680f7: stap -e 'probe process("/bin/program_that_does_not_exist").end { }' WARNING: side-effect-free probe 'probe_1383': keyword at <input>:1:1 source: probe process("/bin/program_that_does_not_exist").end { } ^ WARNING: missing unwind/symbol data for module '/bin/program_that_does_not_exist'