GDB failed to load so files and errors No such file or directory

Question

I am loading a core file into GDB inside a docker container with alpine linux. Initially my gdb complained about binary not found, then i followed this discussion gdb During startup program exited with code 127 and installed libc6-compat, even though I have a 64-bit linux and my interpreter for the binary is 64-bit [Requesting program interpreter: /lib64/ld-linux-x86-64.so.2]

That actually worked but now i get the same error for the .so files. I can see that .so files are in the path set on solib-search-path but gdb did not load any of the libraries and complains No such file or directory.

binary runs on a production host where the libraries are in the path I am running the binary on a development host by setting the solib-search-path

ldd binary says libraries not found which is expected since this is a development host

Answer 1

binary runs on a production host where the libraries are in the path I am running the binary on a development host by setting the solib-search-path

There is your problem right here.

The solib-search-path is the path where GDB will look for libraries.

In no way does that setting affect the binary itself, which uses either standard system library path, compiled-in DT_RPATH, or LD_LIBRARY_PATH environment variable to search for shared libraries.

Usually, solib-search-path should only be set when you are analyzing a core dump that came from some other host (GDB needs access to the exact libraries that were used when the core dump was generated). Setting solib-search-path while running a local binary should never be ncessary -- GDB can automatically deduce where the libraries are by asking the runtime loader where they are.

ldd binary says libraries not found which is expected since this is a development host

If ldd says that, then of course you will not be able to run the binary (inside of outside GDB).