Introduction to SoftICE

1. SoftICE is a kernel mode debugger for Microsoft Windows. Crucially, it is designed to run underneath Windows such that the operating system is unaware of its presence.
2. Unlike an application debugger, SoftICE is capable of suspending all operations in Windows when instructed. For driver debugging this is critical due to how hardware is accessed and the kernel of the operating system functions.
3. Because of its low-level capabilities, SoftICE is also popular as a software cracking tool.
4. Microsoft offers two kernel-mode debuggers, WinDbg and KD, for no charge.
5. However, the full capabilities of WinDbg and KD are available only when two interlinked computers are used.
6.  SoftICE therefore is an exceptionally useful tool for difficult driver related development.
7. The last released version was for Windows XP. Newer versions of Windows are seemingly unsupported as the tool is no longer listed on Compuware's website.
8. A commercial kernel-level debugger called Syser claims to continue where SoftICE left off.
   A shareware but free to use OllyDbg is a 32-bit assembler level debugger from Oleh Yuschuk. However, it can only be used for user-mode debugging.

See more  http://www.princeton.edu/~achaney/tmve/wiki100k/docs/SoftICE.html