GDB doesn't let me read argv memory segment - c

Question

I have this simple script written in C:
#include <stdio.h>
void usage(char *program_name) {
printf("Usage: %s <message> <# of times to repeat>\n", program_name);
exit(1);
}
int main(int argc, char *argv[]) {
int i, count;
// if(argc < 3) // If less than 3 arguments are used,
// usage(argv[0]); // display usage message and exit.
count = atoi(argv[2]); // convert the 2nd arg into an integer
printf("Repeating %d times..\n", count);
for(i=0; i < count; i++)
printf("%3d - %s\n", i, argv[1]); // print the 1st arg
}
And I'm making some test with GDB.
I did this:
(gdb) run test
Starting program: /home/user/Desktop/booksrc/convert2 test
Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
0x00007ffff7a56e56 in ____strtoll_l_internal () from /usr/lib/libc.so.6
Obviusly it goes in segmentation fault because to work the program needs three argv. And I commented the lines that do the control. So it goes in error.
(gdb) where
#0 0x00007ffff7a56e56 in ____strtoll_l_internal () from /usr/lib/libc.so.6
#1 0x00007ffff7a53a80 in atoi () from /usr/lib/libc.so.6
#2 0x00005555555546ea in main (argc=2, argv=0x7fffffffe958) at convert2.c:14
(gdb) break main
Breakpoint 1 at 0x5555555546d2: file convert2.c, line 14.
(gdb) run test
The program being debugged has been started already.
Start it from the beginning? (y or n) y
Starting program: /home/user/Desktop/booksrc/convert2 test
Breakpoint 1, main (argc=2, argv=0x7fffffffe958) at convert2.c:14
14 count = atoi(argv[2]); // convert the 2nd arg into an integer
(gdb) cont
Continuing.
Program received signal SIGSEGV, Segmentation fault.
0x00007ffff7a56e56 in ____strtoll_l_internal () from /usr/lib/libc.so.6
(gdb) x/3xw 0x7fffffffe958 // this is memory of the "argv" some line before
0x7fffffffe958: 0xffffebfe 0x00007fff 0xffffec22
(gdb) x/s 0xffffebfe
0xffffebfe: <error: Cannot access memory at address 0xffffebfe>
(gdb) x/s 0x00007fff
0x7fff: <error: Cannot access memory at address 0x7fff>
(gdb) x/s 0xffffec22
0xffffec22: <error: Cannot access memory at address 0xffffec22>
In theory, with "x/s" I should have seen the commandline in the first address and "test" in the second address and the null in the third. But nothing. If I copy paste that address to a ascii to string converter, it gives me data without any sense. What am I doing wrong?

Answer 1

Your platform uses 64bit pointers, so try :
(gdb) x/3xg 0x7fffffffe958
to display the 64bit pointers in the argv array, and then :
(gdb) x/s 0x00007fffffffebfe
or just :
(gdb) p argv[0]

Answer 2

First of all always check if the command line is correct
Uncomment the check from your code.
Then in the gdb set the arguments (before running it)
(gdb) set args "hello world" 12