July 2005 - Posts

New tool: ModuleRescue

New tool on my web site:
ModuleRescue

ModuleRescue can generate executable modules (.EXEs and .DLLs) from the module information stored in minidumps. The modules produced by the application are enough to let debuggers download symbols from the symbol server even if the real matching module is not available. It is useful in the situation when, while debugging a minidump, we cannot find matching module but know that symbols for the module are available on the symbol server. ModuleRescue can be also used to view the list of modules loaded by the application at the time when the minidump was created, and analyze such information as module load address, file and product version, availability of debug information.

Minidumps and matching modules

New article on my web site:
Minidumps and matching modules

In the process of debugging a minidump, matching modules are as important as matching symbols. If the debugger cannot find matching modules, it usually cannot load symbols and cannot show good call stacks and other kinds of important information. In this article we will explore how debuggers work with modules - where do they look for them, and what data do they use to check whether a module is matched. We will see how to configure the most popular debuggers to search for matching modules in correct places (module search path). We will also discuss situations when matching modules cannot be found, and try to find workarounds.

Posted by Oleg Starodumov | with no comments