Crash Dump Analysis

The magazine issue features my article on adjoint threads, the first part of a long article on Windows thread classification, a comparison article on Citrix CDF analysis tools and a review of Advanced .NET Debugging book.

The issue can be found on either www.debuggingexpert.com or www.debuggingexperts.com:

http://www.debuggingexperts.com/debugged-march-10

The print issue will be available in September with the back cover featuring the summary of WinDbg multithreading commands.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

Our future sponsor has been registered in Ireland and has its own independent website and logo: DumpAnalysis.com

More information will be available later this month.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

OpenTask to offer first 3 volumes of Memory Dump Analysis Anthology in one set:

The set is available exclusively from OpenTask e-Commerce web site starting from June. Individual volumes are also available from Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other bookstores worldwide.

Product information:

• Title: Modern Memory Dump and Software Trace Analysis: Volumes 1-3
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24
• Paperback: 1600 pages
• Publisher: Opentask (31 May 2010)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-99-5

Information about individual volumes:

• Volume 1
• Volume 2
• Volume 3

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

Plan to start providing training and seminars in my free time. If you are interested please answer these questions (you can either respond here in comments or use this form for private communication http://www.dumpanalysis.org/contact):

• Are you interested in on-site training, prefer traveling or attending webinars?
• Are you interested in software trace analysis as well?
• What specific topics are you interested in?
• What training level (beginner, intermediate, advanced) are you interested in? (please provide an example, if possible)

Additional topics of expertise that can be integrated into training include Source Code Reading and Analysis, Debugging, Windows Architecture, Device Drivers, Troubleshooting Tools Design and Implementation, Multithreading, Deep Down C and C++, x86 and x64 Assembly Language Reading.

Looking forward to your responses. Any suggestions are welcome.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

I originally intended to name this blog post as ”What I’m Reading Now” but then decided to show it as another satisfying example of my Mod N Reading technique. During my 7 years in memory dump analysis captivity I didn’t pay much attention to traditional synthetic software engineering (as opposed to analytical software defect research in computer memory) except occasionally writing some troubleshooting tools, describing DebugWare patterns in UML and devising RADII process. A few weeks ago I decided to brush up my engineering skills and read some books that accumulated in my library during last few years. Here is the list of them (debugging triptych of Windows Internals 5th Edition, Advanced Windows Debugging, and Advanced .NET Debugging are on my office table and I read them almost daily so I’m not including them in the list below).

Illustrated Mod N is actually Mod 7 technique where I cycle through 7 topics with 3 books for each topic. Ideally I aim to dedicate one topic per day every week but this is not always possible due to writing and publishing but I still do it in a Mod 7 way even if I skip some days. it usually takes me an hour or two to read carefully 5-10 pages from each of 3 topical books. Here is the current state of the reading round-robin queue (21 books) under my home computer desk:

Here are the topics and corresponding books (with links if you would like to buy them from Amazon):

Multithreading from Computer Science Perspective

Synchronization Algorithms and Concurrent Programming

Modern Multithreading : Implementing, Testing, and Debugging Multithreaded Java and C++/Pthreads/Win32 Programs

The Art of Multiprocessor Programming

Algorithms, Parsing

Algorithms in a Nutshell

Flex & Bison: Text Processing Tools

The Algorithm Design Manual

Statistics 

Statistics in a Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference

Statistics Hacks: Tips & Tools for Measuring the World and Beating the Odds

Statistics, 4th Edition

C++, STL and Boost 

C++ in a Nutshell

Beyond the C++ Standard Library: An Introduction to Boost

C++ Cookbook

Security, Mac OS X

The Rootkit Arsenal: Escape and Evasion in the Dark Corners of the System

The Mac Hacker’s Handbook

Security Engineering: A Guide to Building Dependable Distributed Systems

Code, Games

Programming Language Pragmatics, Third Edition

Game Engine Architecture

Code Complete: A Practical Handbook of Software Construction

Embedded and Real-Time Software Engineering

Designing Embedded Hardware

Bebop to the Boolean Boogie, Third Edition: An Unconventional Guide to Electronics

Software Engineering for Real-Time Systems

With fix-privet,
Dr. DebugLove

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

This is a revised, edited, cross-referenced and thematically organized volume of selected DumpAnalysis.org blog posts about crash dump analysis and debugging written in July 2009 - January 2010 for software engineers developing and maintaining products on Windows platforms, quality assurance engineers testing software on Windows platforms and technical support and escalation engineers dealing with complex software issues. The fourth volume features:

- 13 new crash dump analysis patterns
- 13 new pattern interaction case studies
- 10 new trace analysis patterns
- 6 new Debugware patterns and case study
- Workaround patterns
- Updated checklist
- Fully cross-referenced with Volume 1, Volume 2 and Volume 3
- New appendixes

Product information:

• Title: Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 4
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24

• Paperback: 410 pages
• Publisher: Opentask (30 March 2010)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-86-5

• Hardcover: 410 pages
• Publisher: Opentask (30 April 2010)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-87-2

Back cover features memory space art image: Internal Process Combustion.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

After exciting results of  the previous year of debugging it is time to announce modest plans for this year, 0×7DA:

Release the first beta version of EasyDbg 

Release the first beta version of CARE (Crash Analysis Report Environment) for a pattern-driven debugger log analyzer with standards for structured audience-driven reports

Release the first beta version of STARE (Software Trace Analysis Report Environment) for a pattern-driven software trace analyzer with corresponding standards for structured audience-driven reports

Publish the following books on dump analysis that address different audiences (general users, system administrators, support and escalation engineers, testers, software engineers, security and software defect researchers):

- Windows Debugging Notebook
- Crash Dump Analysis for System Administrators and Support Engineers
- Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 4
- Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 5
- Memory Dump Analysis Anthology Color Supplement
- Principles of Memory Dump Analysis
- My Computer Crashes and Freezes: A Non-technical Guide to Software and Hardware Errors
- Linux, FreeBSD and Mac OS X Debugging: Practical Foundations  
- Encyclopedia of Crash Dump Analysis Patterns  
- WinDbg In Use: Debugging Exercises

Publish articles related to memory dump analysis in Debugged! magazine

Update WinDbg Poster and Cards

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -

If you know any other please let us know. For example, MSDN is great too, there was also a Visual C++-oriented magazine I used to read in the past. May be it is still in print. I plan to make a wider perspective picture later on. Both pictured magazines (Debugged! MZ/PE and NT Insider) are mainly oriented towards unmanaged and native code respectively (the former with a timeless computer science slant) but Debugged! soon to cover native, virtualized, interpreted and managed code environments too and aims to become a “Complete Debugging Magazine” similar to kernel vs. user process vs. complete memory dump file differences.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

“Memory dumps are facts.”

I’m very excited to announce that Volume 3 is available in paperback, hardcover and digital editions:

Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 3

Table of Contents

In two weeks paperback edition should also appear on Amazon and other bookstores. Amazon hardcover edition is planned to be available in January 2010.

The amount of information was so voluminous that I had to split the originally planned volume into two. Volume 4 should appear by the middle of February together with Color Supplement for Volumes 1-4. 

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Previously announced Software Maintenance Institute was finally registered in Ireland (Reg. No. 400906) and its certificate was received yesterday. The SMI web site temporary points to Crash Dump Analysis and Debugging Portal: www.sminstitute.com

Here is the current component structure of various institutions (depicted in UML):

Interface Tags:

IIP Interface of Iterative Publishing
IRD Interface of Research and Development
IDR Interface of Defect Research
IIR Interface of Information Repository
IME Interface of Memetic Engineering

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Finally, after the long delay, the issue is available in print on Amazon and through other sellers:

Debugged! MZ/PE: Software Tracing

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Memory Analysis and Debugging Institute (MA&DI), DA+TA Portal (DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org) and OpenTask establish

Software Maintenance Institute (SMI)

More details about R&D Institute of Software Maintenance will be announced soon.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

This is a revised, edited, cross-referenced and thematically organized volume of selected DumpAnalysis.org blog posts about crash dump analysis and debugging written in October 2008 - June 2009 for software engineers developing and maintaining products on Windows platforms, quality assurance engineers testing software on Windows platforms and technical support and escalation engineers dealing with complex software issues. The third volume features:

- 15 new crash dump analysis patterns
- 29 new pattern interaction case studies
- Trace analysis patterns
- Updated checklist
- Fully cross-referenced with Volume 1 and Volume 2
- New appendixes

Product information:

• Title: Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 3
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24

• Paperback: 404 pages
• Publisher: Opentask (20 December 2009)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-43-8

• Hardcover: 404 pages
• Publisher: Opentask (30 January 2010)
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-44-5

Back cover features 3D computer memory visualization image.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

I’m very pleased to announce the free online version of Debugged! MZ/PE magazine under the code name DEMO launched last night:

Debugging Expert Magazine Online (www.DebuggingExpert.com)

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Responding to numerous requests and suggestions I plan to make magazine interior excluding promotional vouchers available for free download. If someone needs covers including back covers where I put tips and tables to be used as posters or certification vouchers printed inside then they should buy the magazine from Amazon or other bookshops.

This initiative will be accompanied by a smart marketing trick that I plan to unveil in a few days together with the magazine website.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

The digital version of the book is finally available:

x64 Windows Debugging: Practical Foundations

Paperback should be available in 1-2 weeks on Amazon and other stores. When working on the book I fixed errors in the previous x86 version. Errata file for it should be available tomorrow.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

OpenTask plans to expand its Practical Foundations series and publish the following 2 books for the forthcoming Memory Dump Analysis Fundamentals certification (Unix track) being developed by Memory Analysis and Debugging Institute:

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Paraphrasing “Knowing about knowing about knowing” (Side-box 0.1, Consciousness, David Rose) as “Knowing about knowing about problem solving”, I would suggest the following references to raise the level of awareness from meta-troubleshooting and meta-debugging, the subject of various general purpose debugging books to the next epistemic level. I’m currently reading the following books and let you know about my progress along the journey:

Toward a Unified Theory of Problem Solving: Views From the Content Domains

The Psychology of Problem Solving

The Cambridge Handbook of Expertise and Expert Performance

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Finally the issue is available on Amazon and through other sellers:

Debugged! MZ/PE: Modeling Software Defects

I’m now planning the September issue and post details later. 

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Jamie Fenton has finally made available for beta testing fantastic memory visualization system HayWire & Barn Burner I use often for mining curious pictures from virtual memory space, like “cosmic rays“. Besides providing artistic pleasure, real-time natural memory visualization can have other applications including visual debugging. Looking forward to seeing more wonders in this area of research!

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -