Crash Dump Analysis

I’m thinking big for a full-color book to celebrate the forthcoming anniversary of Memory Dump Analysis Anthology. Preliminary details:

• Title: Encyclopedia of Crash Dump Analysis Patterns
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Publisher: Opentask (15 April 2009)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14.0
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-21-6
• Paperback: 400 pages

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

This is a must have book for system administrators of complex Windows server platforms and client workstations to understand and choose the best course of action to address system and application crashes, hangs, CPU spikes and memory leaks. It is also invaluable to general Windows users and technical support engineers.

• Title: Crash Dump Analysis for System Administrators
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Publisher: Opentask (25 August 2008)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-02-5
• Paperback: 180 pages

 - Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

This is the next scheduled book from Crash Dump Analysis Publishing Roadmap:

• Title: Windows® Debugging Notebook: Essential Concepts, WinDbg Commands and Tools
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Publisher: Opentask (1 September 2008)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24

• ISBN-13: 978-0-9558328-5-7
• Hardcover (Cloth): 256 pages

• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-00-1
• Paperback: 256 pages

Draft Table of Contents will be published next month together with a sample chapter.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Due to demand from people that prefer ebooks I published Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 1 in a digital format that can be purchased in Crash Dump Analysis Store. This format has color pictures inside.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

I’m very proud to announce that it is finally available in both paperback and hardback. Why have I made available both editions? Because I personally prefer hardcover books. You can order the book today and it will be printed in 3-5 days (paperback) or 5-10 days (hardcover) and sent to you:

Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 1

Note: although listed on Amazon and other online bookstores it is not immediately available at these stores at the moment due to the late submission. I apologize for this. However, I expect that in a few weeks pre-orders taken there will be eventually fulfilled. In the mean time, if you want the book now, you can use the link above.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Born out of 2008 April Fool’s joke (although I was thinking about it long before) the idea is to have a general framework and associated IDE for analysis activities for various tools that produce logs. Similar to planned GUI Monitor integrating WindowHistory, MesageHistory and ScreenHistory tools but also including Debugger Log Analyzer, Debugging Notebooks, various memory and trace log visualization subsystems. It also has the working title UTF (Unified Tools Framework).

Seems I’m very easy on inceptions All this will be covered in great detail in the forthcoming book which I tirelessly advertise:

DebugWare: The Art and Craft of Writing Troubleshooting Tools

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

This is an attempt to revive the forum closed a year ago due to the lack of interest during that time. Now the number of visitors has increased by an order of magnitude and I get more and more requests to help with crash dump analysis but I cannot guarantee immediate response. Therefore I upgraded and reopened Crash Dump Analysis and Debugging Forum and encourage using it. In order to prevent spammers gaining access any new registration has to be approved by me (usually in less than 24 hours).

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Symbolless Analysis is another anti-pattern when an engineer either in a hurry or due to laziness doesn’t apply proper symbols and relies only on timestamps and module/offsets or trusts what WinDbg says and ignores symbol warnings. I usually apply symbols even in obvious cases and in hard ones strive to apply them until all possibilities are exhausted including search using PDBFinder.

Another weak variant is called Imageless Analysis when an engineer doesn’t specify proper Executable Image Search Path when it is necessary perhaps due to ignorance or just plain laziness again. Please see Minidump Analysis example for proper minidump analysis.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Although the first volume has not been published yet (scheduled for 15th of April, 2008) the planning for the second volume has already begun. Preliminary information is:

• Title: Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 2
• Paperback: 512 pages (*)
• ISBN-13: 978-0-9558328-7-1
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Publisher: Opentask (01 Nov 2008)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24

Hardcover version is also planned. PDF version will be available for download too.

(*) subject to change

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

This is a forthcoming reference book for technical support and escalation engineers troubleshooting and debugging complex software issues. The book is also invaluable for software maintenance and development engineers debugging unmanaged, managed and native code.

• Title: Windows® Debugging Notebook: Essential Concepts, WinDbg Commands and Tools
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Hardcover: 256 pages
• ISBN-13: 978-0-9558328-5-7
• Publisher: Opentask (1 July 2008)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -