Software Diagnostics Library

Problem Analysis and Resolution Troubleshooting System (PARTS) is the new troubleshooting methodology for critical problem analysis and resolution. It consists of Problem Analysis and Resolution Tasks (PARTs). The motivation to create this system came to me after looking at various software support processes in various companies around the globe, how they relate to software engineering methodologies and the scientific method, and finally after looking at “The Master Key System” devised by Charles Haanel almost 100 years ago. Borrowing the idea of “Creative Power of Thought” I subtitle PARTS as Problem Solving Power of Thought.

PARTS (Problem Analysis and Resolution Troubleshooting System): Problem Solving Power of Thought.

More on this later.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

In July-August Opentask publisher plans to have its own website. In the mean time here is the additional list of books to be published in the next 5-7 years starting from 2009 onwards:

- Memiotics (ISBN-13: 978-1906717087)

- Voice Recognition: Command and Control (ISBN-13: 978-1906717094)

- Memory Analysis: An Interdisciplinary Approach (ISBN-13: 978-1906717117)

- Deep Down C++ (ISBN-13: 978-1906717124)

- Management Bits: An Anthology from Reductionist Manager (ISBN-13: 978-1906717131)

- Classical, Quantum and Nonlinear Memoretics (ISBN-13: 978-1906717186)

- Crash Dump: A Software Engineering Autobiography (ISBN-13: 978-1906717193)

- Memoidealism: A New Kind of Philosophy (ISBN-13: 978-1906717209)

including 10-volume edition of Software Engineering Notebooks:

- Software Engineering Notebooks, Volume 1 (ISBN-13: 978-1906717148)

Details will be announced later on the publisher’s website.

Note: the book about voice recognition stands apart from the others. This is actually the title of the first book I wanted to write 5 years ago.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

The number of monthly site visits reached 15,000 (Google analytics reports more than 16,000). The upward trend continues since 10,000 Visit Mark at the end of January, 2008. I’m planning to add more attractive features to the portal during this summer. Stay tuned and participate more actively in SEO resonance (75% of all traffic comes from search engines)

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

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 -

There are currently 86 patterns in 67 groups and more are coming. I’m working the first two weeks in July to classify them. The classification scheme(s) should appear around 15th of July.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

In 2007 in Retrospection (Part 2) post I put the most frequent search keywords what brought people to my site. Unfortunately due my mistake I lost all cumulative data for that period and began collecting it again since March, 2008. Here is the new list of top 100 keywords out of more than 22,000 for March - June (with my links where I try to provide answers or point to other resources):

kifastsystemcallret
crash dump analysis
crash dump
ntdll!kifastsystemcallret
vista crash dump
time travel debugging
dump analysis
crash dumps
windbg commands
memory dump analysis anthology
memory intelligence analysis
crashdump
your debugger is not using the correct symbols
symbol file could not be found
kmode_exception_not_handled
minidump analyze
windbg analyze
c++ dereferencing null debug
windows crash dump analysis
system_service_exception
kernel32!pnlsuserinfo
warning: frame ip not in any known module. following frames may be wrong.
win32 error 0n2
previously announced volume is available in trade
windbg script
kernel_mode_exception_not_handled
practical foundations of debugging
getcontextstate failed, 0×80070026
memory analysis intelligence
minidump analyzer
dxg.sys
crash dump vista
dr watson vista
calling+kernel+functions+from+userspace
crash dump analyzer
how to open corrupt memory dump
rtlfreeheap+38e
how to use windbg
dd srvcomputername
dmitry vostokov
warning: stack unwind information not available. following frames may be wrong.
drwtsn32 vista
nasdaq:aapl
1000 application fault crash dump
exfreepoolwithtag
time+travel+debugging
dumpanalysis.org
minidump analysis
your debugger is not using the correct symbols
windows via c/c++
windows internals
minidump
aapl
memoretics
user mode process dumper
memory dump analysis
type referenced: kernel32!pnlsuserinfo
ibmsprem.exe
memory dump
userdump
windbg !analyze
zwusergetmessage
memory dump analysis anthology, volume 1
pool corruption
windbg
windows vista crash dump
failure_bucket_id
frame ip not in any known module
kiswapcontext
werfault.exe
what is a crash dump
flow analysis was incomplete, some code may be missing
wanarpv6
ldrpcallinitroutine
windbg scripts
wow64exts
debug_flr_image_timestamp
userdump debug
crash analyzer
dumpanalysis
vdtw30.dll
windbg 64 bits dump identify
fnodobfm
the stored exception information can be accessed via .ecxr.
windbg tips
0×80070026
dmitri windbg
gdb teb
nmi_hardware_failure
system_thread_exception_not_handled
system_thread_exception_not_handled (7e)
windbg command
pool allocations have failed
receivelotsacalls
trap frame
vista dr watson
bios disassembly ninjutsu uncovered
citrix tools at pubforum
clock_watchdog_timeout
dump analyzer

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

The work for Memory Dump Analysis Anthology, Volume 2 is underway and it is natural to use the modular structure of a book heap again for its front cover. Now it is the partial reading list for this year (click to enlarge):

In addition to memory dump allegory the picture also symbolizes kernel / user space split of 4Gb virtual address space :-) Of course, this is just the base image and the book title will be put somewhere on it.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Many people expressed interest in expanding Practical Foundations of Debugging (x64) and merging it with commented version of Practical Foundations of Debugging (x86) and Reading Windows-based Code. I therefore decided to dedicate some time during the next two months for this task and publish a book. Its main purpose is to help technical support and escalation engineers, testers and software developers without the knowledge of assembly language and C to master all necessary prerequisites to understand and start debugging and crash dump analysis on Windows platforms. It doesn’t require any specific knowledge, fills the gap and lowers the learning curve required for Advanced Windows Debugging and for my own books. It will also serve as a hardware complement to my seminars that I give from time to time. More details will be posted later but for now there are preliminary product details:

• Title: Windows Debugging: Practical Foundations
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Publisher: Opentask (01 February 2009)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-10-0
• Paperback: 200 pages

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Analysis of computer memory snapshots (memory dumps) and their evolution is the domain of memoretics. Computer memory semiotics (memiotics or memosemiotics) is the branch of memoretics that studies the interpretation of computer memory, its meaning, signs and symbols.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -     

Due to a request I opened AERA subforum:

http://www.dumpanalysis.org/forum/viewforum.php?f=29

Everyone is welcome to comment and add thoughts.

IBCDAS code name has been changed to AERA

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org - 

This new book will be published later this year:

Concurrent Programming on Windows Vista: Architecture, Principles, and Patterns (Microsoft .NET Development Series)

Although it is featured in Microsoft .NET Development Series I believe that it might be very interesting read for both unmanaged and managed code developers and escalation engineers. Understanding concurrency and having the ability to see its patterns is the crucial skill for crash dump analysis and debugging of complex software issues. I pre-ordered it myself and write a review once it is in print.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

I decided to post selected crash dumps for some case studies and patterns after getting feedback from readers of my MDAA book. They are custom made from my toy programs and preprocessed to clear sensitive information that might have leaked from my home computers otherwise. They can be found at the following public FTP address:

ftp://dumpanalysis.org/pub/

The first example was published today for Missing Component (static linking) pattern. I also created the following page to list them all including the ones that I add for some previously published patterns:

Memory Dump File Samples

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Due to the request from blog readers I made my old Practical Foundations of Debugging lectures available in PDF format:

1. Memory, registers and simple arithmetic
2. Number representations and pointers
3. Bytes, words, double words and pointers to memory
4. Instruction pointer and disassembling a program with pointers
5. Memory and stacks
6. Frame pointer and local variables (Part 1)
7. Frame pointer and local variables (Part 2)
8. Function parameters
9. Function pointer parameters (Part 1)
10. Function pointer parameters (Part 2)
11. Virtual Memory, Processes and Threads (Part 1)
12. Virtual Memory, Processes and Threads (Part 2)
13. Arrays and structures in memory (Part 1)
14. Arrays and structures in memory (Part 2)

x64 version:

1. Memory, registers and simple arithmetic
2. Number representations and pointers

I keep both versions (HTMP and PDF) on the following pages where updates or corrections will be posted in the future:

Practical Foundations of Debugging (x86)
Practical Foundations of Debugging (x64)

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Just discovered that China has its own 1000 page Windows debugging book:

ISBN: 9787121064074 (June, 2008)

Author is Zhang Yinkui (Raymond Zhang).

Google translation is quite impressive:

Automatically translated

Automatically translated Table of Contents

Original

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Motivated by The Science of Sherlock Holmes I plan to write a book about the history of debugging with the following preliminary product details and tentative release date (which may come earlier if I have enough time):

• Title: The Science of Dr. Watson: An Illustrated History of Debugging
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Publisher: Opentask (01 September 2010)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-07-0
• Paperback: 256 pages

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

I was visiting Microsoft in March and here are some pictures I took outside the building where I worked (click to enlarge):

I also visited the company store where people were buying “Microsoft Brain” toy and saw one of the thickest software engineering books (1488 pages) there. Initially I hesitated to buy it because of its price but subsequently bought it nevertheless upon my return to Ireland:

Software Engineering Foundations: A Software Science Perspective

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Full-color special edition is available now. PART 6: Fun with Crash Dumps that features memory dump visualization pictures is the most impressive there. All screenshots and diagrams are color too. The book is thicker, heavier and much more expensive. Print on demand color books are very pricey. It is only available on Lulu because my Ingram distributor, Lightning Source, doesn’t print color books with more than 480 pages:

Memory Dump Analysis Anthology Collector’s Edition, Volume 1 

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

ManagementBits Blog:

Management Bit and Tip 0×400

Managing Reading via Cooperative Multireading

LiterateScientist Blog:

The Science of Sherlock Holmes

Is it Safe to Eat?

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Following the introductory division of memory analysis into two broad categories I decided to plan yet another book with the following title and preliminary product details:

• Title: Memory Analysis Forensics and Intelligence: An Integral Approach
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Publisher: Opentask (01 September 2009)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 22.86 x 15.24
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-05-6
• Paperback: 256 pages

As you might have noticed, I prefer to put 128, 256 or 512 pages in my book announcements. What that would say about the author’s background? I would like to set 1024 pages for my memory dump analysis anthology series but 740 or 800 pages is the limit for POD technology I use.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Motivated by the following book title that I bought a month ago:

The Oxford Book of Modern Science Writing

I decided to convert my library into a beautifully illustrated color book called

The Opentask Guide to Modern Software Engineering Writing

I plan to update it yearly with new titles that come to my attention. The first edition is planned for this summer and has the following draft product details:

• Title: The Opentask Guide to Modern Software Engineering Writing, 2008 Edition
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Publisher: Opentask (25 August 2008)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 21.6 x 14.0
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-04-9
• Paperback: 128 pages

Draft table of contents and sample chapter will be posted soon. 

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -