Computer memory analysis is based on interconnected structures of symbols and we state that there exists a memory language that extends a hierarchy of modeling and implementation languages (both domain-specific and general-purpose):
- 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:
Back cover features memory space art image: Internal Process Combustion.
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -
In part 1 we defined MemP category and the operating field of a pointer as its link to a memory location it is pointing to. This operating field value can be in a different pseudo-memory plane if its value is outside memory bounds, for example, 8FFFFFF0 for a memory with the highest possible address 7FFFFFFF:
We define the closure of memory as the smallest MemP category that includes memory for operating fields of every pointer for the current memory snapshot. For example above, by adding another memory location that has a pointer value pointing back to the original memory region we have the following operating closure:
We can also add more memory as well:
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org + TraceAnalysis.org -
I started applying category theory (as an alternative to traditional set-theoretic approach of memory bits) to memory dump analysis, debugging and software trace analysis in parallel to my studies of that branch of mathematics and reading the book Memory Evolutive Systems
This category definitely applies to software traces as well if we consider every individual trace message or statement as a minidump. We currently consider software trace category MemT as a subcategory of MemD.
Configuration category of a computer memory dump represents its memory internals at an instant t (ideal memory dumps) or at a time interval T: components and links, pointers, wait chains, causal relations, data flows, … .
Pointers and their links are also objects and arrows to form a category, called MemP(tr). The following picture illustrates it with the last pointer shown as a dereference fixpoint:
The perception field of a pointer is a category of all links to its memory location:
However, the operating field of a pointer is its link to a memory location it is pointing to.
- 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
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.
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 -
A nibble is a (0,1)-matrix, a byte is a cubic 0,1-lattice and the next cubic byte-boundary 0,1-lattice represents a 64-bit qword:
This is what I call a natural memory representation as memory building blocks or qubic memory (do not mistaken it with qubit memory). This elevates bytes and 64-bit quadruple words as natural addresses and shows that 32-bit addresses are unnatural.
This also allows to us to visualize certain overlapped memory patterns in dump files (same vertice, edge or side).
- 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:
Back cover features 3D computer memory visualization image.
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
Consider this example mapping (taken metaphorically from the mathematical notion of an injection) of one domain of knowledge to another:
This mapping between concepts and ideas was once called “bijectivism” but was trivially described either as one to one mapping between two domains (like physical vs. mathematical) or fusing different concepts together to get another emerging concept. I myself proposed the similar mapping and called it a metaphorical bijection.
Now consider another mapping metaphorically equivalent to a mathematical notion of a surjection where all constituents of the second domain are covered metaphorically by the first domain:
What we strive for is to establish the complete bijective mapping and reorganize our knowledge of both domains to achieve that:
In diagrams above small boxes can represent sets of ideas, methods, etc. or individual ideas, methods, etc. The established metaphorical bijection can divide sets or combine them if needed. There can be several such bijections, of course, and we can use other methods of inquiry (for example, the scientific method) to choose between competing metaphorical bijections.
Useful mnemonic:
BEIS (B=I+S or to BE IS …)
Bijectionism Equals Injection + Surjection
Another mnemonic:
BET (B=T or to BE Transformation…)
Bijectionism Equals Transformation
Note also the second letter of Alef-Beis or Alef-Bet, the letter of Light that has interpretation of Creation in Biblical Hebrew.
More on this later as I need to come back to DebugWare patterns.
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
Quantum computation, quantum memory and quantum information are hot topics today. Unfortunately quantum mechanics forbids perfect (ideal) memory dumps due to the so called no cloning theorem. Still it is possible to get inconsistent (imperfect) memory dumps and perfect memory dumps can be made from quantum computer simulators. The analysis of quantum memory snapshots is the domain of Quantum Memoretics.
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
I’ve been trying to put memory dump analysis on relevant scientific grounds for some time and now this branch of science needs its own name. After considering different alternative names I finally chose the word Memoretics. Here is the brief definition:
Computer Memoretics studies computer memory snapshots and their evolution in time.
Obviously this domain of research has many links with application and system debugging. However its scope is wider than debugging because it doesn’t necessarily study memory snapshots from systems and applications experiencing faulty behaviour.
Initially I was thinking about Memogenics word but its suffix is heavily associated with genes metaphor which I’m currently trying to avoid although I personally re-discovered software genes approach to software disorders when thinking about Memoretics vs. Memogenics. Later I found some research efforts going on but seems they are based on constructing software genes artificially. On the contrary I would try to discover genes in computer memories first.
Also Memoretics has longer prefix almost resembling Memory word. This had the final influence on my decision.
PS. I was also thinking about Memorology word but it has negative connotations with Astrology or Numerology and was coined already by someone like Memology and Memorics.
- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -
