Software Diagnostics Library

Following the success of Windows Debugging: Practical Foundations the following title will be published this summer:

Windows Device Drivers: Practical Foundations (ISBN: 978-0955832840)

Table of contents will be posted later.

Other planned titles:

X64 Windows Debugging: Practical Foundations (ISBN: 978-1906717568) 

Windows Multithreading: Practical Foundations (ISBN: 978-1906717742)

 Like Windows Debugging book, these forthcoming titles are based on my seminars. 

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Previously announced memory dump analysis certification will have x86/x64-based tracks for Windows and Unix (including Linux / FreeBSD / Mac OS X). Each track consists of 3 exams, each having its own set of requirements and scope:

• Fundamentals of Memory Dump Analysis
• Intermediate Memory Dump Analysis
• Advanced Memory Dump Analysis

More information will be available later. The initiative is supported by OpenTask.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

The paperback version of the book Windows Debugging: Practical Foundations has been temporarily out of print since the last week but this should be resolved very soon in a few days. OpenTask also submitted to print a hardcover version (ISBN: 978-1906717674) and it should be available for sale by the end of this week.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org - 

Finally it has been published and available for orders from Amazon and other bookstores:

http://www.dumpanalysis.org/Debugged+Magazine

I had to increase the number of pages for the first issue from 16, planned originally, to 28 and this is reflected in the retail price of $10 (originally planned $8) but bookstores should sell it with a discount between 0% and 55%.

More information about the next issue should be ready by the end of the next week.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org - 

Previously announced Memory Analysis and Debugging Institute was registered in the Republic of Ireland (No. 382026) last week.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org - 

Yesterday I submitted the magazine to print and distribution world-wide. If everything is right it should be available by the end of this month. This first issue features 12 page WinDbg command supplement to pattern-driven memory dump analysis methodology, an overview of Win32dd complete memory dumper and PowerDbg enhancements to debug ASP.NET code. The magazine will only be available in print.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

I’m sorry to announce that the book has been delayed and the publication date has been changed to 30th of November, 2009. I promise this delay is the last one and kindly ask you to be patient. As a bonus or compensation for it, the book will also cover Windows 7.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Looked this evening at Amazon and found that the book achieved #1 status (although it might not be the case at the time when you are reading this post):

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

One of the good outcomes of the previously announced restructuring: the book Crash Dump Analysis for System Administrators (Windows edition) has been prioritized to be published on 30th of November, 2009 due to the overwhelming demand. The book will soon be available for pre-orders.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

While preparing a presentation for an engineering conference I found that a page to reference various wait chain patterns is necessary, so I created this post:

• Wait Chain (general)
• Wait Chain (critical sections)
• Wait Chain (executive resources)
• Wait Chain (thread objects)
• Wait Chain (LPC/ALPC)
• Wait Chain (process objects)
• Wait Chain (RPC)
• Wait Chain (window messaging)
• Wait Chain (named pipes)
• Wait Chain (mutex objects)
• Wait Chain (pushlocks)
• Distributed Wait Chain
• Wait Chain (CLR monitors)
• Screwbolt Wait Chain
• Wait Chain (RTL_RESOURCE)
• Wait Chain (modules)
• Wait Chain (nonstandard synchronization)
• Wait Chain (C++11, condition variable)
• Wait Chain (SRW lock)

I’ll update it as soon as I add more similar patterns.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

While preparing a presentation for an engineering conference I found that another different page to reference link time problems is necessary, so I created this post:

• Missing Component (general)
• Missing Component (static linking, user mode)
• Duplicated Module
• Unloaded Module

I’ll update it as soon as I add more similar patterns.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

While preparing a presentation for an engineering conference I found that yet another page to reference different kinds of insufficient memory patterns is necessary, so I created this post:

• Insufficient Memory (committed memory)
• Insufficient Memory (handle leak)
• Insufficient Memory (kernel pool)
• Insufficient Memory (PTE)
• Insufficient Memory (module fragmentation)
• Insufficient Memory (physical memory)
• Insufficient Memory (control blocks)
• Insufficient Memory (reserved virtual memory)
• Memory Leak (process heap)
• Memory Leak (.NET heap)
• Memory Leak (page tables)
• Memory Leak (I/O completion packets)
• Punctuated Memory Leak
• Insufficient Memory (session pool)
• Memory Fluctuation (process heap)
• Insufficient Memory (stack trace database)
• Insufficient Memory (region)
• Memory Leak (regions)
• Handle Leak
• Reference Leak
• Object Distribution Anomaly (.NET heap)
• Handle Limit (GDI, kernel space)
• Handle Limit (GDI, user space)
• Relative Memory Leak
• Insufficient Memory (stack)

I’ll update it as soon as I add more similar patterns.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

While preparing a presentation for an engineering conference I found that another page to reference different kinds of dynamic memory corruption patterns is necessary, so I created this post too:

• Dynamic Memory Corruption (process heap)
• Dynamic Memory Corruption (kernel pool)
• Double Free (process heap)
• Double Free (kernel pool)
• Dynamic Memory Corruption (managed heap)

I’ll update it as soon as I add more similar patterns.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

While preparing a presentation for an engineering conference I found that a page to reference all different kinds of deadlocks is necessary, so I created this post:

• Deadlock (critical sections)
• Deadlock (executive resources)
• Deadlock (mixed objects, user space)
• Deadlock (LPC)
• Deadlock (mixed objects, kernel space)
• Deadlock (self)
• Livelock
• Deadlock (managed space)
• Deadlock (.NET Finalizer)

I’ll update it as soon as I add more similar patterns.

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

Noticed today on Amazon that my book becomes more expensive after being used:

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

The book is available for ordering from Amazon with a significant discount:

Windows Debugging: Practical Foundations

Although listed as temporarily out of stock at the time of this writing it should appear in stock in a few days. Search Inside is also enabled.

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

I very proud to announce that after 3 weeks of final work the book has been released in both paperback and PDF format. In a week or so it should also appear on Amazon and other booksellers around the world. The book information and how to buy it can be found on the portal:

Windows Debugging: Practical Foundations

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

Draft Table of Contents is available for the forthcoming Windows Debugging: Practical Foundations book to be released next week:

Draft Table of Contents

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

It had always been my dream since I left Moscow State University to be associated with a research institute. Until yesterday it became a reality with the announcement of

Memory Analysis & Debugging Institute (MA_&D^I).

From: http://www.dumpanalysis.org/madinstitute-announcement

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -

The analogy between learning a complex tool with its own language and a foreign natural language has been developed further after the release of WinDbg Learning Cards and finally culminated in “WinDbg In Use” book series with the first book to be published during the 1st quarter of 2009:

• Title: WinDbg In Use: Debugging Exercises (Elementary and Intermediate Level)
• Author: Dmitry Vostokov
• Publisher: Opentask (15 March 2009)
• Language: English
• Product Dimensions: 23.5 x 19.1
• ISBN-13: 978-1-906717-50-6
• Paperback: 200 pages
• Book Annotation: Includes 60 programmed exercises from real life debugging and crash dump analysis scenarios and multiple-choice questions with full answers, comments and suggestions for further reading.

Some example exercises will be published on this blog from time to time. I also plan a corresponding column in the forthcoming Debugged! magazine. 

- Dmitry Vostokov @ DumpAnalysis.org -