Debugging issues

Since I installed the Windows update that remove HomeGroup (on my home computer), I have had various levels of dysfunction of the kernel debugger. I had originally used HomeGroup for controlling all access and sharing.

I am debugging by pressing F5 from VS, using a Hyper-V Windows 10 VM. Everything has worked flawlessly for as long as I can remember prior to the update.

The current state is: VS and OS (both host and client) are latest, not including VS 2019 preview. Installing the provisioning tools works fine, provisioning goes without a hitch, and minifilter driver deploys properly. Oh, and I got my local shared folder working with some effort.

What is not working is:

  • DbgPrint messages no longer come through
  • Cannot break into kernel
  • Adding a break point into the code hangs the computer but does not throw out to the debugger
  • Debug → Attach won’t connect

I’ve had similar problems in the past due to things like firewall issues (Internal virtual switch is set to Public, which blocks ICMP and other protocols, but cannot access to set to Private), but I have disabled all firewalls to no avail.

Any suggestions? The next step for me will be to start with a new VM, install Windows, provision, etc. and hope the problem is not with Windows. Any ideas would be appreciated

_Ron

I never use the provisioning feature and only ever manually configure kernel debugging for use with WinDbg. I also never use HomeGroups, so I’m basically saying that I’m useless in helping you with your problem :slight_smile: Feel the pain though, good luck!

Thanks for commiserating. I hope I can find the solution so I can add it to my troubleshooting list

Use hyper-v with network debugging. That works and it is super fast.
Check out (https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows-hardware/drivers/debugger/setting-up-network-debugging-of-a-virtual-machine-host “here”) if interested.
I have never used that setup myself, as Scott is saying I usually configure it manually, recently using Hyper-V instead of VMWare. I decided to switch because the network debugging configuration is just so much quicker, but other than that windbg externally.
Good luck.

I am debugging by pressing F5 from VS, using a Hyper-V Windows 10 VM.

Bad idea.

Everything has worked flawlessly for as long as I can remember …

Yup… until it doesn’t. That’s often the way. And when things stop working, it can be nigh unto impossible to diagnose the problem.

That, and the fact that getting F5 deploy from VS to work in the first place is a hit-or-miss affair, are the reasons that we counsel our students, clients, and friends to just ignore the whole “deloy and debug using VS” and use WinDbg. With deploy, they need some very complex technology to solve what, for a human with a keyboard is a relatively simple problem (copy the file to the target, disable and re-enable the driver).

Peter

I have used F5 to deploy and debug seamlessly for a couple of years nearly. No real problems at all outside of this home computer that lost its marbles when HomeGroup went away. I’ve got a couple of ideas after my post in the WinDbg group. If that doesn’t work, I’m going to create a new VM and start over.

@Gabriel_Bercea Thanks for the advice. I am using Hyper-V, and love it, except for the enhanced vs non-enhanced mode mickey mouse stuff. Since the VS debugger requires the WDKRemoteUser to be logged in, and it only logs in in non-enhanced mode, and non-enhanced mode is very limited, I have to use that very limited interface when working on the VM, but I’ve gotten used to it.

I have used F5 to deploy and debug seamlessly for a couple of years nearly. No real problems at all

Well, every workman deserves the right to choose their own tools. You’ve got something that works for you, so… I hope it continues to work.

P