Can not start kernel-mode debug connection to vmware

[ping235]

I can not start kernel-mode debug connection to vmware, it says:
Unable to connect to ‘vm://Winxp’. One of the library files needed to run this application cannot be found.

The environments:
VMWare workstation 7.1.4 build-385536
Visual Studio 2008 SP1(the same error occurred on Visual Studio 2010 SP1)

The steps to represent the issue:
1. Open the driver project
2. Select ToolsAttach to process menu item
3. Set Transport to kernel-mode connections, and set Qualifier to vm://WinXP
4. then the error message box appeared, it raised the same error when press refresh button.

Does anyone known how to resolve this problem? Any suggestion is appreciate.

ping235

[support]

Hi, did you install the 32-bit version of Debugging tools for Windows and specify the correct path in VisualDDK settings?

[ping235]

Yes, I do,

I installed WinDDK 7600.16385.1 with debuggers(32-bit kd.exe and windbg.exe), i believe i have specified the correct path in VisualDDK settings.
that is the snapshot of VisualDDK settings and WinDDK directory.

[support]

I mean, the debugging tools path here:
[attachment=0:v89idxtl]dbgtools.png[/attachment:v89idxtl]

[ping235]

Thank you, bazis,

I checked the debugging tools path, it is different from yours but it do point to the path where windbg.exe, kd.exe and dbgeng.dll reside in, the path: C:WinDDK7600.16385.1Debuggers is the default install path.

P.S. I don’t know if it is relevant or not, my windbg comes from winddk.

[support]

The windbg that comes with WDK is probably 64-bit. You need to install the 32-bit WinDbg by running V:Debuggerssetup_x86.exe, where V: is your WDK disc.

[ping235]

I tried following your way, just get the same error.

I can run windbg in windows explorer just from the path: C:WinDDK7600.16385.1Debuggers, my OS is 32-bit WinXP, so the windbg must be 32-bit version, isn’t it?

In addition, the windbg works fine with VisualDDK’s vmmon.exe, just can not start debug from vs IDE, is there other possible question?

[support]

Please download VisualDDK 1.5.4, select “register debug version of DDKDebugger.dll” in installer, run Visual Studio as administrator, attempt debugging and post the DDKDebugger.log file from VisualDDK directory here. The log file should contain problem details.

[ping235]

Hi bazis,

I tried VisualDDK 1.5.4, although there still have some problems, but it works finally. that is the steps:
1. uninstall WinDDK and VisualDDK
2. reinstall winddk except the debug tools
3. install debug tools manually by running {drive letter of WDK CD}:Debuggerssetup_x86.exe
4. copy dbgeng.dll and dbghelp.dll to system32, and replace the old one
5. install VisualDDK 1.5.4

If missing step 4, it will complains that “The procedure entry point SymSetSearchPathW could not be located in the dynamic link library dbghelp.dll.” and then tell dbgeng.dll is not win32 version when install VisualDDK 1.5.4 at step 5.

Thanks so much for the nice tool and your patience.

[support]

Oops. Copying both to system32 was a bad idea. WinDBG uses some very special version of dbghelp.dll that is incompatible with most other clients.
Please restore the original versions and specify the debugging tools location in VisualDDK properties. VIsualDDK will automatically use the correct versions.

[ping235]

Now it works well totally, no need to replace dbgeng.dll and dbghelp.dll anymore, i just restored the OS, maybe some other apps messed the OS up.

Thanks a lot. bazis.

[Author]

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