Standalone debugging symbols: Free or checked?

What is the difference between Standalone debugging symbols (free) and Standalone debugging symbols (checked) listed on the Service Pack page?

debugsym said:

What is the difference between Standalone debugging symbols (free) and Standalone debugging symbols (checked) listed on the Service Pack page?

Hello, and welcome to the Seven Forums!

An excellent question! The checked symbols are for the Checked Build of Windows, and the Free Symbols are for the Free Build of Windows.

I tell you now that you are running the Free Build of Windows, and that you need thw Free Symbols (ie NOT Checked)

So, I shall now anticipate your next question! What is this elusive Check Build of Windows?

There is a special debug version of Windows known as the Checked Build (available to MSDN subscribers of Professional level or higher) which is a recompiled Windows Build with the DBG flag set.

Basically, this means that when Windows is compiled, compile time conditional debugging and tracing code is included, and compiler optimisations are not performed.

This makes it easier to debug drivers without all of these optimisations, and causes an immediate system crash in case of a detected error, rather than corrupting the data structure, destabilising the system, and causing a much harder to find crash later on.

This is probably all a bit post grad. Very simply, it is a special version of Windows for very clever developers which runs slower but does wacky stuff which these clever people want.

The free build is correct for you!

Richard

So I guess it is not necessary to install the Standalone debugging symbols package unless I am doing any debugging work?

debugsym said:

So I guess it is not necessary to install the Standalone debugging symbols package unless I am doing any debugging work?

Hello!

It depends on what you are doing. The Checked Build has very specific and limited use. You don't have access or that, and neither should you want to (it will run slower)

However, the symbols have a much wider use. They are again, for debugging work, but there is a lot you can do with them, for example debug BSoDs.

If you are just using this computer for web browsing or Microsoft Office, then no, you don't want or need them.

Where did you find out about them, and maybe we can give you specific advice on whether you need them.

Thanks a lot!

Richard

They are listed on the Service Pack page along with the other files. I wondered if they were necessary for the SP1 update as I am doing a fresh install of Windows and don't want to spend ages waiting for all the updates to download.

Thanks for the help!

debugsym said:

They are listed on the Service Pack page along with the other files. I wondered if they were necessary for the SP1 update as I am doing a fresh install of Windows and don't want to spend ages waiting for all the updates to download.

Thanks for the help!

Hello again!

Sorry about not picking that up. I didn't realise that the symbols were there. @Phone Man did, but I didn't recognise that screenshot, because I didn't know that the symbols had been posted there! Oh dear! Sorry about that @Phone Man and @debugsym!

The answer: No, you don't need the symbols. They are indeed only for those who do debugging work.

Have a great day!

Richard

Hey, it is no problem. The page offers very little in the way of description but I guess of you needed the files you wouldn't need a description as you would know their purpose.

debugsym said:

Hey, it is no problem. The page offers very little in the way of description but I guess of you needed the files you wouldn't need a description as you would know their purpose.

Hello again!

It does offer very little information. Those who want it will know whether they need it or not (lol. That does make sense) but otherwise, for everyone else, the vast majority, it is quite confusing.

Anyway, you are unconfused now!

Richard

Phone Man said:

For the normal user you should use the iso (1st on list) or one of the exe (bottom of list).

Attachment 150978

Jim

may be am a noob,what is Standalone debugging symbols?can you explain it