Can't read MEMORY.DMP file

[wazoo]

So.... I downloaded and installed both the Debugging tools from MS as well as the Symbols package.

I run WinDbg and set the Symbol File Path to c:\Symbols; where I installed the Symbols download to.

I then Open Crash Dump and load in my MEMORY.DMP file that was created when I got a BSOD while playing Left4Dead (I have a feeling my Creative X-fi XTreme is the problem... but I'm not sure).

However, I get no usefull information because the debugger tells me:

*** ERROR: Symbol file could not be found. Defaulted to export symbols for ntkrnlmp.exe -

And what follow sis just a few pages of "Debugger is not using the correct symbols."

I got this message BEFORE I downloaded the Symbols install... and then installed Symbols thinking that would solve it.

No such luck.

What am I doing wrong here??

Thanks!

 

[zigzag3143]

BSOD dumpfile

So.... I downloaded and installed both the Debugging tools from MS as well as the Symbols package.

I run WinDbg and set the Symbol File Path to c:\Symbols; where I installed the Symbols download to.

I then Open Crash Dump and load in my MEMORY.DMP file that was created when I got a BSOD while playing Left4Dead (I have a feeling my Creative X-fi XTreme is the problem... but I'm not sure).

However, I get no usefull information because the debugger tells me:

*** ERROR: Symbol file could not be found. Defaulted to export symbols for ntkrnlmp.exe -

And what follow sis just a few pages of "Debugger is not using the correct symbols."

I got this message BEFORE I downloaded the Symbols install... and then installed Symbols thinking that would solve it.

No such luck.

What am I doing wrong here??

Thanks!

Hi and welcome to sevenforums

Please check device manager to see if the vid driver and audio drivers are installed and working "properly" as I said in the PM.

Thanks

Ken

 

[wazoo]

That was the first thing I checked.
Yes... both drivers are installed and functioning properly.

 

[zigzag3143]

memory.dmp

That was the first thing I checked.
Yes... both drivers are installed and functioning properly.

how abt system specs. make model, ram, etc. OS (32 or 64). usb stuff like flash drives, card readers, bluetooth, anything device related.

Ken

 

[sonyman]

Chances are that if you don't know how to read a memory dump, you don't need to be in the first place. I don't mean that in a bad way either. Chances are good that the BSOD itself or the event log contains all the information you need.

 

[wazoo]

how abt system specs. make model, ram, etc. OS (32 or 64). usb stuff like flash drives, card readers, bluetooth, anything device related.

Ken

I've updated the system specs in the forum CP... so that should have all the pertinent info.

Thanks.

 

[wazoo]

Chances are that if you don't know how to read a memory dump, you don't need to be in the first place. I don't mean that in a bad way either. Chances are good that the BSOD itself or the event log contains all the information you need.

I'm not *entirely* sure I understand your response. I know how to *interpret* a memory.dmp file... the problem I am having is I am unable to get Windbg to give me an analysis due to the bad symbol errors I am getting.

The event log can no useful info.... and the BSOD, unfortunately, was set to auto-reboot at the time so I did not get a chance to analyze it.

 

[sonyman]

I'm not *entirely* sure I understand your response. I know how to *interpret* a memory.dmp file... the problem I am having is I am unable to get Windbg to give me an analysis due to the bad symbol errors I am getting.

The event log can no useful info.... and the BSOD, unfortunately, was set to auto-reboot at the time so I did not get a chance to analyze it.

Disable automatic restart upon system failure and wait for the BSOD to occur again in that case, although the BSOD should have been logged. What I meant in my earlier post is that it probably won't help you figure out what the problem is any better than the BSOD itself, which should have contained all pertinent information.

 

[wazoo]

Disable automatic restart upon system failure and wait for the BSOD to occur again in that case, although the BSOD should have been logged. What I meant in my earlier post is that it probably won't help you figure out what the problem is any better than the BSOD itself, which should have contained all pertinent information.

Unless I am mistaken, isn't the BSOD info in the Memory.dmp file? So if I can read the original dum file, won't the BSOD info be in it?

The BSOD's have been rare. Unfortunately, problems with the games have not. For example, I've had both WoW and Left4Dead lock, sound loop, and then CTD. Unfortunately, what caused them to CTD has not be identifiable. The Left4Dead BSOD I mentioned above followed an earlier freeze, sound loop and CTD for L4Dead. So I'm hopeful that the BSOD memory dump will confirm that it is, in fact, my sound card causing the problem (what I suspect).

 

[sonyman]

Unless I am mistaken, isn't the BSOD info in the Memory.dmp file? So if I can read the original dum file, won't the BSOD info be in it?

The BSOD's have been rare. Unfortunately, problems with the games have not. For example, I've had both WoW and Left4Dead lock, sound loop, and then CTD. Unfortunately, what caused them to CTD has not be identifiable. The Left4Dead BSOD I mentioned above followed an earlier freeze, sound loop and CTD for L4Dead. So I'm hopeful that the BSOD memory dump will confirm that it is, in fact, my sound card causing the problem (what I suspect).

I believe that it is, so at this point it may be worth a shot.

 

[usasma]

Ensure the system is connected to the web, then use the public symbol server - it will prevent the problems that you're seeing with the symbols being downloaded to your system.

Here's the symbol file path that I use:

SRV*c:\symbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

More info here: http://usasma.vox.com/library/post/diagnosing-bsods-originally-posted-02oct08.html

You can obtain information from dump files even if the symbols are incorrect. It's just a bit harder and more frustrating. But in the absence of all the symbols - it's all you've got.

Finally, Windows 7 is still being changed - so the symbol files may not apply to the version that you're using. For example, if you've updated your Windows 7 installation to a newer version of ntoskrnl.exe, Microsoft may not have uploaded those symbols - either to the downloaded symbol files or to the public symbol server.

Finally, zipping up the dump files and uploading the .zip file to the forum allows others to have a look at them. They may notice something significant also - so it's a win-win situation for all concerned.