app verifier for web application

[SkillPoint]

Hi there,

I have been tasked with getting a project ready to undergo the Microsoft
Certification for Hosted Solutions.

I downloaded the documentation and have been following the steps but am
having problems with AppVerifier.

I installed version 4 on my local machine (where the web app is installed)
under my user profile. The AppVerifierLogs folder was created under my
profile.

following the documentation I saw that I needed to attach to:
inetinfo.exe
dllhost.exe
svchost.exe
aspnet_wp.exe

I did this but no logs were created. I did some more reading and found that
I needed to change the user running aspnet_wp to be the one who installed the
software. so I changed that in machine.config and added my profile to
permissions under security for the Temporary ASP.NET files folder.

I am actually only wanting to run the heaps, locks and handles tests as
required for the MCP.

I tried to attach to NOTEPAD.exe to see if I would get logs there, but these
were not created.

I was prompted to install the windows debugger, but the online documentation
is confusing. I'm not sure if I need it to run the tests mentionned above?

When I do open the debugger and attach to an executable I get an error
regarding the symbol path. it keeps reverting to ntdll. I am running XP Pro
on my machine. I tried putting all the relevant pdb files into one folder and
pointing at that, to no avail.

I do get log files when running windbg but not useful ones as it falls over
on the symbol issue.

Please can you give me some direction, I'm not sure what else to try.

regards
H

[Prasad Kakulamarri [MSFT]]

Hi,

1) Location of the log files:
You need to restart the application after enabling verifier settings. The
logs are stored in the users profile. If the app is running under different
credentials than the logged on user, you need to look in the users profile
the app is running under. Here are some guidelines:
By default, the logs

for services/apps running under user account are under:
%USERPROFILE%\AppVerifierLogs

for services/apps running under local service account are under:
%windir%\serviceprofiles\LocalService\AppVerifierLogs

for services/apps running under network service account are under:
%windir%\serviceprofiles\NetworkService\AppVerifierLogs

for services/apps running under sytem account are under:
%windir%\system32\config\systemprofile\AppVerifierLogs

If you don’t find logs in any of these folders, look under the “Default
user” profile.

2) Debugger required message
We recommend hooking up a debugger when you enable any of the Basics checks
as the information in the log file may not be sufficient to nail down the
problem.

3) Symbols
You can set the symbol path using any of the following methods:
a) using _NT_SYMBOL_PATH environment variable
Ex: set
_NT_SYMBOL_PATH=srv*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols;c:\mysymbols
b) or in the debugger with teh following command
.sympath srv*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols;c:\mysymbols
c) or in the appverifier UI when you are viewing the logs.

Please let us know if you need any further help.
Thanks,
Prasad

Post by SkillPoint
Hi there,
I have been tasked with getting a project ready to undergo the Microsoft
Certification for Hosted Solutions.
I downloaded the documentation and have been following the steps but am
having problems with AppVerifier.
I installed version 4 on my local machine (where the web app is installed)
under my user profile. The AppVerifierLogs folder was created under my
profile.
inetinfo.exe
dllhost.exe
svchost.exe
aspnet_wp.exe
I did this but no logs were created. I did some more reading and found that
I needed to change the user running aspnet_wp to be the one who installed the
software. so I changed that in machine.config and added my profile to
permissions under security for the Temporary ASP.NET files folder.
I am actually only wanting to run the heaps, locks and handles tests as
required for the MCP.
I tried to attach to NOTEPAD.exe to see if I would get logs there, but these
were not created.
I was prompted to install the windows debugger, but the online documentation
is confusing. I'm not sure if I need it to run the tests mentionned above?
When I do open the debugger and attach to an executable I get an error
regarding the symbol path. it keeps reverting to ntdll. I am running XP Pro
on my machine. I tried putting all the relevant pdb files into one folder and
pointing at that, to no avail.
I do get log files when running windbg but not useful ones as it falls over
on the symbol issue.
Please can you give me some direction, I'm not sure what else to try.
regards
H

[SkillPoint]

Hi Prasad,

thanks for your help.

I have sorted out the symbol files.
I cannot use the "Verifier Stop Options" on AppVerifier because this menu
option is disabled.

If I attach to aspnet_wp, inetinfo, ddlhost, svchost through appVerifier I
do not get logs.
If I attach to only one at a time (aspnet_wp) as an executable in windbg I
get a log created, but am not testing my application in this process.

If I start my application and then attach to the aspnet_wp in windbg then I
can see the interaction between the debugger (commandline output) and my
application, but no logs are created.

I tried doing this while the appVerifier was also attached to the processes
as well, still no logs.

For the MCP - hosted solutions, do you know if first chance errors must be
handled?

regards
Helen

Post by Prasad Kakulamarri [MSFT]
Hi,
You need to restart the application after enabling verifier settings. The
logs are stored in the users profile. If the app is running under different
credentials than the logged on user, you need to look in the users profile
By default, the logs
%USERPROFILE%\AppVerifierLogs
%windir%\serviceprofiles\LocalService\AppVerifierLogs
%windir%\serviceprofiles\NetworkService\AppVerifierLogs
%windir%\system32\config\systemprofile\AppVerifierLogs
If you don’t find logs in any of these folders, look under the “Default
user” profile.
2) Debugger required message
We recommend hooking up a debugger when you enable any of the Basics checks
as the information in the log file may not be sufficient to nail down the
problem.
3) Symbols
a) using _NT_SYMBOL_PATH environment variable
Ex: set
_NT_SYMBOL_PATH=srv*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols;c:\mysymbols
b) or in the debugger with teh following command
.sympath srv*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols;c:\mysymbols
c) or in the appverifier UI when you are viewing the logs.
Please let us know if you need any further help.
Thanks,
Prasad

Post by SkillPoint
Hi there,
I have been tasked with getting a project ready to undergo the Microsoft
Certification for Hosted Solutions.
I downloaded the documentation and have been following the steps but am
having problems with AppVerifier.
I installed version 4 on my local machine (where the web app is installed)
under my user profile. The AppVerifierLogs folder was created under my
profile.
inetinfo.exe
dllhost.exe
svchost.exe
aspnet_wp.exe
I did this but no logs were created. I did some more reading and found that
I needed to change the user running aspnet_wp to be the one who installed the
software. so I changed that in machine.config and added my profile to
permissions under security for the Temporary ASP.NET files folder.
I am actually only wanting to run the heaps, locks and handles tests as
required for the MCP.
I tried to attach to NOTEPAD.exe to see if I would get logs there, but these
were not created.
I was prompted to install the windows debugger, but the online documentation
is confusing. I'm not sure if I need it to run the tests mentionned above?
When I do open the debugger and attach to an executable I get an error
regarding the symbol path. it keeps reverting to ntdll. I am running XP Pro
on my machine. I tried putting all the relevant pdb files into one folder and
pointing at that, to no avail.
I do get log files when running windbg but not useful ones as it falls over
on the symbol issue.
Please can you give me some direction, I'm not sure what else to try.
regards
H

[Prasad Kakulamarri [MSFT]]

Hi Helen,
The "Verifier Stop Options" will be available when a leaf node is selected.
For Example if "Basics" is selected since this is not a leaf node, it is
disabled. For ex: If Heaps is selected, it will be enabled.

AppVerifier does not launch your application. The process for using
AppVerifier is:
1) Launch AppVerifier, Add your app, enable appropriate checks and Save
****Please note that you should launch (or restart) your app after the
verifier settings are saved.
2) Launch your application either under a debugger or with out a debugger
3) Run the tests on your application
4) Examine the log or if your app is under a debugger, examine any failures.

Please note that AppVerifier verifies unmanaged code only. If your web
application is written in pure managed code, you will not benefit from
running with AppVerifier.

Access Violations are bad and should be fixed. The Exceptions check only
catches first chance access violations.

Thanks,
Prasad

Post by SkillPoint
Hi Prasad,
thanks for your help.
I have sorted out the symbol files.
I cannot use the "Verifier Stop Options" on AppVerifier because this menu
option is disabled.
If I attach to aspnet_wp, inetinfo, ddlhost, svchost through appVerifier I
do not get logs.
If I attach to only one at a time (aspnet_wp) as an executable in windbg I
get a log created, but am not testing my application in this process.
If I start my application and then attach to the aspnet_wp in windbg then I
can see the interaction between the debugger (commandline output) and my
application, but no logs are created.
I tried doing this while the appVerifier was also attached to the processes
as well, still no logs.
For the MCP - hosted solutions, do you know if first chance errors must be
handled?
regards
Helen

Post by Prasad Kakulamarri [MSFT]
Hi,
You need to restart the application after enabling verifier settings. The
logs are stored in the users profile. If the app is running under different
credentials than the logged on user, you need to look in the users profile
By default, the logs
%USERPROFILE%\AppVerifierLogs
%windir%\serviceprofiles\LocalService\AppVerifierLogs
%windir%\serviceprofiles\NetworkService\AppVerifierLogs
%windir%\system32\config\systemprofile\AppVerifierLogs
If you don’t find logs in any of these folders, look under the “Default
user” profile.
2) Debugger required message
We recommend hooking up a debugger when you enable any of the Basics checks
as the information in the log file may not be sufficient to nail down the
problem.
3) Symbols
a) using _NT_SYMBOL_PATH environment variable
Ex: set
_NT_SYMBOL_PATH=srv*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols;c:\mysymbols
b) or in the debugger with teh following command
.sympath srv*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols;c:\mysymbols
c) or in the appverifier UI when you are viewing the logs.
Please let us know if you need any further help.
Thanks,
Prasad

Post by SkillPoint
Hi there,
I have been tasked with getting a project ready to undergo the Microsoft
Certification for Hosted Solutions.
I downloaded the documentation and have been following the steps but am
having problems with AppVerifier.
I installed version 4 on my local machine (where the web app is installed)
under my user profile. The AppVerifierLogs folder was created under my
profile.
inetinfo.exe
dllhost.exe
svchost.exe
aspnet_wp.exe
I did this but no logs were created. I did some more reading and found that
I needed to change the user running aspnet_wp to be the one who installed the
software. so I changed that in machine.config and added my profile to
permissions under security for the Temporary ASP.NET files folder.
I am actually only wanting to run the heaps, locks and handles tests as
required for the MCP.
I tried to attach to NOTEPAD.exe to see if I would get logs there, but these
were not created.
I was prompted to install the windows debugger, but the online documentation
is confusing. I'm not sure if I need it to run the tests mentionned above?
When I do open the debugger and attach to an executable I get an error
regarding the symbol path. it keeps reverting to ntdll. I am running XP Pro
on my machine. I tried putting all the relevant pdb files into one folder and
pointing at that, to no avail.
I do get log files when running windbg but not useful ones as it falls over
on the symbol issue.
Please can you give me some direction, I'm not sure what else to try.
regards
H