Abstract: A method for verifying driver component behavior is provided. A driver verification component verifies that a driver component processes I/O requests in a specified amount of time. The driver verification component also verifies that pending I/O requests are processed correctly by a driver component. The driver verification component further verifies that a set of parameters in a call to a driver component conforms with security requirements. Additionally, the driver verification component can be enabled for selected drivers and/or selected checks without rebooting the system.

Abstract: An application programming interface (API) that leverages operating system instrumentation to provide a chain of threads and processes may alleviate some debugging complications. Specifically, the chain may start with the first thread in the process that experienced the original failure and end with the last thread upon which the first thread directly or indirectly depends. The API may aid debugging efforts by classifying all threads related or dependent upon an original failed thread into specific categories of failures, requesting further information from the originating OS concerning specific failed threads, and using that information to debug the failed application or process more thoroughly.

Abstract: A large portion of software bugs are related to hangs. Analyzing and diagnosing hang-related bugs involves capturing data from a hung program and extracting attributes from the captured data. Extracting attributes from the capture data provides a scheme to determine relevant characteristics of the hang. Moreover, the extracted attributes may be compared to known issues and, based on that comparison, a bug may be classified as known or unknown. Alternatively, triage may be performed on the client computing device in order to determine the potential cause of the hang event. Once the potential cause of the hang event has been determined, troubleshooting steps may be performed on the client computing device to quarantine it. Ultimately, if the hang-inducing bug is known, a user may be provided with a solution to the bug. Alternatively, if the bug is unknown, implementations of the invention send the captured data to be analyzed and fixed by the software's provider.

Abstract: In embodiments of the invention, selected aspects of a process' call stacks are hashed, and the hash is used to capture the execution state of the process in a concise form and with minimal impact on the performance of the process and with no modification to the process code. The hash allows vendors and developers to classify failures in order to associate them with their known root causes to support rapid customer feedback and to maximize efficiency of correction. Further, the hash provides a metric usable to prioritize diagnosis of failures. In an embodiment of the invention, the identities of modules on the call stack are hashed in combination with some but not all offset information to minimize the affect of patches and minor changes to the code, and improve the ability to discriminate different execution paths.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing information to a user when an application is in a hung state are provided. When an application is in a hung state, a dialogue box informing the user of options for responding to the hung application is displayed. An application window may also be replaced with a proxy window and the appearance of the proxy window may be altered when a user attempts to interact with the proxy window.

Abstract: Methods and systems for providing a visual indication of hung applications are provided. When an application is in a hung state, an application window is replaced with a proxy window. The appearance of the proxy window is altered when a user attempts to interact with the proxy window.

Abstract: A large portion of software bugs are related to hangs. Analyzing and diagnosing hang-related bugs involves capturing data from a hung program and extracting attributes from the captured data. Extracting attributes from the capture data provides a scheme to determine relevant characteristics of the hang. Moreover, the extracted attributes may be compared to known issues and, based on that comparison, a bug may be classified as known or unknown. Alternatively, triage may be performed on the client computing device in order to determine the potential cause of the hang event. Once the potential cause of the hang event has been determined, troubleshooting steps may be performed on the client computing device to quarantine it. Ultimately, if the hang-inducing bug is known, a user may be provided with a solution to the bug. Alternatively, if the bug is unknown, implementations of the invention send the captured data to be analyzed and fixed by the software's provider.