Using Windbg to Analyze Dump File: What Path Should I set in Symbol File Path?

Question

I created a dump file after my VS 2008 crashed by using procdump. I suspect that this is a Resharper problem, so I need to generate enough information for Resharper to fix.

Now, when I open my Windbg, I need to set Symbol File Path. According to the documentation, I would have to set it as this:

SRV*your local folder for symbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols

But since I am investigating problems in resharper, shouldn't I get the pdb files from Resharper application directory, instead of downloading VS 2008 or Microsoft dll symbols?

Or, to put it in other words, I need only Resharper pdb symbols, not symbols from Microsoft because it is Resharper that is causing the crash, am I right?

Answer 1

The symbol path can contain multiple locations. Use .sympath+ <newpath> to add to the existing symbol path. You can have a symbol path like c:\applicationpath; c:\librariespath; SRV*c:\localcache*http://someserver; SRV*c:\localcache*http://somotherserver.

Answer 2

If you dont have all the pdbs, the debugger engine will default to export symbols. So for the calls which originate in a module that does not have associated symbol files, the call stack will show the location relative to the module exports.

Having a pdb only for Resharper will show you proper calls inside it. For the calls inside other dlls, it will resort to exports. So if you are interested in the calls inside Resharper, having symbols for only that should suffice.