CODEWITHSUNDEEP
c++dllwindows-xpregistrywindows-installer
GreatDane
GreatDane

Reputation: 693

What DLLs and registry entries are modified by installer?

I'm trying to debug a C++ app on Windows XP and when I start debug mode, after all the initialization is done, the main window won't show. It works, however, on W7.

So I checked the msi installer I have available for the app and after installing the app, the problem seemed to disappear. I uninstalled the app and it still worked.

I need to know which registry entries and DLLs the installer modified so I can identify the problem. Is there any way to do this?

Upvotes: 0

Views: 100

Answers (2)

GreatDane
GreatDane

Reputation: 693

Problem solved. The issue was that the app would try to acquire a lock on null objects, fail at it, and then release the lock. So when a next acquire would be made, the app would crash. It's strange that the same code works just fine on Windows 7, but my guess is that there some improvements in the Win API, in the lock sections.

Process Monitor would've been useful, but the installer had waaay too many threads and registry changes to be able to follow. The snapshot would've been as complicated as Process Monitor and diagnostic logging.

Thank you for your help, guys :)

Upvotes: 1

IanPudney
IanPudney

Reputation: 6031

Yes. Microsoft's Process Monitor is free and tracks every file I/O and registry read/write a program makes, including an installer. However, there will likely be many such changes.

Because procmon works by monitoring processes as they run, you'll have to run the installer again.

Upvotes: 3

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