WinDbg under Vista: Access is Denied Errors

h.codebilis

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Jun 30, 2008, 7:02:00 PM6/30/08

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Under Vista (32 bit), WinDbg 6.9 is unable to create or connect to a process.

When attempting File->Open Executable, the message is "Could not Create
Process" The error code is Win32 error 0n5 'Access is denied'

When attempting File->Attach to A Process, the list of available PIDs is
empty, except for the message "Unable to get Process IDs".

I'm logged in as a local administrator, and I'm launching WinDbg with
Vista's "run as administrator" option. I've also got UAC disabled.

Any ideas ?

Ivan Brugiolo [MSFT]

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Jun 30, 2008, 8:30:25 PM6/30/08

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Did you run your debugger from an elevated command prompt ?
If you use a console debugger, does it work ?
If the target process a protected process ?

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h.codebilis

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Jul 1, 2008, 6:32:00 AM7/1/08

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I did not try either of the first two suggestions yet. I'll look into them
today.

With File->Open Executable, I was targeting a sandbox application I built
with VS2008. It is a vanilla console exe written in native C++. Nothing more
than a stub.

WIth File->Attach to Process I was going to try targeting a running instance
of notepad, but since I can't get the process IDs I cant get off 1st base.

h.codebilis

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Jul 1, 2008, 12:24:09 PM7/1/08

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I launched an elevated command prompt with Start -> Run -> "cmd", followed by
Ctrl-Shift-Enter (the command prompt title bar confirms the elevated
privileges).

From the prompt, the following works:
NTSD.exe DumpSandbox.exe
It brings runs the exe and brings me to the initial breakpoint.

From the same prompt, the following does not work:
Windbg.exe DumpSandbox.exe

Same error as before, Windbg main window appears, followed by a message box;
"Could not create process. Win32 error 0n5. Access is denied"

Ivan Brugiolo [MSFT]

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Jul 1, 2008, 4:33:05 PM7/1/08

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Maybe some desktop integrity check kicks-in, and, you can use
only a command-line debugger.
In that case, you can always set-up a remote, and connect to
ntsd with windbg via a localhost connection

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h.codebilis

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Jul 1, 2008, 5:03:01 PM7/1/08

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Not sure what you're referring to by a "desktop integrity check". Do you have
any references I can use to do some self education in this area ?

For refrence, I'm running Vista Home Premium on a Gateway laptop. Its my own
personal machine, not some corporate box .... ie. there's no "support"-ware
locking it down.

Madhur

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Jul 7, 2008, 1:21:15 AM7/7/08

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This is most probably due to User Access Control.

If you regularly do debugging on Vista, You can disable UAC through control
panel.

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Madhur

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