Knowledge Base

How to create userdumps when the application hangs

Introduction

If an Acronis products hangs in Windows, you may need to create a userdump to troubleshoot the situation.

If the product crashes, not the whole system, see Creating Dr. Watson Crash Dumps.

If the system crashes, see Creating Windows Mini-Dumps.

Solution

See:

• Creating a userdump on Windows XP/2003
  
• Creating a userdump on Windows Vista/7/2008/2008 R2
• Common processes

Creating a userdump on Windows XP/2003

To create a userdump on Windows XP/2003, please do the following:

You must first reproduce the issue and get the software to pop up with an error message. You must not close the error message. Instead, leave it open until you have created the userdump.

1. Download and extract the Microsoft Userdump utility. See also Microsoft Knowledge Base Article 241215;

   

2. After the utility is installed, identify the PID (Process ID) of the process of which you need to create the userdump:
   • Open Windows Task Manager (Ctrl-Alt-Del);
   • Go to the Processes tab;
   • Go to View -> Select Columns:

     

   • Check PID (Process Identifier):

     

   • Next to the Image Name, you will see PID:

     

In most cases, an Acronis Representative will advise you as to which process needs to be dumped.

If you do not know which process you are looking for, then it is recommended to view the Windows event Application log. It usually shows which process crashed. Also look at the Common Processes.

3. Once you have noted down the PID of the process, open Windows Command Line (Start-Run -> cmd) and navigate to the userdump.exe file by issuing the following command:

   Windows 32 bit: cd /d C:\kktools\userdump8.1\x86
   Windows 64 bit: cd /d C:\kktools\userdump8.1\x64

4. Then issue the following command:

   Userdump xxxx

   where xxxx is the PID that you have noted down previously.

In the C:\kktools\userdump8.1\xxx folder, you will see a PROCCESSNAME.dmp. For example, Agent.dmp

5. ZIP the dump file;
6. It is recommended to create a fresh output of the AcronisInfo Utility;
7. Upload the dump file (with the AcronisInfo output) to the Acronis FTP Server. See Uploading Files to Acronis FTP Server.

Creating a userdump on Windows Vista/7/2008/2008 R2

You must first reproduce the issue and get the software to pop up with an error message. You must not close the error message. Instead, leave it open until you have created the userdump.

1. Open Windows Task Manager. To do so, either press Ctrl-Alt-Del, or right click on your task bar and click on Start Task Manager;

   (!) Dumps should be in 32 bit format. If you have a 64 bit system, to get a correct dump you need to launch 32 bit version of Windows Task Manager at C:\Windows\SysWOW64\taskmgr.exe

2. Click Show processes from all users:

   

3. Find the process for which you want to create the dump.

   In most cases, an Acronis engineer will advise you as to which process needs to be dumped.

   If you do not know which process you are looking for, then it is recommended to view the windows event Application log, it usually shows which process crashed. Also look at the Common Processes.

   

4. Right click on the process, and click on Create Dump File:

   

   The dump file will be created in your Windows Temp folder. It will be called NameOfProcess.dmp.

   

   You can navigate to the temp folder by typing %temp% into your Windows address bar or command prompt, and then press Enter.

   

   Typically, it is located at C:\Users\MyUser\AppData\Local\Temp

5. Copy the dump file into a ZIP file;
6. It is recommended to collect a fresh output of AcronisInfo Utility;
7. Send the dump file (with the Acronis info output) to Acronis Customer Central via FTP (see Uploading Files to Acronis FTP Server).

Common processes

Most commonly required userdumps, are dumps from the mms.exe, e.g when a backup hangs, the BackupandRecoveryService.exe, or sometimes the taskservice.exe.

Shared

• Agent.exe - This is the component which allows other components to communicate. (Console/Backup engine).
• Schedul2.exe - Scheduler
• Schedhlp.exe - Scheduler assistant

Acronis Backup & Recovery 10 - See Acronis Backup & Recovery 10: Windows Processes and Services.

Acronis Recovery for Microsoft Exchange

• ARXCDPAgent.exe - Continuous Data Protection Agent
• TaskService.exe - Task execution (process that does the backup), only active during a task.
• AcronisProgressServer.exe - part of the above.
• DatabaseBackupConsoleMSExchange.exe - Management Console process.

More information

See also:

• Creating Dr. Watson Crash Dumps
• Creating Windows Mini-Dumps