Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Mark Derbecker

Eugene Seichi Lin

Santosh Sharad Jodh

Lonny Dean McMichael

Jason T Cobb

George Evangelos Roussos

Donald J Munsil

Bjorn Benjamin Levidow

Philip G Durr

Lindsay W Steventon

Corneliu I Lupu

Mark S Carroll

Vadim Bluvshteyn

Sudeep Bharati

Vadim Bluvshtevn

The present invention provides a method for collecting information to uniquely identify an application on a client computer upon the occurrence of a reporting event, such as a crash. The method is implemented by providing a client computer having access to a network. In order to uniquely identify the application, the method generates an inventory of selected files stored in at least one directory, normally including the directory containing the application executable file. The method further generates an inventory of system properties for the client computer. The inventories are transmitted via the network to a server computer. Upon receipt by the server computer, the inventory information is compared with corresponding information in a database to determine whether the application can be uniquely identified. If the application can be identified, the user can be notified of a solution or other information in response to the reporting event. If no appropriate response can be found, the inventory data can be retained in the database for future reference.

Uniquely identifying a crashed application and its environment

Systems and methods are provided that prevent faulty drivers from being loaded and/or can prevent faulty drivers from being installed. Thus, instability of a computer system can be mitigated. Additionally, the occurrence of data corruption, system halting and the like can be reduced. A requested driver is compared to a list of faulty drivers from a faulty driver database. If the requested driver is in the list of faulty drivers, the requested driver is deemed faulty or defective, and is prevented from being loaded. Additionally, if the requested driver is in the list of faulty drivers, the requested driver can be prevented from being installed. Otherwise, the requested driver is operable and can be installed and/or loaded.

Faulty driver protection comparing list of driver faults

A program modification database and method for identifying a candidate entry within the correction database for a particular executable program are disclosed. The program modification database provides a general depository of program changes, referred to herein as substitute program segments, and a set of executable program entries containing program matching criteria and corresponding program changes. The program modification database includes an index. Each entry in the index includes a piece of identifying information for a referenced, corresponding executable program entry. The program modification database architecture is applicable to any type of program segment information for modifying either instruction code or data values within a program. The types of information, within a program matching criteria, taken from an executable program file used to identify a corresponding executable program entry within the program modification database are selectable on an individual basis from an extensible set of executable program information types.

Computer system utility facilitating dynamically providing program modifications for identified programs

A system and method are for inserting modifications into an executable program at the time an operating system loads the executable program for execution. The system includes a program modification database that provides a general depository of program changes in the form of substitute APIs and direct program patches. The system further comprises a program loader routine that identifies an entry in the program modification database corresponding to a program selected for execution on a computer system. The loader routine incorporates changes identified in the database entry associated with the selected program into a program segment (e.g., API) substitution table. After constructing the substitution table, each table entry includes a called API reference (e.g., its handle or address) and a reference to a substitute API.

Method and system for dynamically inserting modifications for identified programs

Driver protection

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Seattle, WA, United States of America

Mark Derbecker