Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Sudeep Bharati

Barry Clayton Bond

Corneliu I Lupu

Mark S Carroll

Mark Derbecker

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

Untrusted executable code programs (applets or controls) are written in native, directly executable code. The executable code is loaded into a pre-allocated memory range (sandbox) from which references to outside memory are severely restricted by checks (sniff code) added to the executable code. Conventional application-program interface (API) calls in the untrusted code are replaced with translation-code modules (thunks) that allow the executable code to access the host operating system, while preventing breaches of the host system's security. Static links in the code are replaced by calls to thunk modules. When an API call is made during execution, control transfers to the thunk, which determines whether the API call is one which should be allowed to execute on the operating system.

Growing community of inventors

Bellevue, WA, United States of America

Sudeep Bharati