Comments on: Dissecting applications on a production server

By: carlosdl

carlosdl — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:29:36 +0000

If you are going to run the program(s) on another machine, I would recommend installing some software firewall with outgoing connections monitoring capabilities that could inform if the application tries to connect to the outside.

You could also install some anti-spyware program which will inform if the application is trying to modify any system file.

By: carlosdl

carlosdl — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 14:24:52 +0000

I agree on the suggestion to use tools from sysinternals.

Googling for the exact process/application name could also offer some hints.

By: rakei

rakei — Fri, 21 Jan 2011 01:06:23 +0000

yes i have to agree with mortimer1 regarding using Process Monitor to dissec t application and re-run on spare machine for safeguard….

one suggestion if it requires…you can use Acronis 2010 True Image software which allows you to test run those applications that youve suspected…if applications seems to caused problem, acronis can disgard what was done and will not harm your system. a special feature called “try and decide”..

By: tomliotta

tomliotta — Wed, 19 Jan 2011 22:20:52 +0000

If you have nothing else, you can also open the .EXEs with Notepad and scan through it visually. Look for any names that you can read. The names may reference procedures and/or .DLLs that will give you some guidance. There can also be constants that sometimes give clues.

You don’t have to execute the programs — just look through them to see anything that catches your eye.

Tom