File | Connect to Remote Session

Click Connect to Remote Session on the File menu to make WinDbg a debugging client and to connect to an active debugging server.

This command is equivalent to pressing CTRL+R. You can use this command only when WinDbg is in dormant mode.

You cannot use this command to connect to a process server or a KD connection server; for that purpose, use File | Connect to Remote Stub instead.

Connect to Remote Debugger Session Dialog Box

When you click Connect to Remote Session, the Connect to Remote Debugger Session dialog box appears. You can use this dialog box to enter the remote connection parameters or to browse a list of debugging servers.

To manually specify the remote connection parameters, enter one of the following strings in the Connection string box:

npipe:server=Server,pipe=PipeName[,password=Password] 

tcp:server=Server,port=Socket[,password=Password][,ipversion=6] 

tcp:clicon=Server,port=Socket[,password=Password][,ipversion=6] 

com:port=COMPort,baud=BaudRate,channel=COMChannel[,password=Password] 

spipe:proto=Protocol,{certuser=Cert|machuser=Cert},server=Server,pipe=PipeName[,password=Password] 

ssl:proto=Protocol,{certuser=Cert|machuser=Cert},server=Server,port=Socket[,password=Password] 

ssl:proto=Protocol,{certuser=Cert|machuser=Cert},clicon=Server,port=Socket[,password=Password] 

The various parameters in the preceding options have the following possible values:

Server

The network name of the computer on which the debugging server was created. Do not precede this name with backslashes (\\).

PipeName

If you use the NPIPE or SPIPE protocol, PipeName is the name that was given to the pipe when the server was created.

Socket

If you use the TCP or SSL protocol, Socket is the same socket port number that was used when the server was created.

COMPort

If you use the COM protocol, COMPort specifies the COM port to use. The "COM" prefix is optional (for example, both "com2" and "2" are correct).

BaudRate

If you use the COM protocol, BaudRate should match the baud rate that you chose when the server was created.

COMChannel

If you use the COM protocol, COMChannel should match the channel number that you chose when the server was created.

Protocol

(Windows 2000 and later) If you use the SSL or SPIPE protocol, Protocol should match the secure protocol that you used when the server was created.

Cert

(Windows 2000 and later) If you use the SSL or SPIPE protocol, you should use the identical certuser=Cert or machuser=Cert parameter that was used when the server was created.

clicon

Specifies that the debugging server will try to connect to the client through a reverse connection. The client must use clicon if and only if the server is using clicon. In most cases, the debugging client is started before the debugging server when a reverse connection is used.

Password

If you used a password when the server was created, you must supply Password to create the debugging client. This value must match the original password. Passwords are case-sensitive. If the wrong password is supplied, the error message will specify "Error 0x80004005".

ipversion=6

(Debugging Tools for Windows 6.6.07 and earlier only) Forces the debugger to use IP version 6 rather than version 4 when you are using TCP to connect to the Internet. In Windows Vista and later versions, the debugger attempts to auto-default to IP version 6, making this option unnecessary.

Instead of manually specifying the remote connection parameters, you can press the Browse button in the Connect to Remote Debugger Session dialog box and use the Browse Remote Servers dialog box.

Browse Remote Servers Dialog Box

In the Browse Remote Servers dialog box, in the Machine text box, enter the name of the computer that the debugging server is running on. (The two initial backslashes are optional: "MyBox" and "\\MyBox" are both correct.) Then, press the Refresh button.

The Servers area lists all of the debugging servers that are running on that computer. Select any of the listed servers and then press ENTER or click OK. (You can also double-click one of the listed servers.) The proper connection string for the debugging server that you selected will now appear in the Connection string box in the Connect to Remote Debugger Session dialog box.

If the server is password-protected, the connection string includes Password=*. You must replace the asterisk (*) with the actual password.

After you specify the server and password, click OK to open the connection.

This list of servers in the Browse Remote Servers dialog box can also include servers that no longer exist but were shut down improperly. If you connect to one of these nonexistent servers, you will receive an error message.

The list of servers does not include process servers and KD connection servers; you can list those servers only by using the File | Connect to Remote Stub command or by running cdb -QR Server from a Command Prompt window.

Additional Information

For more information and for other methods of joining a remote debugging session, see Activating a Debugging Client.