Microsoft releases ProcDump tool for Linux

Martin Brinkmann
Dec 8, 2017
Linux
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12

Microsoft released a version of the company's ProdDump application for Linux. ProcDump is a long standing command line utility by Sysinternals, maker of widely used applications such as AutoRuns, ProcessExplorer or Process Monitor.

ProcDump allows you to monitor processes for CPU spikes, and have it generate crash dumps during spikes for analysis. The application supports other types of monitoring including monitoring of windows that hang, and unhandled exception monitoring, The program provides functionality of a general purpose process dump utility on top of all that.

Microsoft released the Linux version of ProcDump, called ProcDump for Linux, a couple of days ago on GitHub.

The minimum operating system and version right now is Ubuntu 14.04 LTS on desktop or server, gdb 7.7.1 or higher, and Linux kernel version 3.5 or higher. Microsoft notes that it is testing the program using other Linux distributions.

The GitHub page highlights installation on Ubuntu 14.04 and Ubuntu 16.04 versions. Microsoft offers instructions for package manager installations and .deb package installations.

Package Manager

Run the following commands:

  1. curl https://packages.microsoft.com/keys/microsoft.asc | gpg --dearmor > microsoft.gpg
  2. sudo mv microsoft.gpg /etc/apt/trusted.gpg.d/microsoft.gpg
  3. On Ubuntu 16.04: sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/microsoft-ubuntu-xenial-prod xenial main" > etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft.list'
  4. On Ubuntu 14.04: sudo sh -c 'echo "deb [arch=amd64] https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/microsoft-ubuntu-trusty-prod trusty main" > /etc/apt/sources.list.d/microsoft.list'

.deb Package

Run the following commands:

  1. On Ubuntu 16.04: wget https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/microsoft-ubuntu-xenial-prod/pool/main/p/procdump/procdump_1.0_amd64.deb
  2. On Ubuntu 14.04: wget https://packages.microsoft.com/repos/microsoft-ubuntu-trusty-prod/pool/main/p/procdump/procdump_1.0_amd64.deb
  3. sudo dpkg -i procdump_1.0_amd64.deb
  4. sudo apt-get -f install

Using ProcDump on Linux

ProcDump does not support the same set of options as the Windows version.

Usage: procdump [OPTIONS...] TARGET

-C CPU threshold at which to create a dump of the process from 0 to 200
-c CPU threshold below which to create a dump of the process from 0 to 200
-M Memory commit threshold in MB at which to create a dump
-m Trigger when memory commit drops below specified MB value.
-n Number of dumps to write before exiting
-s Consecutive seconds before dump is written (default is 10)

TARGET must be exactly one of these:
-p pid of the process

A couple of examples:

  • sudo procdump -p 1234 -- Create a core dump
  • sudo procdump -n 3 -p 1234 -- Create three core dumps each 10 seconds apart from each other
  • sudo procdump -C 65 -n 3 -p 1234 -- Create a core dump when CPU usage reaches 65% or higher, but wait at least 10 seconds between dumps.
  • sudo procdump -C 65 -M 100 -p 1234 -- Create a core dump when CPU usage is 65% or higher,or when Memory usage is higher than 100 Megabytes.

Now You: What's your take on Microsoft releasing tools for Linux?

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ProcDump for Linux
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Linux
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Administration
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Comments

  1. Doc said on December 9, 2017 at 7:05 pm
    Reply

    “Microsoft released a version of the company’s ProdDump…” *ProcDump* Whoops. #corrections

    1. rc primak said on January 2, 2018 at 8:36 am
      Reply

      Maybe it is a “product dump”. As in, a stalking horse. M$ never just gives away something for free when they don’t have evil intentions. This is especially true of the “Ubuntu” they have put into their UWP Store. This “giveaway” just cements that impression.

  2. Maou said on December 9, 2017 at 1:38 pm
    Reply

    /offtopic
    I think in the future, Microsoft will use Gnu/Linux as a base and slap a proprietary interface and UWP store only…they are already trying to kill win32 software…

    /ontopic
    I’m neutral about this, so I’m gonna give it a try!

    1. Stephen said on December 9, 2017 at 8:11 pm
      Reply

      Good it means they will have to release kernel sources and creating a compatibility layer should be easier to manage. I don’t see a reason why the top 3 should all run different kernels. Let’s work on improving the same base for safety and stability, and go from there.

  3. dark said on December 9, 2017 at 1:09 pm
    Reply

    “If Microsoft ever does applications for Linux it means I’ve won.” – Linus Torvalds

    1. usur said on December 9, 2017 at 3:43 pm
      Reply

      Win what? What is competition? Linux desktop? :-)

  4. WTD4XMAS said on December 9, 2017 at 12:46 pm
    Reply

    Don’t trust microsoft after consuming all of that free fudge.
    Blacklisted URLS are now in squid for a reason.
    Believe nothing of what you hear and 10% of what you see.
    Too good to be true, cause it is.
    The town the trojan horse persists called Mi??o?f?

    Go ahead sell all your gold and buy bitcoin. ;o)

    1. Doc said on December 9, 2017 at 7:07 pm
      Reply

      Um, it was released on GitHub – if you don’t trust Microsoft, go get the source and compile it yourself. #irrationalParanoia

  5. supergirl said on December 8, 2017 at 10:28 pm
    Reply

    I dont use this sort of tool…Well Cant really…

    I use linux exactlly BECAUSE I dont/cant trust Micro$oft.

    But I will keep an open mind that the evil empire might change its ways…

  6. John Fenderson said on December 8, 2017 at 8:20 pm
    Reply

    My take on Microsoft releasing Linux tools? I’m neutral, actually. If they can come up with tools that are better than what already exist (and I don’t think procdump specifically is in that class), and they release the buildable source so we don’t have to trust Microsoft, I have no problem with it.

  7. Gordon Freeman said on December 8, 2017 at 7:45 pm
    Reply

    Bad news.
    Why do they put their dirty hands on to Linux and why would they make the utilities for Linux? They never do anything for free.

    Feels like they’re finally realized that Windows is crap and trying to cut off a piece from Linux cake. Or just trying to polish their soft using free developers and use this experience to improve Bugdows…

    HANDS OFF BILL!!!

    Brrrrr… Nightmare…

    1. Stephen said on December 9, 2017 at 8:09 pm
      Reply

      Brrr ? You might consider another hat, tinfoil doesn’t do much to protect you from the cold this time of year

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