software that can log disk operations ( file read/write) - Page 1
Forum section: electronics / testgear

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 02:01:48 am
content: i am looking for a piece of software that can monitor the harddisk and create a log of any file operation ( registry key creation / deletion and file / folder creation / deletion / access )this needs to be a program that hooks into the file system driver. there are plenty of programs out there ( uninstallers) that attempt to do such a thing by scanning for changes pre and post install. that does not work as they can not see disk reads or skipped files.i am attempting to install new firmware on a logic analyser and it hangs in driver installation. probably a file that is not writeable. i want to find where it hangs.it would be ideal if this program can show the activity in real time. it shoudl be possible by hooking into the file system driver. that has to exist somewhere ...

author: matseng
author_rank: Frequent Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 02:33:00 am
content: Maybe one of these will tickle your fancy... ^_^http://www.blueproject.ro/systracerhttp://installwatch-pro.en.lo4d.com/http://www.diskpulse.com/http://www.diskboss.com/disk_change_monitor.html

author: android
author_rank: Regular Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 03:28:34 am
content: Maybe procmon...https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/processmonitor.aspx

author: oPossum
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 03:32:20 am
content: Sysinternals DiskMon"DiskMon is an application that logs and displays all hard disk activity on a Windows system"https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/diskmon

author: miguelvp
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 03:34:47 am
content: sysinternals has a lot of tools on top of process explorer and process monitor. If procmon doesn't work (haven't used it much)Check the rest:https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/Specifically their File and Disk utilities:https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/sysinternals/bb545046

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 04:07:30 am
content: diskmon just shows raw sector accesses..the other suggested programs are not realtime scannersthe problem i am trying to solve is that the installer hangs at a certain point. this occurs during a driver install. i need to know what file is being accessed when it hangs. most likely that file has wrong permissions.

author: dadler
author_rank: Unknown
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 04:09:33 am
content: I have done exactly this with process monitor before. It can log out real time file system access...

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 04:12:29 am
content: ah,processmonitor... i tried diskmontrying now...

author: free_electron
author_rank: Super Contributor
timestamp: January 02, 2016, 07:34:34 pm
content: Thank you all !between processmon and another utility ( nirsoft Folderchangesview) i was able to track down the offender.there was a corrupted dll in the driver cache. instead of installing the fresh copy that one got loaded all the time :both the corrupted and new one were identical ( same build date ) so windows does not install the fresh copy but takes it from the existing cache. This file was needed by a service process. The installer was endlessly waiting for the service to come on line , but that never happened. so installation was stuck ( Agilent interrogates this service to see what hardware you have and then install the appropriate firmware )another trick i employed : when in the file browser of windows xp : switch to detiale dmode, then right-click on the top bar ( where ti shows 'file type' last mod date' etc , you will get a list of possible details you can see. click advanced then select 'company'. this will list, for files capable, who is the author. I fished for anything marked 'agilent' in \system32 , \system32\drivers \system32\cache and killed them.reinstall software: problem solved.happy owner of a fully tricked out, working 1682a logic analyser. now to swap the blade with that of a 1680a