VS 2013 kernel-mode driver debugging

Question

I'm trying to set up kernel debugging with VS 2013. When I go to Drivers/Add to add a new target machine, it connects to the remote computer and runs through a lot of setup, but it there are always 2 commands that fail.

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I looked up the command that is failing in the log and I pasted it into a batch file and ran it on the target machine. I runs just fine. But then when I try to rerun Add Computer from VS, I get the same failure.

RemoteExecute: Binary: $KitRoot$\Testing\Runtimes\TAEF\te.exe
RemoteExecution: Arguments:
"%SystemDrive%\DriverTest\Run\DriverTestTasks.dll"
/select:"@Name='DriverTestTasks::_ConfigureKernelDebugger'"
/p:"DebugTransport=NET" /p:"NetHost=192.168.1.109" /p:"NetPort=50015"
/p:"NetKey=8XD3HYLMVI0D.RKFEA2BPIXO.27JOLNYURED5.MV9OGRF4XR9V"
/p:"StartPolicy=Active" /p:"IgnoreUserModeExceptions=0"
/p:"SuppressReboot=1"
/rebootStateFile:%SystemDrive%\DriverTest\Logs\DriverTestReboot.xml
/enableWttLogging
/wttDeviceString:$LogFile:file="%SystemDrive%\DriverTest\Logs\Configure_debugger_settings_(x86)_(possible_reboot)_00007.wtl",writemode=append,encoding=unicode,nofscache=true,EnableLvl="WexStartTest|WexEndTest|WexXml|WexProperty|WexCreateContext|WexCloseContext|*"
/runas:Elevated RemoteExecute: Process creation return code: 0
RemoteExecute: Process exit code: 0 Initialize: Computer: w8x86wdk-hp
Result completed Test process exit code: -1

I have tried this both with a VMware VM target and against a physical PC target and I have tried adding the computer in the reverse direction and I always get the same failures. I can ping these machines from each other and all machines are Win8 x86. Network discovery and sharing are on. The Windows firewalls are off. These are virgin OS installations so there's nothing on the machines except the OS, VS2013, and WDK 8.1.

Any tips on how to resolve this?

Ping is not enough. Disable anti-malware, open the port on the firewall, that sort of stuff. Ask your LAN admin to help out. — Hans Passant
I will update my post. The Windows firewalls on all machines have been disabled. These are virgin installs so there is no other protection software. This is also my home network so everything is inside a single ethernet. — Kent

adspx5 adspx5 · Accepted Answer · 2014-01-12T22:17:16

Had same issue when used ws2012 for TARGET machine. When installed WIN81 instead, turned off UAC and DID NOT install wdk on TARGET - everything started working. Read carefully how to PROVISION TARGET. (it says: dont' install WDK there:)

HOST and TARGET was in the same home workgroup with same passwords for Administrator and MyUserAcc.

also: under HKCU\Software\Microsoft\Windows\CurrentVersion\Policies\System set EnableLUA=0

VS 2013 kernel-mode driver debugging

2 Answers