remote debugging problem - seemingly unsolvable?

[Julie Lerman]

Okay, so I'll try here now <g>

I've been battling this problem for over a week now. So, if nothing else,
hopefully my little tale of woe will be entertaining. But I'm really hoping
someone somewhere in the world has encountered this problem and knows how to
get around it.

If anyone has any NEW ideas for me, please please let me know. Thanks!

Here goes:

Last week, I was suddenly unable to do remote debugging of asp.net 1.1 on my
windows 2003 server. from my client machine where I use VS2003. The old "you
are not a member of the Debugger Users group" popped up. I tried another web
application. There too. Everywhere. I believe the culprit to be a recent
windows update on the server. Not SP1, I dealt with that this summer.
Of course, I am and always have been a member of the group. I checked. Yup
still there and still a member of Administrators as well. I went through all
the usual checks - folder permissions, etc etc etc.

I did a billion things I can't remember.

I reviewed all of the firewall and other checks on both machines as per this
MSDN article (http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833977) which I used when I
first updated to Windows 2003 SP1.

I removed myself from Administrators and D.U. and couldn't even open up the
project. Added myself back into administrator, was able to open the project
but got the d.u. error. Added myself back into D.U. and got the D.U. error.
I can, by the way run the project without debugging.

I uninstalled the VS remote components from the server and removed the
debugger user group. I reinstalled the VS Remote Components and added myself
into the new debugger user group.

All the while logging out logging in logging out logging in on the client
machine.

I reinstalled Windows 2003 server (though I did not repave the machine).

I added more accounts to debugger users: IWAM, IUSR, even tried to add
NETWORK SERVICE but you are not allowed as it is a security group.

I googled for hours and hours and hours.

But still I am told that I am not a member of Debugger Users.

I say Yes , I AM a member of Debugger Users.

But still I cannot debug. Oh boo hoo.

Any ideas at all?

thanks!

Julie Lerman

 

[Jim Cheshire]

Last week, I was suddenly unable to do remote debugging of asp.net 1.1 on my
windows 2003 server. from my client machine where I use VS2003. The old "you
are not a member of the Debugger Users group" popped up. I tried another web

Julie,

Can you please post the exact error message word for word?

Jim Cheshire

 

[Julie Lerman]

Sure:
Error while trying to run project: Unable to start debugging on the web
server. Access is denied. Verify that you are an administrator or a member
of the 'Debugger Users' group on the machine you are trying to debug. After
being added to the 'Debugger Users' group, you must log off and log back on
for the setting to apply.
thanks
julie

 

[Jim Cheshire]

Sure:
Error while trying to run project: Unable to start debugging on the web
server. Access is denied. Verify that you are an administrator or a member
of the 'Debugger Users' group on the machine you are trying to debug. After
being added to the 'Debugger Users' group, you must log off and log back on
for the setting to apply.
thanks
julie

I would check two things:

1. Make sure that Windows Authentication is enabled on the Web site
in IIS.

2. Make sure that you have the Debug Programs user right in Local
Security Policy.

 

[Julie Lerman]

I would check two things:

1. Make sure that Windows Authentication is enabled on the Web site
in IIS.

2. Make sure that you have the Debug Programs user right in Local
Security Policy.

Looking in Local Policies/User Rights Assignment/Debug Programs: This is set
to Administrators (the group, not the account) and I am unable to make any
changes (add or remove). I am a member of the Administrators group.

Anything else??? (sheepish grin...)

 

[Jim Cheshire]

Anything else??? (sheepish grin...)

Is the Machine Debug Manager service running on the Web server box?
Jim Cheshire

 

[Julie Lerman]

yes
and the firewall is aware of it (set in exceptions)

 

[Julie Lerman]

and just as an fyi - since it's buried in the original email... I have done
all of these things:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833977

I did them when I originally installed SP1 on the server this summer. But I
checked each of the items when this problem cropped up earlier this month.

julie

 

[Jim Cheshire]

and just as an fyi - since it's buried in the original email... I have done
all of these things:
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/833977

I did them when I originally installed SP1 on the server this summer. But I
checked each of the items when this problem cropped up earlier this month.

Julie,

I would open a case with our support guys. They have some tools they
can run to identify the problem.

Jim Cheshire

 

[Julie Lerman]

maybe that's what I'll do

do you think I should consider repaving the box? I am not a sysadmin and it
is painful for me to rebuild my server. It is not in production, it is what
I use for development.

thanks for your help though

julie

 

[Jim Cheshire]

maybe that's what I'll do

do you think I should consider repaving the box? I am not a sysadmin and it
is painful for me to rebuild my server. It is not in production, it is what
I use for development.

thanks for your help though

I wouldn't do that. It may be an environmental issue that would just
return.

Remove debugging with VS 2002/2003 is sometimes problematic because
there are so many dependencies that must be working correctly.
Troubleshooting it is the best bet.

Jim Cheshire

 

[Julie Lerman]

okey doke
thanks again, jim.
I will post back the resolution!

 

[Guest]

I'm experience the very same issue with all the possible resolutions not
helping any. Please post back if you get a solution.

okey doke
thanks again, jim.
I will post back the resolution!

 

[Julie Lerman]

I have spent many many hours working with the support people and so far -
nothing has helped.

They are now pointing at the fact that this TESTING server has IIS and is a
domain controller at the same time and saying I should get rid of the domain
controller. But it has worked this way for four years without a problem and
I need to have this set up to emulate my clients network (which is spread
out over numerous servers).

My next test is to set up a new win2003 server on a vpc and try to remote
debug against that.

I have to say, I'm starting to get really tired of it. But they have been
amazingly persistent and helpful!

We have looked at a lot of things that I would never have thought to. Hmmm -
one thing is that we made the original problem go away and replaced it wiht
a new problem. Originally, when looking at the IIS logs, the DEBUG
instruction was never getting there. Now it gets there, but it keeps asking
the client machine to authenticate and the client tries over and over, then
it fails. The new message is "can't start debugging on the server. Not
implemented." We don't know WHAT is not implemented! ;-)

Julie

I'm experience the very same issue with all the possible resolutions not
helping any. Please post back if you get a solution.

 

[Jim Cheshire]

I have spent many many hours working with the support people and so far -
nothing has helped.

They are now pointing at the fact that this TESTING server has IIS and is a
domain controller at the same time and saying I should get rid of the domain
controller. But it has worked this way for four years without a problem and
I need to have this set up to emulate my clients network (which is spread
out over numerous servers).

My next test is to set up a new win2003 server on a vpc and try to remote
debug against that.

I have to say, I'm starting to get really tired of it. But they have been
amazingly persistent and helpful!

We have looked at a lot of things that I would never have thought to. Hmmm -
one thing is that we made the original problem go away and replaced it wiht
a new problem. Originally, when looking at the IIS logs, the DEBUG
instruction was never getting there. Now it gets there, but it keeps asking
the client machine to authenticate and the client tries over and over, then
it fails. The new message is "can't start debugging on the server. Not
implemented." We don't know WHAT is not implemented! ;-)

I gave the guy working your case some suggestions.


Jim Cheshire

 

[Guest]

Thanks for the update...

In my case, my server is in its own workgroup, and a fresh install overall
and it has never worked.

Anything you can post as a followup with be Much-O Appreciat-O.

In the meantime, I guess I will check my IIS logs to see if anything
specific jumps out at me.

 

[Julie Lerman]

Jim - thanks for your continued help.

Chris -

after spending way too much time on this problem, I have had to shelve it
for a while and get on with my life...

julie