The Windows debuggers can run on x86-based, x64-based, or ARM-based processors, and they can debug code that's running on x86-based, x64-based, or ARM-based processors. Sometimes the debugger and the code being debugged run on the same computer, but other times the debugger and the code being debugged run on separate computers. In either case, the computer that's running the debugger is called the host computer, and the computer that is being debugged is called the target computer. The Windows debuggers support the following versions of Windows for both the host and target computers.
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Windows 10 and Windows Server 2016
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Windows 8.1 and Windows Server 2012 R2
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Windows 8 and Windows Server 2012
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Windows 7 and Windows Server 2008 R2
Symbols and Symbol Files
Symbol files hold a variety of data which are not actually needed when running the binaries, but are very useful when debugging code.
Blue Screens and crash dump files
If Windows stops working and displays a blue screen, the computer has shut down abruptly to protect itself from data loss and displays a bug check code. For more information, see Bug Checks (Blue Screens). You analyze crash dump files that are created when Windows shuts down by using WinDbg and other Windows debuggers.