"No .natvis files found" error when you run Debugging Tools For Windows (WinDbg)

jcgriff2 · Mar 15, 2019

Info

NO .NATVIS FILES FOUND error when you run Debugging Tools For Windows (WinDbg)

Most of us have seen this error in the title when running Windbg, but if you're like me, you likely have ignored it.

From Windbg -

The following will describe the reason(s) for the error as well as a solution to get rid of the error message.

Please Note: This is a benign error message and in no way affects the performance of Windbg.

Tip

The Fix For The Missing .natvis Files

The fix is located in Post #2. The missing/needed .natvis files are attached to the post.

Symptoms

You install the Debugging Tools for Windows from the Windows 10 kits. Then, you run the dx command or click DML links that are presented by other commands (x or dv, for example). In this situation, the debugger (WinDbg) may return the following error:

No .natvis files found at C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64\Visualizers

Cause

The debuggers that are included in the Windows 10 kits are missing a set of files (.natvis files) that describe to the debugger how a range of data types should be visualized.

Resolution

The .natvis files that should have been included with the kits debugger are slightly modified versions of the same files that are found in Visual Studio 2013. An installation of a supported edition of Visual Studio 2013 can be used to patch the NatVis content for the Windows 10 kits debugger. Make sure that you use the 2013 edition of Visual Studio and not the 2015 edition. Visual Studio 2015 includes new features in NatVis that are not yet supported in the Windows 10 Kits debuggers. To apply the patch, follow these steps

Find the Visual Studio 2013 NatVis files. They are located at \Common7\Packages\Debugger\Visualizers. The installation path is frequently C:\Program Files (x86)\Microsoft Visual Studio 12.0.

Find the installation location of the kits debugger: \10\Debuggers\[x86\x64\arm]. The installation path is frequently C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits.

For each installed version of the debugger package (x86, x64, and arm), create a directory and name it "Visualizers" from an administrative command prompt.

Copy *.NatVis from the Visual Studio installation to the newly created Visualizers directory in each of the x86, x64, and arm debugger packages that are installed on your system.

Restart any of the kits debuggers.

Following these steps to include the visualizers from Visual Studio 2013 in the kits debuggers offers visualization support for the following elements:

The standard template library (STL) of Visual Studio 2013 and earlier versions. These files do not support visualization of the version of the STL that's included in Visual Studio 2015 and later versions. If you are debugging a Visual Studio 2015–built application, you can explicitly unload STL visualization support by running .nvunload stl.natvis in the debugger (or else choose not to drop that file).

Other frameworks and libraries, including ATL and MFC.

Many data structures for modern and universal applications. Some XAML visualizations may work only on Windows 8.1 and earlier targets. If you are debugging XAML controls in Windows 10, you can explicitly unload WinRT visualization support by running .nvunload winrt.natvis in the debugger (or else choose not to copy that file).

Some core Win32 data structures.

EDIT: I am installing Visual Studio 2013 so that I can obtain the NatVis files. If successful, I'll post and attach the files so that everyone does not have to go through this timely procedure.

Regards. . .

John

jcgriff2 · Mar 16, 2019

The Fix for the missing .natvis files:

I downloaded and installed Visual Studio 2013 and obtained the missing .natvis files (attached).

Bring up an elevated (Admin) CMD Prompt; then enter/paste the following command: (Keep the elevated CMD screen up after execution) -

Code:

md "%userprofile%\documents\natvis"

Download and extract the .natvis files from the attached zip file; extract to \Documents\natvis (the directory that you just created in the first step).

Using the same elevated CMD screen from your earlier command, enter/paste EACH of the following commands one (1) at a time; hit ENTER after each -

Code:

cd /d "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64"

md Visualizers

copy "%userprofile%\documents\natvis\*.*" "C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64\Visualizers"

dir *.natvis

After the last command, the output should be:

Code:

Microsoft Windows [Version 6.3.9600]
(c) 2013 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved.

C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64\Visualizers>dir *.natvis
Volume in drive C is Windows 8.1 x64
Volume Serial Number is C8D9-F1EF

Directory of C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64\Visualizers

07/21/2013 10:07 PM 6,244 atlmfc.natvis
07/21/2013 10:07 PM 40,526 concurrency.natvis
07/21/2013 10:07 PM 3,662 cpp_rest.natvis
07/21/2013 10:07 PM 48,461 stl.natvis
07/21/2013 10:07 PM 6,308 Windows.Devices.Geolocation.natvis
07/21/2013 10:07 PM 8,623 Windows.Devices.Sensors.natvis
07/21/2013 10:07 PM 20,737 Windows.Media.natvis
07/21/2013 10:07 PM 68,169 windows.natvis
04/22/2014 07:04 PM 30,031 winrt.natvis
9 File(s) 232,761 bytes
0 Dir(s) 10,721,124,352 bytes free

C:\Program Files (x86)\Windows Kits\10\Debuggers\x64\Visualizers>

The "no .natvis files found..." should no longer display in Windbg:

PLEASE NOTE: It is imperative that you run the Command Prompt (CMD) elevated ("As Administrator") or you will be plagued with "access denied" permission setting errors.

Regards. . .

jcgriff2

https://support.microsoft.com/en-us...or-when-you-run-debugging-tools-for-windows-w

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"No .natvis files found" error when you run Debugging Tools For Windows (WinDbg)

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

Attachments

"No .natvis files found" error when you run Debugging Tools For Windows (WinDbg)

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / AdminBSOD Instructor/ExpertMicrosoft MVP (Ret.)

jcgriff2

Co-Founder / AdminBSOD Instructor/ExpertMicrosoft MVP (Ret.)

Attachments

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)

Co-Founder / Admin
BSOD Instructor/Expert
Microsoft MVP (Ret.)