Debugging .NET memory leaks - how to know what is holding a reference to what?

Question

I am working on a .NET application where there appears to be a memory leak. I know the text-book answers, that events should be unsubscribed, disposable objects should be di

Answer 1

Debugging memory leaks can be quite involved process and requires thorough understanding of your program logic and at least some .Net internals (especially garbage collector behaviour).

For more information see the following links:

Good introduction

• http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ee658248.aspx

Hands-on course:

• http://www.dotnetfunda.com/articles/article508.aspx
• http://www.dotnetfunda.com/articles/article524.aspx

GC and .Net internals

• http://blogs.msdn.com/b/tess/archive/2008/04/17/how-does-the-gc-work-and-what-are-the-sizes-of-the-different-generations.aspx
• http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/magazine/cc163491.aspx
• http://blogs.msdn.com/b/maoni/archive/2004/06/03/148029.aspx

WinDbg with SOS extension

• http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/19490/Memory-Leak-Detection-in-NET
• http://www.simple-talk.com/dotnet/.net-framework/investigating-.net-memory-management-and-garbage-collection/

Good Luck!