Error message that is similar to the following when you try to install the Desktop Heap Monitor tool: "dheapinst - Win32k.sys symbol load error, correct symbol required"

When you run the Dheapinst.exe file to install the Desktop Heap Monitor tool (Dheapmon.exe), you receive an error message that is similar to the following:You receive the error message on a computer that is running one of the following operating systems:

• Microsoft Windows Server 2003
• Microsoft Windows XP
• Microsoft Windows 2000

This issue occurs if the exact version of the Win32k.sys symbol is not located in the specified symbol path.

To resolve this issue, use one of the following methods.

Method 1: Access the Microsoft symbol server directly to obtain the correct symbol

If the destination computer is connected to the Internet, you may access the Microsoft symbol server directly to obtain the correct symbol. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type dheapinst.exe -y srv*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols, and then press ENTER.
   
   Note If the installation is successful, you receive a message that is similar to the following:
   dheapinst - Desktop Heap Monitor installed successfully
3. After you receive the message that is mentioned in step 2, type dheapmon -l, and then press ENTER.
   
   Note You receive a message that is similar to the following:
   Desktop Heap Information Monitor Tool (Version 8.0.2823.0) Copyright (c) 2003-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Dheapmon - Driver loaded successfully
   After you receive this message, the necessary drivers are loaded, and you are ready to use the Desktop Heap Monitor tool.
4. Type exit, and then press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.

Method 2: Specify the symbol server path in the _NT_SYMBOL_PATH environment variable

If the destination computer is connected to the Internet, you may specify the symbol server path in the _NT_SYMBOL_PATH environment variable. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
2. At the command prompt, type set _NT_SYMBOL_PATH=symbol server path, and then press ENTER.
   
   For example, you may specify the symbol server path as follows: set _NT_SYMBOL_PATH=symsrv*symsrv.dll*C:\Symbols*http://msdl.microsoft.com/download/symbols
3. Type dheapinst.exe, and then press ENTER to install the Desktop Heap Monitor tool.
   
   Note The correct symbol is copied to the specified symbol folder from the symbol server. If the Microsoft End-User License Agreement (EULA) dialog box appears, click Yes to agree to the terms of the Microsoft Software License Terms. If the installation is successful, you receive a message that is similar to the following:
   dheapinst - Desktop Heap Monitor installed successfully
4. After you receive the message that is mentioned in step 3, type dheapmon -l, and then press ENTER.
   
   Note You receive a message that is similar to the following:
   Desktop Heap Information Monitor Tool (Version 8.0.2823.0) Copyright (c) 2003-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Dheapmon - Driver loaded successfully
   After you receive this message, the necessary drivers are loaded, and you are ready to use the Desktop Heap Monitor tool.
5. Type exit, and then press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.

Method 3: Set the correct symbol manually

If the destination computer is not connected to the Internet, you must obtain the correct symbol to install the Desktop Heap Monitor tool successfully. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Use another computer that is connected to the Internet to download the symbol package. To download the symbol package, visit the following Microsoft Web site:
   http://www.microsoft.com/whdc/DevTools/Debugging/symbolpkg.mspx
2. Install the Desktop Heap Monitor tool on the destination computer. To do this, follow these steps:
   1. Click Start, click Run, type cmd in the Open box, and then click OK.
   2. At the command prompt, type dheapinst -y symbol path, and then press ENTER.
      
      Note In this step, symbol path is the path of the folder where the symbol package is installed. If the installation is successful, you receive a message that is similar to the following:
      dheapinst - Desktop Heap Monitor installed successfully
   3. After you receive the message that is mentioned in step b, type dheapmon -l, and then press ENTER.
      
      Note You receive a message that is similar to the following:
      Desktop Heap Information Monitor Tool (Version 8.0.2823.0) Copyright (c) 2003-2005 Microsoft Corporation. All rights reserved. Dheapmon - Driver loaded successfully
      After you receive this message, the necessary drivers are loaded, and you are ready to use the Desktop Heap Monitor tool.
   4. Type exit, and then press ENTER to close the Command Prompt window.

Note If a hotfix is installed on the destination computer, you must obtain the symbol from the hotfix package.