Monitor hard drive changes to files

Several months ago I saw someone using an application that showed him files on the computer being modified in real time.

Basically there was an application that wasn't working correctly, so he installed the program, ran the application, and saw all the various files that the application either read from or wrote to. He found out the application was writing a large debugging file it shouldn't be, which ended up being the problem.

I don't remember the application or the name of the person who used it, but I believe it's a freeware application. Does anyone know what this program might be?

user70624

Posted 2011-03-07T22:46:30.117

Reputation: 131

What operating system? – Shinrai – 2011-03-07T23:27:16.087

Answers

Chances are that it was either FileMon from Sysinternals or ProcessMonitor which supersedes FileMon on Windows XP SP2 and later.

Another options is to use file/folder auditing in XP or 7.

Synetech

Posted 2011-03-07T22:46:30.117

Reputation: 63 242

Since you didn't mention OS, we can assume Windows and the current Filemon app is correct. On UNIX, this is lsof.

Rich Homolka

Posted 2011-03-07T22:46:30.117

Reputation: 27 121

actually, since the OA said they saw it late last year, the likelihood is that a Windows system was XP SP2, SP3, Vista, or 7, so it would be even more likely to be ProcessMonitor (unless they were looking at my system). :-) – Synetech – 2011-03-08T05:13:26.513