Remote Debugging

When
You need to debug an application on a server/virtual machine, but there’s no VS.NET installed. With remote debugging it’s possible with VS.NET on your local machine to debug an application on a remote machine that doesn’t have VS.NET.  You only need to copy the Visual Studio Remote Debugging Monitor to the remote machine.

How

• Security: make sure the windows account you are using on your local dev machine is available on the remote machine and is member of administrators (not sure whether a less privileged account will work, this worked for me).
• Copy the folder %Program Files%\Microsoft Visual Studio 8\Common7\IDE\Remote Debugger to the remote machine.
• Copy the pdb files of the assemblies you want to debug to the remote machine
• Start the Visual Studio Remote Debugging Monitor by starting the msvsmon.exe using your windows account (Run as.. in context menu).
• Switch to you local dev machine, start VS.NET and select Debug > Attach to Process.  In the dialog type the server name provided by the Remote Debuggin Monitor in the qualifier textbox (something like SMARTSITE\koen@IXPERION)
• Select the process you need to debug.

See also
MSDN on Remote Debugging