System and method for troubleshooting software configuration problems using application tracing

A method for analyzing a software configuration on a computer system, the method comprising:

• tracing an execution of an application computer program on the computer system by attaching an application program interface tracer to the application;
• collecting trace data relating to the execution of the application and storing the trace data in a first application signature;
• generating reference data from at least one source selected from the group comprising, known computer system configuration errors, a second application signature corresponding to executing the application using a known software configuration, and a static configuration of a reference computer;
• and
• selectively analyzing differences between the first application signature and the reference data.

A software execution tracing system for analyzing software configuration errors in a computer system, the software system comprising:

• a first code module configured to attach to an application and to generate trace data corresponding to system resources configured to interact with an execution of the application;
• a second code module configured to display the system resources together with their first properties corresponding to a failed execution of the application caused by a malfunctioning software configuration;
• and
• a third code module configured to display the system resources together with the first properties and second properties corresponding to a successful execution of the application on a known software configuration to thereby allow a user to compare the first properties to the second properties.