When you are debugging an application with the Visual Studio debugger, your application is either running (executing) or it is in a break state. The debugger breaks execution of the program when execution reaches a breakpoint or when a selected exception occurs. You can break execution manually at any time.
To break execution of your program
Your program enters a break state. Execution of the program stops, but the program does not exit and you can resume execution at any time.
Note If the program cannot be stopped for some reason (for example, the program is executing in kernel mode), the debugger freezes all threads and simulates a break. This is known as a "soft break." If you choose an execution command such as Go or Step after a soft break, the debugger reactivates (thaws) the threads. As a result, you may need to choose the Go or Step command twice for execution to resume. A message box informs you when a soft break has occured.