Files that help describe the problem minidump là gì

Almost all Windows users are familiar with the Blue Screen of Death (BSoD) error unfortunately. BSoD occurs when the Windows system encounters problems that can affect safe system operation, such as problems with third-party driver code, hardware, or Microsoft code. To solve the blue screen error, users can use a minidump file.

A minidump file is a file that contains the information about the nature of the system crash. It is created just before the blue screen appears and it has the minimum amount of useful information that can be used to solve the problem. The minidump file usually has a .dmp extension.

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On Windows 10, the blue screen shows a stop code and a QR code. The user can use this information and search the Web for the specific problem.

The option to create the minidump file is disabled by default, so before we go into more detail on how to use the file, let’s take a closer look at how to enable it.

Even if you don’t experience any BSoD crash errors, you can still set this option — this is a general recommendation, not necessarily related to AdGuard products. Please follow the instructions below to automatically create the minidump file.

1. Type sysdm.cpl in the Windows search bar and click Open. The System Properties Control Panel Menu window will appear on the screen. tip Alternatively, click Settings → System → About → Advanced system settings.
2. Go to the Advanced tab.
3. In the Startup and Recovery section, click Settings.
4. Enable the following three options:
   • Write an event to the system log
   • Automatically restart
   • Writing debugging information → Small memory dump (256 kb)
5. Click OK to apply the settings.
6. Restart the computer.

You've successfully enabled the minidump file. Now it will be created automatically when the system crashes.

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By default the minidump file is stored in the %SystemRoot%\Minidump folder. You can change the directory location to whatever you like, but please remember that a lot of programs are set to look for this location by default, so we recommend that you do not change the location.

Notice: If you fail to get full administrator access to the remote computer, you should read the instructions in the following Blog post: How to connect a remote Windows 7/Vista/XP computer with NirSoft utilities.

If your computer crashes, how can you find out what happened, fix the issue and it prevent it from happening again? You may find the small memory dump file useful in this situation. The small memory dump file contains the smallest amount of useful information that could help you identify why your computer crashed. The memory dump file contains the following information:

• The Stop message, its parameters, and other data
• A list of loaded drivers
• The processor context (PRCB) for the processor that stopped
• The process information and kernel context (EPROCESS) for the process that stopped
• The process information and kernel context (ETHREAD) for the thread that stopped
• The Kernel-mode call stack for the thread that stopped

Cause

Causes for Blue Screen Errors vary. Hardware failures or software corruption are possible.

Resolution

Troubleshooting with WinDbg is an excellent way to begin software troubleshooting when hardware failures have been eliminated.

Installing the WinDbg Tool

Follow these steps to install the WinDbg Tool in Windows 11 or Windows 10:

1. Navigate to the Microsoft WinDbg download page in your preferred browser.
2. Click the Get (or Install/Open) button.
3. Click Open Microsoft Store in the popup dialog box.
4. Click the Install button.
5. Once installation is complete, click Launch.

Analyzing Dump Files

Follow these steps to open and analyze a Dump file in Windows 11 or Windows 10:

1. Click Search in the Taskbar and type WinDbg,
2. Right-click WinDbg and select Run as administrator.
3. Click the File menu.
4. Click Start debugging.
5. Click Open Dump file.
6. Select the Dump file from the folder location – for example, %SystemRoot%\Minidump.
7. Click Open.
8. Opening a Dump File may take several minutes. The progress bar is a handy indicator.
9. In the run command, type !analyze -v and press Enter.
10. Keep an eye on the progress bar until the analysis is complete (large Dump files may take a long time).
11. WinDbg will display the results of the analysis for review. Researching the results will lead to further troubleshooting steps and potentially reveal the cause of the error.

Using the Driver Verifier tool to Gather Information

Approximately 75% of blue screen errors are caused by driver issues. The Driver Verifier tool runs in real-time to examine the behavior of installed drivers. The driver verifier manager is built into Windows and is available on all Windows PCs.

Follow these steps to start the driver verifier manager:

1. Click Search in the Taskbar and type CMD in the field.
2. Right-click Command Prompt and select Run as administrator.
3. Type Verifier at a command prompt.

You can specify which drivers you would like to verify. The verify tool adds all drivers associated to the driver being verified as it runs, so try and verify the smallest number of drivers as possible.