Minidump folder cannot be found

windows-7 64-bit bsod minidumps

18,672

Are you running without a swap file? Apparently, you need a paging file of at least 2MB on the boot volume for a minidump.

18,672

webketje

Updated on September 17, 2022

Comments

webketje almost 2 years

Although I have enabled the creation of minidump files in my system, it appears that either Windows doesn't create them where the Startup and recovery dialog points to (%SystemRoot%\Minidump) or at least I can't find them.

Even the Minidump folder under Windows directory is missing and I had numerous BSODs till now. I've searched all my HDs for mini*.dmp files only to find some old ones in a backup folder from my Vista 32-bit installation, before I install Windows 7 64-bit.

Any thoughts of why this is happening and how to fix it?
- webketje over 14 years
  
  Is there a way to test creation of a minidump? I don't exaclty know how to cause a blue screen safely...
- quack quixote over 14 years
  
  sure is. i used to have a utility called crash.exe (or maybe it was crash3.exe, it's been a while). used it for inducing system crashes (and thus dump creation) for testing XP driver code. no idea where it came from, tho. not sure how "safe" it was, but these were test systems and could always be reloaded.
- quack quixote over 14 years
  
  i was wrong on the name; it was OSR's bang.exe utility: osronline.com/article.cfm?article=153 .. download and run, pops up a big red button that reads "Crash Now!", just press when ready. also allows you to cancel if necessary.
- webketje over 14 years
  
  @quack: Can I find this or similar program, without generating account to a site?
- quack quixote over 14 years
  
  no idea. i went ahead and registered to grab the latest version.
webketje over 14 years

I have it this way, should I change it? screencast.com/t/YjdjZmVkNz
graycrow over 14 years

No, that looks OK. The system-managed settings have chosen about 4GB for the page file on the C: drive. The cause must be something else.
webketje over 14 years

Unfortunately history is empty.
webketje over 14 years

BlueSceenView is the reason I am asking this question in the first place, it can't find anything, although I think that I've checked more thoroughly than it. About event logs, I will check them the next time system will crash.
quack quixote over 14 years

unless you've cleared the event logs since earlier crashes, they should still retain the messages.
webketje over 14 years

I haven't, but I don't remember when last blue screen happened and I don't know for what to look within my 55k system log entries...
webketje over 14 years

EDIT: Either I don't have any events from Save dump / EventID 1001 or I am doing it wrong...
quack quixote over 14 years

did you check the startup and recovery settings to make sure they're enabled? (My Computer -> right click -> properties -> advanced -> "startup and recovery" settings)
webketje over 14 years

Yes, it's the first thing I checked, as you can figure out from the first paragraph of my original question.
quack quixote over 14 years

i figured you did, just double checking.
webketje over 14 years

Nah, you did well. Now I guess the only thing is left is to find time to register, get bang.exe and cause BSOD. I can't say that I am in hurry for that :P