How to generate Minidumps
To resolve system crashes through the inspection of memory dumps, set your systems to automatically save them with these steps:
1. Right-click on My Computer.
2. Select Properties.
3. Select Advanced.
4. In the Start up and Recovery section, select Settings; this displays the Startup and Recovery dialog box.
5. In the Write debugging information section, select kernel memory dump.
While still in the Start up and Recovery dialog box, ensure that the following options are checked in the System failure section:
1. Write an event to the system log.
2. Send an administrative alert.
3. Automatically restart.
In the Write debugging information, you have the option to save only the most recent dump file or to have the system rename the existing dump file before it creates a new one. We prefer saving the dump files because previous dump files may provide additional or different information - however, space can be an issue, so set this option according to your needs.
The Write debugging information section also tells you where the dump file will be created. On XP and 2003 systems, minidumps are located at %SystemRoot%\Minidump, or C:\Windows\Minidump; kernel and full dumps are located at %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP or C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP. For Windows 2000, memory dump files are located at C:\winnt\memory.dmp.
The BullGuard Team