Windows Server: How to Configure a Windows server to produce a memory dump file

Summary: This article provides information about configuring the System Properties of a Windows Server to produce a memory dump file when a stop error occurs on the server.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Instructions

1. Log in to the server using the local Administrator account. Press the Windows Logo+R, type sysdm.cpl and press Enter to open System Properties.

    Windows System Properties  

2. Click the Advanced tab to open the Advanced settings.    

    Advanced tag of System Properties 

3. Under Startup and Recovery, click Settings to open the Startup and Recovery options.    

    Startup and Recovery section of system Settings 

4. Under System failure Write debugging information select the type of debugging information to be written to a dump file after a stop error occurs. The options are:

        None - A dump file will not be created and debugging information will not be written.

        Small memory dump (256 KB) - A small memory dump is written and will contain the physical memory segment that the error occurred in.

        Kernel memory dump - A memory dump is written and will contain the physical memory area being used by the Windows kernel. The size of the dump file is determined by the size of the Windows kernel at the time that the stop error occurs.

        Complete memory dump - A dump file is written and will contain all physical memory. The size of the dump file is determined by the amount of physical memory installed in the server at the time that the stop error occurs.

        Automatic memory dump - Windows determines what type of dump file will be written. This is the default setting.     

5. Under System failure, specify the Dump file location where the dump file will be written when a stop error occurs on the server. Ensure that there is enough disk space on the hard disk drive specified in the path.

6. Under System failure, specify the Overwrite any existing file to automatically overwrite the existing dump file when a stop error occurs on the server.

    Startup and Recovery settings Memory Dump drop down 

Affected Products

Microsoft Windows Server 2016, Microsoft Windows Server 2019, Microsoft Windows Server 2022

Products

PowerEdge M640, PowerEdge M640 (for PE VRTX), PowerEdge MX740C, PowerEdge MX750c, PowerEdge MX760c, PowerEdge MX840C, PowerEdge R240, PowerEdge R250, PowerEdge R260, PowerEdge R340, PowerEdge R350, PowerEdge R360, PowerEdge R440, PowerEdge R450 , PowerEdge R540, PowerEdge R550, PowerEdge R640, PowerEdge R6415, PowerEdge R650, PowerEdge R650xs, PowerEdge R6515, PowerEdge R6525, PowerEdge R660, PowerEdge R660xs, PowerEdge R6615, PowerEdge R6625, PowerEdge R740, PowerEdge R740XD, PowerEdge R740XD2, PowerEdge R7415, PowerEdge R7425, PowerEdge R750, PowerEdge R750XA, PowerEdge R750xs, PowerEdge R7515, PowerEdge R7525, PowerEdge R760, PowerEdge R760XA, PowerEdge R760xd2, PowerEdge R760xs, PowerEdge R7615, PowerEdge R7625, PowerEdge R840, PowerEdge R860, PowerEdge R940, PowerEdge R940xa, PowerEdge R960, PowerEdge T140, PowerEdge T150, PowerEdge T160, PowerEdge T340, PowerEdge T350, PowerEdge T360, PowerEdge T440, PowerEdge T550, PowerEdge T560, PowerEdge T640 ...
Article Properties
Article Number: 000141638
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 05 Sept 2025
Version:  7
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