Windows — 11 Dump File Viewer
nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA driver) caused an access violation. Update GPU drivers.
Microsoft (R) Windows Debugger Version ... Loading Dump File [C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP] Kernel Summary Dump File: Kernel address space is present BugCheck 0x0000003B, c0000005, fffff8002e4a2b3f, ... SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (3b) windows 11 dump file viewer
MODULE_NAME: nvlddmkm IMAGE_NAME: nvlddmkm.sys STACK_COMMAND: .thread ; .cxr ; kb FOLLOWUP_IP: nvlddmkm+1a2b3f nvlddmkm
Report ID: WIN11-DFV-2026-04 Date: April 14, 2026 Author: Windows Diagnostics Research Unit Target Audience: System Administrators, IT Support Specialists, Forensic Analysts, Developers 1. Executive Summary Windows 11, like its predecessors, generates memory dump files when the operating system encounters a fatal error (e.g., Blue Screen of Death – BSOD). These dump files capture the state of system memory at the moment of the crash, providing critical clues for root cause analysis. A dump file viewer is any software tool capable of opening, parsing, and interpreting these files. This report evaluates native and third‑party viewers for Windows 11, explains how to configure dump generation, and provides a methodology for effective crash analysis. Loading Dump File [C:\Windows\MEMORY
| Viewer | Type | Best For | Learning Curve | Cost | |-----------------------|--------------|-----------------------------------------------|----------------|-------------| | | Microsoft | Deep root cause, kernel debugging, symbols | High | Free | | BlueScreenView | NirSoft | Quick, color‑coded driver identification | Low | Free | | WhoCrashed | Resplendence | Automated analysis + plain English reports | Low | Free/Pro | | Windows Debugger (WinDbg) | Microsoft | Legacy systems, full control over commands | Very high | Free (SDK) | | RAMMap | Microsoft | Memory usage analysis (not crash focused) | Medium | Free | | Sysinternals LiveKD | Microsoft | Live kernel debugging without crash | High | Free |
| Dump Type | Typical Size | Contents | |--------------------------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | 64 KB – 256 KB | Bug check code, parameters, list of loaded drivers, stack of crashing thread. | | Kernel Memory Dump | 1/3 of RAM approx. | Kernel memory, loaded drivers, hardware abstraction layer, kernel‑mode stack. | | Complete Memory Dump | Equal to RAM size | Entire physical memory at crash time. Requires large paging file. | | Automatic Memory Dump | Variable | Same as kernel dump but can be smaller; Windows 11 default. | Default setting in Windows 11: Automatic Memory Dump – stored in %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP . Small dumps are also stored in %SystemRoot%\Minidump with a timestamped filename (e.g., 041426-25937-01.dmp ). 4. Overview of Windows 11 Dump File Viewers The table below compares the most popular viewers for Windows 11:
| Symptom | Likely Cause | Fix | |-----------------------------------------|--------------------------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------| | No MEMORY.DMP after BSOD | Paging file too small | Set paging file to “System managed” or >2 GB. | | Minidump folder empty | Disabled by Group Policy | Check gpedit.msc → Computer Config → Admin Templates → System → “Write debugging information”. | | Dump file exists but viewer says corrupt | Disk error or interrupted write | Run chkdsk /f /r . Disable fast startup (Power Options). | | WinDbg shows “No symbols loaded” | Missing symbol path | Set _NT_SYMBOL_PATH environment variable or use .symfix . |
.avif){kind=small}
