> Source: [sk66307](https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/sk66307)

# sk66307 - Generate complete memory dump on Windows OS

| Property | Value |
|----------|-------|
| Solution ID | sk66307 |
| Date Created | 2011-12-27 |
| Last Modified | 2020-02-18 |
| Technical Level | General |
| Products | Other |
| Versions | Not Version-Specific |
| OS | Windows |

## Symptoms

- When dealing with system crash issues (BSOD), it is required to collect complete memory dump in order to understand what might have caused this crash.

## Solution

Follow these steps to configure Windows OS to generate complete memory dump:

1. Right-click on **My Computer** ("**This PC"** on Windows 10 machine) icon on the Desktop - click on **Properties** and then on "**Advanced system settings** ".  

2. Go to **Advanced** tab.   

3. In **Startup and Recovery** section, click on **Settings** button.   

4. Uncheck the box **Automatically restart** .   

5. In the **Write debugging information** field, select **Complete memory dump** .   

   **Note:** If the "`Complete memory dump`" option is not available, then refer to [sk66181 - "Complete memory dump" option is not available on Windows 32 bit with more than 2 GB of RAM memory](http://supportcontent.checkpoint.com/solutions?id=sk66181).   

6. In the **Dump file** field, the following should appear - **%SystemDrive%\\MEMORY.DMP** .   

7. Check the box **Overwrite any existing file** .   

8. Click on OK to close the '`Startup and Recovery`' window.   

9. Click on OK to close the '`System Properties`' window.   

10. During the crash / panic, wait until collecting the process of collecting the dump file is complete - until you see the message "`Physical memory dump complete`".

Verify the following:

1. **%SystemDrive%** must have enough free disk space to hold the **complete memory dump file** (its size will equal the size of the paging file) and the **paging file** itself.  

2. Virtual Memory (Paged Memory) must be configured properly:   

   **Note:** Virtual Memory must be **at least** as much as physical memory size. For example, if the computer has 2 GB RAM, then the Virtual Memory has to be at least 2 GB. Recommended size for paging file is twice the size of RAM.   

   1. Right-click on **My Computer** icon on the Desktop - click on **Properties** .   

   2. Go to **Advanced** tab.   

   3. In **Performance** section, click on **Settings** button.   

   4. Go to **Advanced** tab.   

   5. In **Virtual memory** section, click on **Change...**   

   6. Uncheck the box **Automatically manage paging file size for all drives** .   

   7. Select the **Custom size** .   

   8. Set the **Initial size** and the **Maximum size** (recommended Initial size is twice the size of RAM).   
      Refer to [Microsoft KB2860880](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2860880) for guidelines.  

   9. **Crucial:** Click on **Set** button to apply the change.   

   10. Click on OK to close the '`Virtual Memory`' window.   

   11. Click on OK to close the '`Performance Options`' window.   

   12. Click on OK to close the '`System Properties`' window.

**References:**

* [KB969028 - How to generate a kernel or a complete memory dump file in Windows Server 2008 and Windows Server 2008 R2](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/969028)
* [KB316450 - How to Enable Windows XP to Capture a Complete or Kernel Memory Dump](http://support.microsoft.com/kb/316450)
* [KB2860880 - How to determine the appropriate page file size for 64-bit versions of Windows](https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/2860880)

**Related solutions:**

* [sk66303 - How to force BSOD on Windows](http://supportcontent.checkpoint.com/solutions?id=sk66303)

---

# Agent Instructions

This content is from the Check Point Support Center (https://support.checkpoint.com), the official knowledge base for Check Point cybersecurity products.

## Navigating This Knowledge Base

- **Complete index**: [llms.txt](https://support.checkpoint.com/llms.txt)
- **All SK articles**: [SecureKnowledge Sitemap](https://support.checkpoint.com/sitemaps/secureknowledge-sitemap-index.xml)
- **SK article URL pattern**: `https://support.checkpoint.com/results/sk/{skId}`
- **Markdown responses**: AI bot User-Agents automatically receive `text/markdown` content