How to Enable and Configure the Windows DumpConfigurator Utility to Capture System Dumps

How to Enable and Configure the Windows DumpConfigurator Utility to Capture System Dumps

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Article ID: CTX129575

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Description

This article describes how to enable and configure the Windows DumpConfigurator Utility to Capture System Dumps.

Requirements

This utility supports Windows 2003, Windows 2003 (64-bit), Windows 2008, Windows 2008 (64-bit), and Windows 2008 R2. To download this DumpConfigurator Utility, click here.


Instructions

Default Utility Interface

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Utility Fields and Options Explained

  • Computername: This describes the current Hostname of the server that is set to be configured by the tool. By default, the server name of any server on which you run or initiate the tool is displayed here. Additionally, you can select the Change button/option and it opens another GUI entitled Connect to a remote system. In this field, you can point (by IP address or Hostname) to another server that you would like to remotely configure for a dump.

  • Operating System: This describes the operating system that the tool is currently running on, or set to configure.

  • OS Architecture: This describes the current operating system architecture, 32-bit, 64-bit, that the tool is currently running on, or set to configure.

  • System Drive Page File: This describes the current operating system path to the location of the pagefile.sys file.

  • Page File Initial Size: This describes the current Virtual Memory Initial size setting on the operating system that the tool is currently running on, or set to configure.

  • Memory Dump Type: This is where you can manually select the type of system dump to capture from the drop-down menu. The options are COMPLETE, KERNEL ONLY, SMALL, and NONE.

  • AutoReboot after Memory Dump: This checkbox enables an automatic reboot of the system after a system dump takes place. If you want the system to reboot after a dump, then enable this option.

  • Overwrite previous dump file: This checkbox enables an overwrite of any dump that is already in the Dump Location; any dump that is already there is completely overwritten. If you do not check this box, then any new dump that is created is added to the Dump Location path, and any existing dumps are ignored.

  • Dump Location: This is the location where you would like any system dump to be placed once it is created. The DumpConfigurator tool simply reads this path as it is already set in the System Properties > Advanced > Startup and Recovery Settings location of the operating system. There is no where in the tool itself to change this location.

  • Right Ctrl-Scroll-Scroll using Keyboard: This option automatically set the registry DWORD value CrashOnCtrlScroll = 1 for the following registry paths, once you select the Save Settings button in the DumpConfigurator GUI.
    Additionally, once this option is enabled, prompt to reboot the server appears.
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\i8042prt\Parameters
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\kbdhid\Parameters
    Note: After this is completed, the keyboard crash can be initiated by using the following hotkey sequence:
    Hold down the rightmost CTRL key, and press the SCROLL LOCK key twice.
    Caution! Refer to the Disclaimer at the end of this article before using Registry Editor. 

  • System Drive Free Space: This displays the current available free space on the system drive of the machine that the tool is currently running on, or set to configure.

  • Auto Config Complete: This option automatically enables a Complete Memory Dump type on the system, and enables all check boxes in the tool GUI Interface to include AutoReboot after Memory Dump, Overwrite previous dump file, Right Ctrl-Scroll-Scroll using Keyboard and Dump on Non-Maskable Interrupt (NMI). Additionally, you receive a prompt that to complete the configuration requires a reboot of the system.

  • Auto Config Kernel: This option automatically enables a Kernel Memory Dump type on the system, and enables all check boxes in the tool GUI Interface to include AutoReboot after Memory Dump, Overwrite previous dump file, Right Ctrl-Scroll-Scroll via Keyboard and Dump on Non-Maskable Interrupt (NMI). Additionally, you receive a prompt that to complete the configuration requires a reboot of the system.

  • Save Settings: This option can be selected at any time to save any changes and configurations you have made to the GUI.

  • About: This option opens another window that provides various information and links to Microsoft articles that can assist with obtaining system dumps.

  • Quit: This option automatically exits the DumpConfigurator tool.

    Issue/Introduction

    This article describes how to enable and configure the Windows DumpConfigurator Utility to Capture System Dumps.

    Additional Information

    Windows feature lets you generate a memory dump file by using the keyboard
    Overview of memory dump file options for Windows Vista, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2008, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP, and Windows 2000
    How to generate a kernel or a complete memory dump file in Windows Server 2008