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What is contained in a core dump and when is this created?
A core dump is a file containing a process’s address space (memory) when the process terminates unexpectedly. Core dumps may be produced on-demand (such as by a debugger), or automatically upon termination.
What is kernel dump in Linux?
kdump is a feature of the Linux kernel that creates crash dumps in the event of a kernel crash. When triggered, kdump exports a memory image (also known as vmcore) that can be analyzed for the purposes of debugging and determining the cause of a crash.
What is kernel crash dump?
A Kernel Crash Dump refers to a portion of the contents of volatile memory (RAM) that is copied to disk whenever the execution of the kernel is disrupted. The following events can cause a kernel disruption : Kernel Panic. Non Maskable Interrupts (NMI)
How big is a kernel memory dump compared to a complete memory dump?
Kernel memory dump: A kernel memory dump will be much smaller than a complete memory dump. Microsoft says it will typically be about one-third the size of the physical memory installed on the system. As Microsoft puts it:
Which is the default memory dump in Windows?
Automatic memory dump: This is the default option, and it contains the exact same information as a kernel memory dump.
Where are the minidump files stored on my computer?
Minidump files are useful to pretty much everyone because they contain basic information like the error message associated with a blue-screen of death. They’re stored in the C:\\Windows\\Minidump folder by default. Both types of dump files have the file extension .dmp.
When to use minidumps or memory.dmp files?
While even average Windows users can use minidumps to understand the cause of blue-screens, the MEMORY.DMP file is used more rarely and isn’t useful unless you plan on sending it to a developer. You probably won’t need to use the debugging information in a MEMORY.DMP file to identify and fix a problem on your own.