The Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) ranks among the most prevalent and recognized errors within the Windows environment. When it happens, your computer exhibits a splash screen containing crash details, which it also stores in a predefined location, before initiating a computer restart. In this article, we’ll explore methods for locating BSOD log files in Windows.
Numerous factors can trigger a BSOD, including incompatible software, overheating hardware, memory overflow, and more. By leveraging the crash data stored on your computer, you can diagnose the issue and implement a permanent fix. Let’s start by locating the BSOD dump file on your computer.
Table of contents
01. Locating BSOD Log Files in The Event Viewer
The Event Viewer Log provides access to log files containing information about the initiation and termination of services in Windows. It enables you to retrieve memory dumps and gather all stored logs on your system, facilitating the search and reading of BSOD log files. Here’s the process:
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard, type “Event Viewer,” and then click on “Run as administrator.”
- Navigate to the Action tab and select “Create a custom view” from the drop-down menu.
- In the new window, set “Any time” as your time range in the “Logged” field, and choose “Error” as the Event level.
- From the Event Logs drop-down menu, select “Windows Logs.”
- Click on OK.
- In the “Save Filter to Custom View” window, rename the view as desired, and then click on OK.
Upon completion of these steps, you will have access to all error events in the Event Viewer. By clicking on any specific event, you can navigate to Details to examine the BSOD log and acquire further information.
02. Accessing BSOD Log Files Through Reliability Monitor
Reliability Monitor is a tool designed to assess the stability of your computer. It monitors the behavior of applications and generates a chart illustrating the system’s stability during task execution. Stability is rated on a scale from 1 to 10, with higher ratings indicating better performance. Here’s how you can utilize it:
- Press the Windows key on your keyboard, type “View reliability history,” and then press Enter.
- Within the Reliability Monitor window, you’ll observe reliability information presented in the form of a graph. This graph depicts instabilities and errors as marked points along its axis.
- In the Reliability Monitor window, errors are marked with red circles, while warnings or notable events are denoted by yellow-highlighted ‘i’s.
- From there, you can click on the error or warning symbols to access detailed information, including the precise time the error occurred.
You can expand the details to learn more about the crash that triggered the BSOD.
03. Examine BSOD Log Files via Registry Editor
This method is commonly used to locate BSOD log files in Windows. It involves a few additional steps compared to other methods. Let’s proceed directly to the steps without delay.
- Press ‘Windows key + R,’ type regedit, and click OK.
- When prompted, select “Yes” to confirm and proceed with the changes.
- Enter the following address in the address bar.
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl
- Right-click on the right-side panel of the Registry Editor. Select New, then choose ‘DWORD (32-bit) Value.’
- Enter the Value name as DisplayParameters and set the Value data to 1. Click OK.
- Restart your PC to apply changes. You should now be able to view BSOD log files without issues.
04. View BSOD Log Files Using Third-Party BSOD Viewer
If the steps outlined above appear too complex, you can utilize third-party event viewer applications that replicate the functionality of the Windows Event Viewer with fewer steps.
One such application is NirSoft’s BlueScreenView, which simplifies the process of detecting BSOD crash files. Follow these steps to proceed.
- Download BlueScreenView from the provided link, install it on your system, and launch the application.
- Then, simply click on any dump files listed within the application to view their details.
This enables you to view the details and comprehend the cause of the BSOD.
Usually, the BSOD information saved on your computer isn’t readily retrievable in a human-readable format. However, an application like BlueScreenViewer allows you to read and comprehend the cause of the crash as well.
FAQs on BSOD Log Files:
What is a DMP file?
A DMP file, short for Memory Dump File, is a snapshot of a program’s memory captured at the time of a crash.
Can I delete crash dump files?
Yes, you can use tools like the Disk Cleanup utility to delete crash dump files. Doing so helps free up space on your hard drive.
What should I not delete in Disk Cleanup?
The only category of files you should avoid modifying or deleting is Windows ESD installation files. However, you can safely delete temporary files on Windows to reclaim disk space.
Identifying The Cause of the Crash
While there are numerous reasons why a Windows PC might crash, if it results in a BSOD, an error code is presented on the screen to aid in understanding the underlying issue. Delving into BSOD dump files allows for pinpointing and addressing the problem.