Where Is the SRU Database File Located?
SRU database file tracking app resource usage, and the tools that read it forensically.
Last updated
The System Resource Usage Monitor keeps its database in SRUDB.dat under the sru folder in System32. It records per application CPU, network, disk and energy usage over time, feeding Task Manager's App history tab and the Settings usage pages.
Forensics values it because the history outlives processes and user sessions. The file stays locked while Windows runs, so live copies need volume shadow copies or offline disk access. Parse it with dedicated tooling: the format is an ESE database, readable by everything except the tools most users already have.
Where Windows stores this, by platform
C:\Windows\System32\sru\SRUDB.dat
Locked system file requiring admin rights and offline access for direct copies. Task Manager and Settings surface slices of it live. Forensic parsers read the ESE format that inbox tools cannot open.
Frequently asked questions
how do i read the sru database
Open it with a forensic SRUM parser such as parsed artifacts tooling, since no inbox tool reads it directly. Task Manager shows live usage instead, while the database keeps the history Task Manager forgets the moment processes exit.
can i clear resource usage history
Resetting usage statistics in Settings clears parts of it, and the system rotates data on its own schedule. Deleting the file by hand with services running corrupts the store, so manage retention through supported settings instead.
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