Where Does Windows Store Crash Dumps?
Full MEMORY.DMP versus minidumps on Windows, and the pagefile math complete dumps need.
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Windows writes full crash dumps to %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP (usually C:\Windows), one file overwritten per crash, plus a Minidump folder history of small per crash files. Type and path configure in Startup and Recovery (Writing Debugging Information) with the CrashControl registry keys behind it.
Complete dumps demand a boot volume pagefile of RAM plus ~257 MB; without it the option may hide entirely. Modern defaults use Automatic Memory Dump, which starts small and grows toward full RAM if crashes repeat within weeks. Kernel and automatic need room for kernel usage; minidumps need only megabytes.
Where Windows stores this, by platform
%SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP
Full/complete dump target (configurable via CrashControl DumpFile). Minidump history in %SystemRoot%\Minidump. Type in CrashDumpEnabled (automatic is modern default). Complete needs boot pagefile of RAM plus ~257 MB.
Frequently asked questions
Where is MEMORY.DMP after a blue screen?
C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP for full dumps (overwritten each crash), or dated files in C:\Windows\Minidump for small dumps. Check Startup and Recovery for which type your machine writes.
Why is the Complete dump option missing?
The boot pagefile is too small: complete dumps need RAM plus ~257 MB there. Enlarge it (or set DedicatedDumpFile) and the option reappears.
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