Windows mem.dmp (255 mb)

[nedjm]

WinXP Home edition, 256 mb ram.
Did a defrag and at completion shows
"C:\windows memory.dmp "
255 mb fragmented files in red.
Repeated defrag does not delete.
Currently put this folder in the recycle
bin and defrag does not show it.
Should I empty the recycle bin?
Or ?
What is it and why?
Need help.

[Ron Martell]

"nedjm" > wrote:

>WinXP Home edition, 256 mb ram.
>Did a defrag and at completion shows
>"C:\windows memory.dmp "
> 255 mb fragmented files in red.
>Repeated defrag does not delete.
>Currently put this folder in the recycle
>bin and defrag does not show it.
>Should I empty the recycle bin?
>Or ?
>What is it and why?
>Need help.

>

That is a System Failure Memory Dump file, created when Windows
encounters a System Failure class error (e.g. a Blue Screen Of Death
STOP error message).

The file is useful to a systems programmer who is working on
diagnosing the detailed cause of that error. Otherwise it is of
little or no value and can be safely deleted.

You can change the option that creates this file. Open Control Panel
- System - Advanced - Startup and Recovery Settings. In the System
Failure section of the Window change the setting for Write Debugging
Information from "Complete Memory Dump" to either "<none>" or "<small
memory dump 64kb>".

If you are ever involved in the detailed investigation of an error you
can always change the setting back again if you need to do so.

Good luck


Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
--
Microsoft MVP
On-Line Help Computer Service
http://onlinehelp.bc.ca

"The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

[Robert Shiffman]

Thanks for the lead, Ron. Do you happen to know what "/fast detect"
means?

Tcebob

[nedjm]

Ron,
Many thanks. Will leave as is, now that
you have explained as to what it is.

" Do not end sentences with a proposition. "
admonished Sister Adelgundus 78 years ago.
nedjm

"Ron Martell" > wrote in message
...
> "nedjm" > wrote:
>
> >WinXP Home edition, 256 mb ram.
> >Did a defrag and at completion shows
> >"C:\windows memory.dmp "
> > 255 mb fragmented files in red.
> >Repeated defrag does not delete.
> >Currently put this folder in the recycle
> >bin and defrag does not show it.
> >Should I empty the recycle bin?
> >Or ?
> >What is it and why?
> >Need help.
>
> >
>
> That is a System Failure Memory Dump file, created when Windows
> encounters a System Failure class error (e.g. a Blue Screen Of Death
> STOP error message).
>
> The file is useful to a systems programmer who is working on
> diagnosing the detailed cause of that error. Otherwise it is of
> little or no value and can be safely deleted.
>
> You can change the option that creates this file. Open Control Panel
> - System - Advanced - Startup and Recovery Settings. In the System
> Failure section of the Window change the setting for Write Debugging
> Information from "Complete Memory Dump" to either "<none>" or "<small
> memory dump 64kb>".
>
> If you are ever involved in the detailed investigation of an error you
> can always change the setting back again if you need to do so.
>
> Good luck
>
>
> Ron Martell Duncan B.C. Canada
> --
> Microsoft MVP
> On-Line Help Computer Service
> http://onlinehelp.bc.ca
>
> "The reason computer chips are so small is computers don't eat much."

[Frank Saunders, MS-MVP]

"nedjm" > wrote in message

> Ron,
> " Do not end sentences with a proposition. "
> admonished Sister Adelgundus 78 years ago.
> nedjm
>

<rant>
That is from when they were trying to make English into a Latin derived
language so they could easily tell the educated class (read upper class).
English is, in fact, a Germanic language and ending a sentence with a
preposition is perfectly proper.
>/rant>

--
Frank Saunders, MS-MVP
Please respond in Newsgroup. Do not send email
http://www.fjsmjs.com

[Sharon F]

Robert Shiffman wrote:
> Thanks for the lead, Ron. Do you happen to know what "/fast detect"
> means?
>
> Tcebob

Did you find that in your boot.ini file? It's a switch for loading Windows
at startup.


--
Sharon F
Microsoft MVP, Windows - Shell/User

[Robert Shiffman]

No, the reason for asking here was, following Ron's lead to Startup and
Recovery, I saw that the default startup was "Microsoft Windows XP
Professional" /fastdetect. Being of curious nature I wondered what was
being fastdetected. What if the switch is left off?

RS

Sharon F wrote:
> Robert Shiffman wrote:
>> Thanks for the lead, Ron. Do you happen to know what "/fast detect"
>> means?
>>
>> Tcebob
>
> Did you find that in your boot.ini file? It's a switch for loading
> Windows at startup.

[Sharon F]

The path you took (System> Advanced> Startup and Recovery) leads to a
different view of the boot.ini file. If you are single booting, you will
always see the line you mention in the space for the default operating
system. If you are dual booting and using XP's boot manager, you will see a
description of whatever operating system you prefer to load first when
starting the computer.

If you use Windows Explorer and have your view set to show all files, you
will find a "boot.ini" file in the root of the drive the system boots from.
If you open the file in Notepad, you'll see the same /fastdetect line from
System> Advanced> Startup and Recovery listed here.

The "/fastdetect" switch is the recommended and default load option. Other
switches can be used such as "/nodebug" and "/SOS" I don't know what
happens using no switch. Have never tried booting XP without it. I do know
that /fastdetect is responsible for the progress dots on the black and white
screen that appear during startup. By comparison, the /SOS switch will list
every driver being loaded at this point of the startup process. Useful for
troubleshooting but not desirable for everday usage.

--
Sharon F
Microsoft MVP, Windows - Shell/User

Robert Shiffman wrote:
> No, the reason for asking here was, following Ron's lead to Startup and
> Recovery, I saw that the default startup was "Microsoft Windows XP
> Professional" /fastdetect. Being of curious nature I wondered what was
> being fastdetected. What if the switch is left off?
>
> RS
>
> Sharon F wrote:
>> Robert Shiffman wrote:
>>> Thanks for the lead, Ron. Do you happen to know what "/fast detect"
>>> means?
>>>
>>> Tcebob
>>
>> Did you find that in your boot.ini file? It's a switch for loading
>> Windows at startup.

[Sharon F]

You're welcome, Robert.

--
Sharon F
Microsoft MVP, Windows - Shell/User

Robert Shiffman wrote:
> Thank you for the detailed response. I believe I will try the /SOS
> switch but perhaps removing the /fastdetect is a bit chancey.
>
> RS