Dump files are memory snapshots taken when Windows or a specific app crashes. They capture useful info such as the running processes, loaded modules, etc.
If you’renot dealing with any crashes, the dump files you found are probably old ones.you may delete themwithout worrying as they’re no longer needed.
But if Windows or a certain app iscrashing regularly, you shouldkeep the dump files. They’ll be useful for debugging the crashes.
What Are Dump Files? Why Are They Necessary?
When Windows crashes, the memory state, loaded driver list, and other key info are dumped into a memory dump file.
Users, developers, or support personnel canuse tools like WinDbg to analyze this fileat a later date. This can help them identify what caused the system to crash and how to fix it.
Windows supports five different sizes of crash dump files:
Dump files aren’t limited to Windows crashes. Many programs also generate their dump files when they crash. These range from games like CS:GO to editing apps, antiviruses, and much more.
These dumps tend to be larger compared to Windows crash dumps. They canoccupy hundreds of GBsif you let them accumulate. But their function is the same; help identify what caused the crash.
Is It Safe to Delete Dump Files
At this point, the answer should be clear.
If Windows or the app you’re using isfrequently crashing,don’t delete the dump filesjust yet. Analyze it yourself, send it to the devs, or some support personnel. This will be the best way to get rid of the crashes for good.
If you’renot dealing with any crashes, feel free to delete the dump files. Deleting them won’t have any effect on your system besidesfreeing up space.
