Kernel memory dump files may not be generated on Windows Server 2008-based and Windows Vista SP1 or later based computers when physical memory is larger than the size of the page file

Article ID: 949052 - View products that this article applies to.
Support for Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1) ends on July 12, 2011. To continue receiving security updates for Windows, make sure you're running Windows Vista with Service Pack 2 (SP2). For more information, refer to this Microsoft web page: Support is ending for some versions of Windows
(http://windows.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/help/end-support-windows-xp-sp2-windows-vista-without-service-packs)
.
Important This article contains information about how to modify the registry. Make sure that you back up the registry before you modify it. Make sure that you know how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For more information about how to back up, restore, and modify the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
322756
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/322756/ )
How to back up and restore the registry in Windows XP and Windows Vista
Expand all | Collapse all

SYMPTOMS

Kernel memory dump files may not be generated on Windows Server 2008-based or Windows Vista Service Pack 1 (SP1)-based computers.

You may also notice the following event is logged in the System event log:

Event ID: 49
Event Type: Error
Event Source: volmgr
Description: Configuring the Page file for crash dump failed. Make sure there is a page file on the boot partition and that is large enough to contain all physical memory.

Back to the top | Give Feedback

CAUSE

This behavior occurs when more physical memory (RAM) is installed than the initial size that is set for the page file. If a STOP error occurs when the system is configured to generate a kernel or complete memory dump, no memory dump file will be generated.

To confirm how much physical memory is installed on the system, follow these steps:
1. Click Start, right click Computer and then click Properties.
2. Check the size displayed at Memory (RAM) entry of System section.
Back to the top | Give Feedback

WORKAROUND

Warning Serious problems might occur if you modify the registry incorrectly by using Registry Editor or by using another method. These problems might require that you reinstall the operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that these problems can be solved. Modify the registry at your own risk.

To work around this behavior, modify the registry so that writting of the memory dump files are attempted even if the physical memory size is larger than the initial size that is set for the page file. To do this, follow these steps:
  1. Click Start
    Collapse this imageExpand this image
    Start button
    , type regedit in the Start Search box, and then click regedit in the Programs list.

    Collapse this imageExpand this image
    User Account Control permission
    If you are prompted for an administrator password or for confirmation, type your password, or click Continue.
  2. Locate and then click the following registry subkey:
    HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\System\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl
  3. On the Edit menu, point to New, and then click DWORD Value.
  4. Type IgnorePagefileSize, and then press ENTER.
  5. Right-click IgnorePagefileSize, and then click Modify.
  6. In the Value data box, type 1, and then click OK.
  7. Exit Registry Editor.
  8. Reboot the system for the change to take effect.
Back to the top | Give Feedback

REFERENCES

For more information about how to configure system failure and recovery options in earlier versions of Windows, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:
307973
(http://support.microsoft.com/kb/307973/ )
How to configure system failure and recovery options in Windows
Back to the top | Give Feedback

Properties

Article ID: 949052 - Last Review: June 10, 2011 - Revision: 2.2
APPLIES TO
  • Windows Vista Service Pack 1
  • Windows Server 2008 Datacenter without Hyper-V
  • Windows Server 2008 Enterprise without Hyper-V
  • Windows Server 2008 for Itanium-Based Systems
  • Windows Server 2008 Standard without Hyper-V
  • Windows Server 2008 Datacenter
  • Windows Server 2008 Enterprise
  • Windows Server 2008 Standard
Keywords: 
kbexpertiseinter kbtshoot kbprb KB949052
Back to the top | Give Feedback

Give Feedback

 
Back to the topBack to the top