How to Fix DMP Files in System32 Windows 11 (4 Easy Methods)

If you need to fix DMP files in System32 on Windows 11, it usually means Windows is writing crash dumps into the wrong folder or generating them faster than you can clean them out. Windows creates a dump file every time the system crashes or hits a driver fault, and a single MEMORY.DMP file can run into several gigabytes on its own. When these files, or the smaller minidumps meant for the Minidump subfolder, start collecting inside System32 instead, they eat into your drive space fast and make the folder harder to manage.

What Causes Excessive DMP Files

This happens when the system keeps generating crash dumps faster than they get cleaned up, or when the dump path itself is misconfigured to point at System32.

Recurring Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) crashes from a faulty driver or hardware issue
Windows set to save a Complete or Kernel memory dump instead of a smaller minidump
The dump file path in Startup and Recovery settings mistakenly set to %SystemRoot%\System32 instead of the default location
A system service or driver host with its executable in System32 crashing and dropping a user-mode dump in the same folder

Fix 1: Change the Dump Type to Minimize File Size

Switching from a Complete or Kernel dump to a Small Memory Dump (minidump) prevents large DMP files from forming after every crash.

Press Win + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter
Go to the Advanced tab
Under the Startup and Recovery section, click Settings
Under Write Debugging Information, select Small Memory Dump (256 KB) or Automatic Memory Dump
If the field shows a System32 path instead of %SystemRoot%\Minidump, click the field and change it manually, since a wrong path is a common reason dumps end up in System32
Click OK and restart the PC

This only controls how future crashes save dump files. Fix 2 and Fix 3 below cover removing the DMP files already sitting on the drive, starting with the quicker Disk Cleanup method and then a manual fallback if anything gets left behind.

Fix 2: Delete Existing DMP Files Using Disk Cleanup

Disk Cleanup includes a dedicated option to remove memory dump files without touching other system data.

Press Win + S, search for Disk Cleanup, right-click it, and select Run as administrator
Select the system drive (usually C:) and click OK
Click Clean up system files
Check System error memory dump files and System error minidump files
Click OK and confirm deletion

This will not remove personal files. For ongoing cleanup without repeating these steps, turn on Storage Sense under Settings > System > Storage and enable automatic removal of temporary files.

Fix 3: Clear the System32 Folder Manually

Disk Cleanup sometimes skips a dump file that is still marked as in use or sits outside its scan scope. Manual deletion clears whatever is left over inside System32.

Open File Explorer and navigate to C:\Windows\System32
Locate MEMORY.DMP and delete it
Open the C:\Windows\Minidump folder
Select all files inside and delete them
Empty the Recycle Bin to reclaim the space immediately

Skip any file that refuses to delete, since it could be locked by a running process or a legitimate system file that happens to carry a .dmp extension. A reboot usually releases locked files if you need to try again.

Fix 4: Fix the Root Cause of Repeated Crashes

Clearing existing DMP files and fixing the dump path stops the folder from filling up again, but if crashes are still happening, new dumps will keep forming somewhere. This fix targets the drivers and system files that usually trigger repeated BSODs.

Open Settings > Windows Update and install all pending updates
Open Device Manager and update or roll back any driver showing a warning icon
If no driver shows a warning in Device Manager, open Event Viewer instead to catch drivers that crash without being flagged. Go to Windows Logs > System, click Filter Current Log, check Critical and Error, and look for BugCheck events (Event ID 1001) or Kernel-Power events (Event ID 41) that name a driver file
Press Win + S, search for Command Prompt, right-click it, and select Run as administrator
Run sfc /scannow to repair corrupted system files
Run DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth for deeper repairs if sfc /scannow cannot fix everything on its own
If crashes continue after the repairs above, run chkdsk C: /f /r to rule out disk errors as the cause

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it safe to delete DMP files in System32?

Yes, DMP files are diagnostic logs and Windows does not need them to function. Deleting them frees up space instantly and does not affect system stability, though you lose the ability to analyze those specific crashes later.

Will deleting DMP files stop future crashes?

No, deleting the files only frees up space. Use Fix 4 to identify and fix the driver or system file issue actually causing the crashes.

How much space can DMP files take up?

A Complete Memory Dump can match the size of installed RAM, while minidumps are usually under 1 MB each but can add up if crashes happen frequently.

Why are DMP files showing up in System32 instead of Minidump?

This usually means the dump file path in Startup and Recovery settings has been changed to point at System32, or a system service whose executable lives in that folder is crashing and writing its dump there. Fix 1 in this article walks through checking and correcting the path.

Does turning off memory dumps affect Windows performance?

No, disabling memory dumps only stops Windows from writing crash data to disk after a BSOD. It has no effect on day to day performance and only limits your ability to diagnose the exact cause of a future crash.

Related Guides

Fix Excessive DMP Files in Windows 11 System32 Folder