How to Fix Excessive DMP Files in the Windows 11 System32 Folder

A System32 folder stuffed with .dmp files, sometimes tens of gigabytes of them, almost always points to a misdirected crash-dump setting or a component that keeps writing user-mode dumps into that folder. Windows normally keeps crash data elsewhere, so when these files land in System32 they just eat drive space without any benefit to you.

Quick answer: Open sysdm.cpl, go to Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Settings, and confirm the dump path points to %SystemRoot%\Minidump or %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP (never %SystemRoot%\System32), then delete the leftover .dmp files from C:\Windows\System32.

excessive DMP files in Windows 11 System32

Why the dumps end up in System32

Windows writes a dump file whenever the system hits a blue screen or a critical application crashes. Full kernel dumps go to C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP, and smaller minidumps go to C:\Windows\Minidump. Neither location is System32 by default.

Two things push dumps into System32. The first is a startup and recovery setting whose dump path has been changed to %SystemRoot%\System32, so every bugcheck drops a large file straight into the folder. The second is a system service whose executable lives in System32, such as a driver host or an anti-malware engine. When one of those crashes, Windows Error Reporting can write its .hdmp or .dmp alongside it, and an unstable driver or a frequently crashing process makes that pile grow fast.

Are these .dmp files safe to delete?

Yes. Dump files are diagnostic logs created after a crash, and the operating system does not need them to run. Deleting them frees space immediately and causes no stability problems. The only thing you lose is the ability to analyze those specific crashes later, so if you are actively troubleshooting a recurring blue screen, copy the dumps somewhere safe before you clear them.

Note: If a file refuses to delete, a running process is likely holding it open. Skip it rather than forcing it, since a small number of legitimate system files carry a .dmp extension. A reboot usually releases a locked dump and lets you remove it afterward.

Redirect kernel dumps back out of System32

If the dump path has been changed to System32, fixing it stops new files from appearing while still keeping crash data in the standard location. This is the right choice if you want to preserve dumps for future troubleshooting.

Press Windows + R, type sysdm.cpl, and press Enter to open System Properties.

Open the Advanced tab and click Settings under Startup and Recovery.

In the Write debugging information dropdown, choose either Small memory dump (256 KB) (minidump) or Kernel memory dump.

Check that the dump directory reads %SystemRoot%\Minidump for small dumps, or %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP for kernel and full dumps. Click OK and restart the PC.

After the restart, open File Explorer, go to C:\Windows\System32, sort by file type, select the .dmp files, and delete them.

You will know it worked when a later crash writes its dump to C:\Windows\Minidump or C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP instead of System32, and the System32 folder no longer collects new .dmp files.

Turn off memory dumps entirely

If you never analyze crashes yourself, there is no reason to keep large dump files at all. Disabling the feature stops Windows from writing any .dmp file, which cuts off the flood at its source.

Open sysdm.cpl again and go to Advanced > Startup and Recovery > Settings.

Set Write debugging information to (none), click OK, and reboot.

Delete any remaining .dmp files from System32 using the same File Explorer method above.

Clear existing dumps with Disk Cleanup

Windows Error Reporting stores crash reports in hidden system folders, but a misconfiguration can drop them into System32. Disk Cleanup removes error dump files, including stray ones in the wrong folder, in a single pass.

Open the Start menu, type Disk Cleanup, and run it as administrator.

Select your system drive, usually C:, and click OK.

Click Clean up system files, choose C: again, and let it rescan.

Check the Windows error reports and feedback diag… box. To clear crash dumps directly, also check System error memory dump files and System error minidump files. Click OK and confirm. Personal files are not affected.

You can also delete the dumps by hand: remove MEMORY.DMP from C:\Windows, everything inside C:\Windows\Minidump, and any stray dumps in C:\Windows\System32.

Fix the crashes that keep creating dumps

If a faulty component keeps crashing, new .dmp files will keep appearing no matter how often you delete them. The lasting fix is to find the culprit, which is usually a corrupt driver, a failing system service, or damaged system files.

Open Event Viewer, expand Windows Logs, and select System. In the right pane, click Filter Current Log, check Critical and Error, and click OK.

Look for recent BugCheck events (Event ID 1001) or Kernel-Power events (Event ID 41). Double-click them and note the error code and any driver file named, for example nvlddmkm.sys.

Switch to Windows Logs > Application, filter for the Error level, and scan for Application Error events (Event ID 1000) that list a faulting module inside C:\Windows\System32.

Update the identified driver through Windows Update or the manufacturer’s site, then run the system file repairs below from an elevated Command Prompt.

sfc /scannow
DISM /Online /Cleanup-Image /RestoreHealth

Uninstall any recently added software that matches the faulting module, then reboot and watch whether fresh dumps stop appearing.

Keep the folder clean going forward

Once the dump path is corrected and the underlying crashes are handled, Storage Sense can keep the clutter from returning. It automatically removes temporary files, including system error dumps, so you do not have to revisit System32 by hand.

The table below summarizes which fix fits which situation.

Goal	What to do
Keep crash data but move it out of System32	Reset the dump path to Minidump or MEMORY.DMP
Never keep dump files	Set Write debugging information to (none)
Clear existing dumps fast	Run Disk Cleanup as administrator
Stop dumps at the root	Update the faulty driver and repair system files
Prevent buildup automatically	Enable Storage Sense

Correcting the dump path is the change that actually stops the folder from filling again, while Disk Cleanup and manual deletion recover the space you have already lost. If dumps keep returning after that, the crash itself is still active, and Event Viewer is where you trace it back to the driver or service that needs attention.