When an unhandled exception or fault occurs, Windows generates either a .dmp or a .log file based on system settings.
The .log file:
Is generated by Dr. Watson (see “Windows debugging tools”)
Is readable with any text editor
Includes details about the environment, active programs, services, and modules (DLLs) when the crash occurred
A .dmp file is generated by tools like the kernel debugger, UserDump, and Dr. Watson if you select the Create Crash Dump option. It includes dumps of memory, call stack, offsets, and so on. A log file is also generated.
You can use various tools to read the dump file. For a comparison of the kinds of dump file analysis provided by the tools, see “Windows debugging tools”.
A Windows Registry entry determines which program handles uncaught exceptions.
For information on how to configure your preferences, go to the Microsoft support site.
For help interpreting Windows .dmp or .log files,
contact Sybase Technical Support.