If you’re experiencing frequent crashes on your Windows 10 computer, it can be frustrating and difficult to pinpoint the cause. Fortunately, Windows 10 has a built-in feature that allows you to view crash logs, which can provide valuable information about the issue. In this article, we’ll explain what crash logs are, why they’re important, and How to view them on your Windows 10 computer.
What Are Crash Logs?
Crash logs, also known as event logs, are records of system events that occur on your computer. These events can include errors, warnings, and informational messages. When your computer crashes, it generates a crash log that contains information about the event, such as the date and time of the crash, the type of error, and the application or process that caused the crash.
Why Are Crash Logs Important?
Crash logs are important because they can help you identify the cause of a crash and troubleshoot the issue. By analyzing the information in the crash log, you can determine if the crash was caused by a specific application, driver, or hardware component. This can save you time and frustration when trying to fix the problem.
Crash logs are also useful for developers, as they can provide valuable information for debugging and improving their software. By viewing crash logs, developers can identify and fix bugs that may be causing crashes for their users.
How to check Crash Logs on windows 10
Now that you understand the importance of crash logs, let’s go through the steps to view them on your Windows 10 computer.
Step 1: Open Event Viewer
The first step is to open the Event Viewer, which is where all system events, including crash logs, are stored. To open Event Viewer, press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Then, type “eventvwr” and press Enter.
Step 2: Navigate to Windows Logs
In the Event Viewer window, you’ll see a list of different event logs on the left side. To view crash logs, you’ll need to navigate to the Windows Logs section. Click on the arrow next to “Windows Logs” to expand the section.
Step 3: View the Application Log
Under the Windows Logs section, you’ll see several different logs, including Application, Security, Setup, System, and Forwarded Events. To view crash logs, click on the “Application” log. This log contains information about events related to applications and programs on your computer.
Step 4: Filter the Log
By default, the Application log will show all events, including informational messages and warnings. To view only crash logs, you’ll need to filter the log. To do this, click on the “Filter Current Log” option on the right side of the Event Viewer window.
In the Filter Current Log window, check the box next to “Critical” and “Error” under the “Event level” section. This will filter the log to only show critical and error events, which are typically related to crashes.
Step 5: View Crash Logs
After filtering the log, you’ll see a list of events that match the criteria you selected. Look for events with a red “X” icon, as these are critical errors that may have caused a crash. Click on an event to view more details about it, including the date and time of the event, the source, and the event ID.
If you see multiple events with the same source and event ID, it’s likely that these are related to the same crash. You can click on each event to view more details and try to determine the cause of the crash.
How to Generate a Crash Dump File
In addition to viewing crash logs, you can also generate a crash dump file, which contains more detailed information about the crash. This can be useful for advanced troubleshooting or for providing information to a developer if you’re experiencing crashes with a specific application.
To generate a crash dump file, you’ll need to enable it in the Registry Editor. Please note that making changes in the Registry Editor can be risky, so it’s important to follow these steps carefully.
Step 1: Open the Registry Editor
To open the Registry Editor, press the Windows key + R on your keyboard to open the Run dialog box. Then, type “regedit” and press Enter.
Step 2: Navigate to the Crash Control Key
In the Registry Editor, navigate to the following key:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Control\CrashControl
Step 3: Create a New DWORD Value
Right-click on the CrashControl key and select “New” > “DWORD (32-bit) Value”. Name the new value “CrashDumpEnabled” and press Enter.
Step 4: Set the Value Data
Double-click on the new CrashDumpEnabled value to open the Edit DWORD (32-bit) Value window. In the “Value data” field, enter “1” and click “OK”.
Step 5: Generate a Crash Dump File
After making this change, the next time your computer crashes, a crash dump file will be generated in the following location:
C:\Windows\Minidump
You can then provide this file to a developer or use it for advanced troubleshooting.
Conclusion
Crash logs are an important tool for troubleshooting and identifying the cause of crashes on your Windows 10 computer. By following the steps outlined in this article, you can easily view crash logs and filter them to only show critical errors. You can also generate a crash dump file for more detailed information. With this knowledge, you can effectively troubleshoot and fix any issues that may be causing crashes on your computer.
