nvlddmkm.sys (NVIDIA driver) caused an access violation. Update GPU drivers.
Report ID: WIN11-DFV-2026-04 Date: April 14, 2026 Author: Windows Diagnostics Research Unit Target Audience: System Administrators, IT Support Specialists, Forensic Analysts, Developers 1. Executive Summary Windows 11, like its predecessors, generates memory dump files when the operating system encounters a fatal error (e.g., Blue Screen of Death – BSOD). These dump files capture the state of system memory at the moment of the crash, providing critical clues for root cause analysis. A dump file viewer is any software tool capable of opening, parsing, and interpreting these files. This report evaluates native and third‑party viewers for Windows 11, explains how to configure dump generation, and provides a methodology for effective crash analysis.
Arguments: Arg1: 00000000c0000005, Exception code = access violation Arg2: fffff8002e4a2b3f, Address of instruction that caused exception windows 11 dump file viewer
DEFAULT_BUCKET_ID: DRIVER_FAULT
| Viewer | Type | Best For | Learning Curve | Cost | |-----------------------|--------------|-----------------------------------------------|----------------|-------------| | | Microsoft | Deep root cause, kernel debugging, symbols | High | Free | | BlueScreenView | NirSoft | Quick, color‑coded driver identification | Low | Free | | WhoCrashed | Resplendence | Automated analysis + plain English reports | Low | Free/Pro | | Windows Debugger (WinDbg) | Microsoft | Legacy systems, full control over commands | Very high | Free (SDK) | | RAMMap | Microsoft | Memory usage analysis (not crash focused) | Medium | Free | | Sysinternals LiveKD | Microsoft | Live kernel debugging without crash | High | Free | nvlddmkm
MODULE_NAME: nvlddmkm IMAGE_NAME: nvlddmkm.sys STACK_COMMAND: .thread ; .cxr ; kb FOLLOWUP_IP: nvlddmkm+1a2b3f
Microsoft (R) Windows Debugger Version ... Loading Dump File [C:\Windows\MEMORY.DMP] Kernel Summary Dump File: Kernel address space is present BugCheck 0x0000003B, c0000005, fffff8002e4a2b3f, ... SYSTEM_SERVICE_EXCEPTION (3b) This report evaluates native and third‑party viewers for
| Dump Type | Typical Size | Contents | |--------------------------|--------------------|--------------------------------------------------------------------------| | | 64 KB – 256 KB | Bug check code, parameters, list of loaded drivers, stack of crashing thread. | | Kernel Memory Dump | 1/3 of RAM approx. | Kernel memory, loaded drivers, hardware abstraction layer, kernel‑mode stack. | | Complete Memory Dump | Equal to RAM size | Entire physical memory at crash time. Requires large paging file. | | Automatic Memory Dump | Variable | Same as kernel dump but can be smaller; Windows 11 default. | Default setting in Windows 11: Automatic Memory Dump – stored in %SystemRoot%\MEMORY.DMP . Small dumps are also stored in %SystemRoot%\Minidump with a timestamped filename (e.g., 041426-25937-01.dmp ). 4. Overview of Windows 11 Dump File Viewers The table below compares the most popular viewers for Windows 11: