How to Generate Automatic DUMP of SQL Server 2008 Instance on a cluster

--Chris Skorlinski
--Microsoft SQL Server Escalation Services

917825        How to use the Sqldumper.exe utility to generate a dump file in SQL Server 2005
http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?scid=kb;EN-US;917825

Use following steps to enable SQL Cluster Resource to automatically generate a dump of a SQL Server Named Instance before a shutdown/failover occurs.

In this example the SQL Server instance name is "SQL2K8R2"

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Set the SqlDumperDumpFlags from a CMD window. Note there is no feedback in the CMD window if the setting was successful. Use 0x0120 to collect a "mini dump" of SQL Server executing threads. For more comprehensive and yes, larger memory dump, use flag 0x8100.

Default instance:

cluster resource "SQL Server" /priv SqlDumperDumpFlags = 0x0120
-- or --
cluster resource "SQL Server" /priv SqlDumperDumpFlags = 0x8100

Name Instance

cluster resource "SQL Server(SQL2K8R2)" /priv SqlDumperDumpFlags = 0x0120
-- or --
cluster resource "SQL Server(SQL2K8R2)" /priv SqlDumperDumpFlags = 0x8100

For Example:

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Use RegEdit to verify setting cluster key settings

  1. Start, Run, then REGEDIT.
  2. Under the "Cluster" key expand "Resources".
  3. Browse through the list of resources until you see "Name" key = "SQL Server (SQL2K8R2)"
  4. Then expand the key and select "Parameters".

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Verify

Verify the "SqlDumperDumpFlags = 0x00008100.

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