I setup Windows 10 to generate full dumps for my MyUniquelyNamedApp.exe by importing the following file in RegistryEditor:
Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\LocalDumps]
[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\LocalDumps\MyUniquelyNamedApp.exe]
"DumpFolder"="C:\\MyUniquelyNamedApp\\DumpFiles"
"DumpCount"=dword:00000010
"DumpType"=dword:00000002
When testing MyUniquelyNamedApp.exe I got a crash and a dump file was generated (which in turn found a likely bug in the code).
Unfortunately it may seem as if the process of generating the dump file also corrupted the file system. Several previously installed programs were missing from C:\Program Files.
Some folders was copied over to the computer and some other programs were started before the crash occurred so I can not be certain that the dump is responsible.
However the same has happened to a colleague several times and he suspects the dump changes to the registry to be the culprit.
BTW before my changes to the registry above the hard disk was cloned from another machine.
Is it possible that dump file generation corrupts the file system? What are other possible culprits? How can I investigate the problem further?
Is it possible that dump file generation corrupts the file system?.. possible I guess, but EXTREMELY unlikely. This code is borderline bullet proof. Microsoft programmers use it every day internally. Have you done a fullchkdskscan of the drive? You say "corrupts".. are the folders simply missing or are there actual errors on the drive after you have a crash? Also, have you tried to disable ALL antivirus except defender?