Google Chrome and Edge encountered strange errors, automatically generated random debug.log files on the desktop

On October 6, Google released Chrome 86 'Stable', and all users around the world are automatically updated to this version. Other Chromium-based browser platforms, such as Brave and Microsoft Edge, are also upgraded to this version at the same time.

Since the release of Chrome 86.0.4240.75, the browser has been reported to automatically generate debug.log log files on the desktop and even in other folders on the system. system.

debug.log is the default type of log file that Chromium-based browsers use to log error logging. With the latest release of Chrome, a strange error suddenly appeared and is causing the debug.log file to be automatically generated with the following message:

[1016 / 1644047.132: ERROR: directory_reader_win.cc (43)] FindFirstFile: The system cannot find the path specified. (0x3)

While Google hasn't publicly explained this error yet, based on the experts' initial analysis, Chrome is having trouble repeating files and subfolders in a folder and treating it as an error.

It's not clear if this is a new bug, or is it because Google has turned on logging and forgot to turn it off. If you happen to encounter this problem, you can solve it by deleting the contents of the Chromium Crashpad folder.

The Crashpad folder is found in the following locations on Chrome, Edge, and Brave:

1. Chrome:

C:Users[username]AppDataLocalGoogleChromeUser DataCrashpad

1. Edge:

C:Users[username]AppDataLocalMicrosoftEdgeUser DataCrashpad

1. Brave:

C:UsersUserAppDataLocalBraveSoftwareBrave-BrowserUser DataCrashpad

To delete the contents of the Crashpad folder, follow these steps:

1. Step 1: Close all crashed versions of Chrome, Edge or other Chromium-based browsers.
2. Step 2: Navigate to the Crashpad folder at the respective address as mentioned above.
3. Step 3: Delete the contents of the Crashpad folder.
4. Step 4: Restart Chrome to recreate the contents of the Crashpad folder.

Now that the Crashpad content has been reset, the debug.log files will no longer be generated.

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David Pac

Update 20 October 2020