In a computer storage system, crash dump files are secured without power fencing in a cluster of a plurality of nodes connected to a storage system. Upon an occurrence of a panic of a crashing node and prior to receiving a panic message of the crashing node by a surviving node loading, in the cluster, a capturing node to become active, prior to a totem token being declared lost by the surviving node, for capturing the crash dump files of the crashing node, while manipulating the surviving node to continue to operate under the assumption the power fencing was performed on the crashing node.