How To Configure and Use Error Reporting in Windows XP (310414)

SUMMARY

There is an error reporting feature included with Windows XP that you can use to report computer and program errors to Microsoft. Microsoft can use your reports to track and fix problems with the operating system and with programs. This article describes how you can configure error reporting in Windows XP.

back to the top

How to Configure and Use Error Reporting

You can enable, disable, or modify the way that error reporting works on a Windows XP-based computer. When an error occurs, a dialog box is displayed that prompts you to report the problem to Microsoft. If you want to report the problem, technical information about the problem is sent to Microsoft over the Internet. You must be connected to the Internet to use the feature. If a similar problem has been reported by other users and information about the problem is available, you receive a link to a Web page that contains information about the problem.

To access the settings for the reporting feature:

1. Click Start.
2. Right-click My Computer, then click Properties.
3. Click the Advanced tab.
4. Click Error Reporting.

To configure the error reporting feature:

• By default, error reporting is enabled. To disable it, click Disable error reporting. To continue to be notified when errors occur without being prompted to report the errors, click to select the But notify me when critical errors occur check box.
• Specify whether you want to use error reporting for the Windows operating system, for programs, or for both Windows and programs.
• To report errors only for selected programs, click Choose Programs, click All programs in this list, and then click the programs that you do not want to include.
• To add a program that is not listed, click Add, type the name of the program, or click Browse to find the program on your computer.
• If many programs are listed, you may want to create an exclude list. In the Do not report errors for these programs box, click Add, type the name of each program that you want to exclude from error reporting, or click Browse to find the program on your computer.

back to the top


NOTE: Because all error reports are confidential and anonymous, Microsoft Support Professionals do not have access to any error report that you send to Microsoft over the Internet by using the Error Reporting service. As a result, you need to send a Dr. Watson item for Windows log file to a support personnel by the method they prefer.

For additional information about Dr. Watson for Windows, click the article number below to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: