[Win7] Problem Steps Recorder

[Termana]

If you've ever needed to help someone with a problem (hey, sounds like what codecall is about!) you will know how difficult it is to try and communicate with that person about their problem and give them a good answer. Maybe you've had a hard time discussing your problem to someone else? (not bloody likely for most of the people here on codecall since we solve most of our own problems, except the ones we post here (you wouldn't post your problem in any other place would you? lol)) Windows 7 has just the answer for these, well, problems. The Problem Steps Recorder.

1. Go to the start menu

2. Using the better-than-vista search functionality, type in "record a problem" and "Record steps to reproduce a problem" should be second on the list (you could also do "problem steps" and it will be the first on the list) (do either without the quotes). Click it.

3. A little box will come up, press Start Recorder. After this, you would have someone do whatever they needed to reproduce the problem.

4. While doing the reproducing, a person can press Add Comment and select a bit of the screen with a drag motion and add their own comment in.

5. When finished, press Stop Recording

6. A save box will come up to save a zip file, this should be saved... well where ever you want to save it.

7. Unzip that zip file (if you don't have an unzipping program installed, stop being a loner. However Windows of course has build in unzipping functionality - although slower then other unzippers), and you will find a MHTML file. The last I heard, there wasn't really any good programs for Linux or OS X to open these files (don't quote me on this), however, Windows 7 (or more specifically, Internet Explorer) natively supports them.

8. Upon opening the file, you will be able to see screenshots of the steps recorder, very specific details of what has happened to create the problem and you can even view the photos as a slideshow.

Hopefully this tutorial will help you, help people, when people switch to Windows 7.

Edit: This won't help in the case of a Blue Screen of Death, however you'll be lucky if you can find a BSOD in Windows 7 that isn't caused intentionally (sorry Linux fans). In case you do encounter a BSOD and want to get like 1/16th of the functionality of this, you can do it the (now) old fashioned way, with your clickity click, camera.

[Jordan]

Very cool feature, Termana. I wasn't aware of this in Windows 7 and it can be a big help! I'll probably end up blogging about it and linking back to this tutorial.

+rep