Windows 7 Problem Steps Recorder: miracle tool

[NormCameron]

This tool is something we really need to get people using to help in problem solving


"Windows 7 Problem Steps Recorder: miracle tool

January 11th, 2009 by Long Zheng

If you’ve ever offered technical support to other computer users, you might find yourself losing a slice of your sanity over their inability to describe the problem clearly. And most times it’s not the fault of the user, it’s just difficult to describe what you see with words. A feature new to Windows 7, called “Problem Steps Recorder” looks to be the missing tool for documenting where it all goes wrong.
What the tool is a simple but advanced variation of a screen capture software. Think of it as an automated “Print Screen” plus a little monkey in the background documenting all the mouse clicks, key strokes and gathers some technical reading material, who then ties up everything in a neat box and saves the results. The neat little box you get is a zipped MHTML report page which can be sent off directly to the help desk.
The report page is where this tool really shines. It actually is an XML page documenting each step of the user’s actions complete with a screenshot with the item highlighted. You can view the report as is, or as a slideshow, or even dig into the raw XML to expose greater detail like the X&Y coordinates of the mouse.
Here’s a report I prepared earlier for your viewing pleasure. You must use Internet Explorer to view MHTMLs.
To try the “Problem Steps Recorder” for yourself, type and select “psr.exe” in the Windows 7 start menu."


Recorded Problem Steps

Windows 7 Problem Steps Recorder: miracle tool - istartedsomething​

See Tutorial: http://www.sevenforums.com/tutorials/2022-problem-steps-recorder.html

Norm​

 

[garysgold]

Thanks Norm. That could be a very useful tool in some/many situations. Nice Find.

Gary

 

[johngalt]

yeah, great find - as the last commenter said, though, this is also referred to on hte W7 page - see last screenshot at How to install the Windows 7 Beta

 

[djhallucn8]

Nice find, could be useful.

 

[Dzomlija]

Looks like a nice tool, but that still leaves the problem of explaining to the noobs on the other end of the phone how to start it, use it, and then zip and email the results...

At least Microsoft is moving in the right direction with this.

 

[JerzeyLegend]

I think if someone is using Windows 7, they have enough brains to know how to type in psr.exe. Very good tool. Windows 7 just keeps getting better. Hopefully Microsoft implements this program into the start orb, or control panel. This actually would be a very good program to go in the control panel. Thanks for the info.

I want to say:

Don't forget to provide positive feedback so that tools like this make it to the Release Candidate.

 

[garysgold]

Don't forget to provide positive feedback so that tools like this make it to the Release Candidate.

Just did that.

 

[JerzeyLegend]

Also. This tool has another use.

It can be used for a tutorial. Just do the steps you want someone to follow, and they can do exactly as you do. Also you can put comments for them to read.

Just make the screens a little bigger, and it needs some tweaking on recognizing what the mouse clicks. When I clicked on Notepad it said: User left click on Name(editable text).

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Hello all.

Thanks Norm.

It is very easy; I just did it as a test. Here is the only problem with using it at these forums; the Zip is too big to upload to the post. Also; once it's open, it can be left on the desktop for future use.







Later :shock: Ted

 

[rob3]

Great tool..Its a well developed tool indeed..Thanks Norm
this will help a lot of fokes for sure good find..

 

[JerzeyLegend]

Bare Foot Kid,

Can it be hosted outside somewhere? I have never hosted a document before.

 

[Bare Foot Kid]

Bare Foot Kid,

Can it be hosted outside somewhere? I have never hosted a document before.

Hello JL.

Neither have I; besides how would that be explained to people seeking help....:huh:








Later :shock: Ted

 

[coolbaskin]

Looks like a nice tool, but that still leaves the problem of explaining to the noobs on the other end of the phone how to start it, use it, and then zip and email the results...

At least Microsoft is moving in the right direction with this.

Well, its use is pretty simple since the UI resembles the one of the Sound Recorder. Zip and e-mail are taken care of by the tool itself. You can select "e-mail" option after the steps are recorded and then it would create an e-mail in the default e-mail client and attach zip file to it. So all that is left to user is enter the adress and send it.

However, one big problem is that this tool is not easily discoverable and you should really know about its existence to start using it. Hope they add it to the Start menu. I personally think it fits quite nicely into Start\Accessories\System Tools bundle of apps.

 

[napilopez]

I love PSR, lol. I was just going to make a PSR fle actually for a short tutorial. Its awesome. I do agree with the above poster, it should be more readily accessible from the start menu.

 

[not so gray matter]

This may be over a year later, but I think we should really try to get some of the people reporting problems to use this. It's a bit easier to decipher than "See web page in notepad without code" which translates as "How can I preview a web page via an HTML editor without opening a browser?"