Show Me Your Problem... Literally! =D

What is the Problem Steps Recorder?

Very few people know about a nifty little tool in Windows 7 and 8 called the Problem Steps Recorder.  If your computer isn't totally dead (and doesn't boot), this tool may help you to help me fix your problem.  Basically, it records your mouse clicks, key presses and grabs screenshots of whatever it is you are trying to do that fails (like an error message).  Record with this tool while you click through the motions to generate the error message that you get stuck at.

You can email me the the file it creates and then I can get a good picture of where you're running into a problem.

Try It Out

Click the START MENU and then type 'psr' (for Problem Steps Recorder).  In Windows 8, press ALT+R, type in 'psr.exe' in the run box and press ENTER (jump down two paragraphs).

At the top of the start menu click on PSR.EXE to open the Problem Steps Recorder tool.

A small window will appear on your screen that looks like the picture below.  It will look styled slightly different if you are running Windows 8 but it's basically the same.

Click the START RECORD button and then proceed to click through whatever you are trying to do that causes an error.  In other words, reproduce your problem for me.

Example

I am trying to play this MP3 music file in Windows Media Player...

...but when I do, I get an error that it can't play the file =(

So if a home user ran into this problem and didn't know why, he/she could use the Problem Steps Recorder to record this and send it off to someone like me who can help fix it.

Of course, this is a very simple example that may not even warrant recording the problem steps but more complex issues could certainly make this useful!

After recording your problem steps, click the STOP RECORD button on the Problem Steps Recorder tool.  A SAVE AS dialog box appears so you can save the recorded problem steps.

Name the file and save it somewhere so you can find it.

After you save the problem steps, double-click it to open and then drag the file within it to your desktop so that you can email it to me. (This step is to ensure the file gets to me since most email systems block ZIP files).

Conclusion

That's it!  If you ever have a problem that has you stumped, try out the Problem Steps Recorder tool in Windows 7 or 8.  Send me the problem steps recording file and you'll be well on your way to resolving your problem!