Home > Technobuddy > Archives > 2007 > April > 17 > Entry
DEL.ICIO.USSending error reports to Microsoft is an error
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
It’s bad enough when Windows messes up. But there’s always an extra little kick. A message flashes on the screen asking if you want to send an error report to Microsoft.
I never do. It’s not as if a bunch of wireheads at Microsoft rush around screaming - “Oh, my gosh, Bill Husted’s Mutant Martians game has crashed again … get someone on it.”
So I just click the “Don’t Send” button and deal with things myself.
Turns out that there is another reason to ignore the request. When you send in the error report, you are also sending in a memory dump from your computer that could contain personal information. I doubt that MicroSofties would ever dig through all the error message dumps but it seems sensible to avoid even that small chance.
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Comments
By CynicalGeek
April 17, 2007 10:45 AM | Link to this
I disable error reporting altogether. In order to do so: Right-click My Computer Left-click Properties Advanced Tab Error Reporting button Choose the Disable Error Reporting radio button Select the checkbox to notify you when errors occur
By Dan
April 23, 2007 9:49 PM | Link to this
I did have automatic updates enabled(no longer) and got one which checks for “authentic” Windows XP. Did not install as I don’t need Microsoft to tell me I have an authentic program, but I keep getting a popup that wants me to click to install and I can’t find a way to delete it. Does anyone know how to delete ?
And if you don’t have authentic program, Microsoft will gladly tell you how to get one; I can only guess how - pay for it.