Description and Availability of Internet Explorer Error Reporting Tool

The information in this article applies to:

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows XP 64-Bit Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows XP
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 98 Second Edition
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer version 6 for Windows 98
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5.01 Service Pack 1 , 5.01 Service Pack 2 , 5.5 , 5.5 Service Pack 1 , for Windows 2000
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5 , 5.01 , 5.01 Service Pack 1 , 5.01 Service Pack 2 , 5.5 , 5.5 Service Pack 1 , for Windows NT 4.0
  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5.01 , 5.01 Service Pack 1 , 5.01 Service Pack 2 , 5.5 , 5.5 Service Pack 1 , for Windows 98 Second Edition

  • Microsoft Internet Explorer versions 5 , 5.01 , 5.01 Service Pack 1 , 5.01 Service Pack 2 , 5.5 , 5.5 Service Pack 1 , for Windows 98

 

IMPORTANT : This article contains information about editing the registry. Before you edit the registry, make sure that you understand how to restore it if a problem occurs. For information about how to do this, see the "Restoring the Registry" Help topic in Regedit.exe or the "Restoring a Registry Key" Help topic in Regedt32.exe.

 

SUMMARY

You can use the Internet Explorer Error Reporting tool to report unrecoverable errors in Internet Explorer (there are more user-mode faults, such as, general protection faults or invalid page faults) to Microsoft over the Internet for analysis. You can view details about the problem and then choose whether to submit the fault information to Microsoft over the Internet and restart Internet Explorer. If a known problem occurs, a link is provided to a service pack, hotfix, or to a Microsoft Knowledge Base article after sending the error report to Microsoft. If Microsoft has not previously found or addressed the problem, the necessary information can be transmitted to a Microsoft problem database for investigation. This information can help determine potential problems that Microsoft needs to fix in future Internet Explorer service packs.

The Internet Explorer Error Reporting tool is included with all versions of Internet Explorer 6 and is available from the following Microsoft Web site if you are running Internet Explorer 5 or later on Microsoft Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Windows Millennium Edition (Me), or Windows 2000:

http://windowsupdate.microsoft.com

Steps to download the Internet Explorer Error Reporting tool if you are running Internet Explorer 5 or later on Microsoft Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Microsoft Windows NT 4.0, Windows Millennium Edition (Me), or Windows 2000:

  1. From the Windows Update main page, select Product Updates .

     
  2. Scroll down the page to find Internet Explorer Error Reporting .

     
  3. Check the corresponding box then click Download at the top of the page.

     

NOTE : Windows XP provides a more comprehensive Error Reporting service that monitors your computer for both user and kernel-mode faults ("stop" error messages or error messages that are displayed on a blue screen, as well as improper shutdown events) that affect both the operating system and any programs.

 


 

MORE INFORMATION

After you install Internet Explorer 6, Windows XP, or the Internet Explorer Error Reporting tool for Internet Explorer 5.x and restart your computer, you can immediately report errors to Microsoft over the Internet if Internet Explorer experiences an unrecoverable error. When an unrecoverable error occurs, you see the following dialog box instead of the standard fault dialog box:

[GRAPHIC:

This dialog box contains the following information:

Microsoft Internet Explorer has encountered a problem and needs to close. We are sorry for the inconvenience.

If you were in the middle of something, the information you were working on might be lost.

Restart Microsoft Internet Explorer.

Please tell Microsoft about this problem.

We have created an error report that you can send to help us improve Microsoft Internet Explorer. We will treat this report as confidential and anonymous.

To see that data this error report contains, click here.

Click Send Error Report to report the problem to Microsoft over the Internet, or click Don't Send to not report the problem.

At the time of reporting, the Internet Explorer Error Reporting tool checks to see if the issue you have encountered has already been fixed.

If a patch or workaround exists for the specific issue you reported, the Internet Explorer Error Reporting tool directs you to the appropriate Web site where you can download the patch or workaround by displaying the following message:

Thank you for taking the time to report this problem.

Please follow the link below for information that may prevent this problem in the future.

Click More Information to view information about the patch or workaround. If you are not prompted to download a patch or workaround and you need support for the issue that you reported, view the following Microsoft Web site for Internet Explorer support options:

http://support.microsoft.com/directory

NOTE : Because all error reports are confidential and anonymous, Microsoft Support Professionals do not have access to any error report that you have sent to Microsoft over the Internet. To view the data-collection policy for Microsoft's Error Reporting service, view the following Microsoft Web site:

http://watson.microsoft.com/dw/1033/dcp.asp

Files Installed or Updated by Internet Explorer Error Reporting

The following files are installed when you install the Internet Explorer Error Reporting Tool (Iedw.exe):

  • Program Files\Internet Explorer\1033\Dwintl.dll, version 10.0.2118.2 (Internet Explorer 5) or version 10.0.2627.0 (Internet Explorer 6)

     
  • Program Files\Internet Explorer\Dw.exe, version 10.0.2118.2 (Internet Explorer 5) or Dw15.exe, version 10.0.2930.0 (Internet Explorer 6)

     
  • Program Files\Internet Explorer\Iexplore.exe, version 5.51.3020.2100 (Internet Explorer 5.x) or version 6.0.2600.0 (Internet Explorer 6)

     

The updated Iexplore.exe file adds exception handling and changes the version number for this file.

How to Disable Internet Explorer Error Reporting

To disable Internet Explorer Error Reporting, use one of the following methods, depending on your computer.

Internet Explorer 6 for Windows XP

  1. Click Start , and then click Control Panel (or point to Settings , and then click Control Panel ).

     
  2. Double-click System (or click Switch to Classic View , and then double-click System ).

     
  3. Click the Advanced tab, and then click Error Reporting .

     
  4. Click Disable error reporting to disable both user and kernel-mode error reporting, or click to clear the Programs check box.

     
  5. Click OK , and then click OK .

     

NOTE : Administrators can disable error reporting in Windows XP Professional by setting Report Errors to Disabled in Group Policy Editor (Gpedit.msc) in the Computer Configuration\Administrative Templates\System\Error Reporting folder.

Internet Explorer 6 for Windows 98, Windows 98 Second Edition, Windows Millennium Edition, Windows NT 4, Windows 2000

WARNING : Using Registry Editor incorrectly can cause serious problems that may require that you reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that problems that result from the incorrect use of Registry Editor can be solved. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

For information about how to edit the registry, see the "Changing Keys and Values" Help topic in Registry Editor (Regedit.exe) or the "Add and Delete Information in the Registry" and "Edit Registry Data" Help topics in Regedt32.exe. Microsoft recommends that you back up the registry before you edit it. If you are running Windows NT or Windows 2000, Microsoft also recommends that you update your Emergency Repair Disk (ERD).


In Registry Editor (Regedit.exe), create a DWORD value called IEWatsonEnabled and set it to 0 in the following registry key:

HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Main

Internet Explorer 5.x (All Operating Systems)

To disable Internet Explorer Error Reporting, use the following steps:

  1. Click Start , point to Settings , and then click Control Panel .

     
  2. Double-click Add/Remove Programs .

     
  3. In the list of installed programs, click Internet Explorer Error Reporting , and then click Add/Remove (in Windows 98, Windows Me, or Windows NT 4.0) or Remove (in Windows 2000).

     
  4. Click OK .