The Offline Crash Diagnostic tool for Windows XP is available

This article discusses the Offline Crash Diagnostic tool for Microsoft Windows XP. This tool helps support professionals troubleshoot crashes (Stop errors) that you experience in Windows XP. The tool helps provide additional information about a crash.

The Offline Crash Diagnostic tool helps reduce the time that support professionals require to correct kernel crashes in Windows XP. This tool automatically identifies crash dump information on a computer. Then, the tool uploads the results to Microsoft for analysis. Additionally, the tool returns a response URL to help the support professional suggest corrective action.

Microsoft analyzes all Stop error reports. Microsoft prioritizes each report, depending on the number of customers who are affected by the Stop error that the report mentions. Then, Microsoft takes the following steps:

• Microsoft tries to determine the cause of the Stop error.
• Microsoft categorizes the error according to the type of issue that you encounter.
• Microsoft sends you relevant information.

Although Microsoft may be unable to provide a solution for every Stop error, Microsoft uses all the information that you submit to improve the quality and the reliability of Windows.

Obtain the Offline Crash Diagnostic tool

The diagnostic process starts when you call the support professional. The support professional determines whether a kernel crash causes the issue. If a kernel crash causes the issue, the support professional directs you to the following Microsoft Web site to download the latest version of the Offline Crash Diagnostic tool.

The following file is available for download from the Microsoft Download Center:

Download the WindowsXP-KB923800-ENU.exe package now. (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyId=8F89050D-AC4C-41AF-A834-BC236918DE5F)

Release Date: April 24, 2007

For more information about how to download Microsoft support files, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base: Microsoft scanned this file for viruses. Microsoft used the most current virus-detection software that was available on the date that the file was posted. The file is stored on security-enhanced servers that help prevent any unauthorized changes to the file.

Note After you download the WindowsXP-KB923800-ENU.exe file, save the file to a folder. Then, double-click the WindowsXP-KB923800-ENU.exe file to install the tool.

Run the Offline Crash Diagnostic tool

After you save the WindowsXP-KB923800-ENU.exe file, follow these steps:

1. Double-click the WindowsXP-KB923800-ENU.exe file to install the Offline Crash Diagnostic tool.
   
   The installer adds the Offline Crash Diagnostic tool files to the %Windir%\Pchealth\Helpctr\Binaries folder.
2. Click Start, click Run, type ocadiagnostic.exe, and then click OK to run the Offline Crash Diagnostic tool.
3. Agree to let the tool send information to Microsoft. Then, click Next.

The tool performs the following tasks:

• The tool determines the number of dump files on the computer.
• The tool finds any dump files that are located in the %Windir%\Minidump folder. You can choose to send all the dump files, or you can choose to send individual dump files.
  
  Note The last 10 dump files to be created are collected. Dump files are not collected if they are more than one year old.
• The tool automatically sends the dump files to the Office Crash Diagnostic Microsoft database Web site for analysis.
• The tool downloads the response URLs.
• The tool displays the response IDs. The tool also provides hyperlinks to the Office Crash Diagnostic Web site.

The support professional asks you for the Web response ID. Then, the support professional uses the ID to access a Web site. The support professional uses the site to obtain detailed information about the dump files. To do this, the support professional must either obtain the dump files from you, or the support professional must be connected to the computer by using Remote Assistance.

You can send the dump files directly to the support professional. Then, the support professional can examine the dump files by copying the dump files to the %Windir%\Minidump folder on another computer.

Modes of operation

You can run the diagnostic tool in wizard mode or in command-line mode.

Wizard mode

If you install the tool without saving the installer file, the installer automatically starts the tool in wizard mode. Then, tool guides you through the diagnostic process.

The tool shows a progress indicator as the dump files are sent to Microsoft. When Microsoft receives the files, the tool displays a dialog box that shows response IDs. The support professional can use these response IDs to develop a corrective action plan for you.

Command-line mode

Support professionals in an enterprise environment can use command-line mode to run the tool in a script. Command-line mode supports the following options:

• –p
  Put the file in a location that differs from the default path. The default path is the %Windir%/Minidump files folder.
• –nogui
  Run the tool in a console that does not display the user interface.

By default, the command-line tool's output is redirected to the Command Prompt console and to the Ocadiag.xml file. The output resembles the following.

Limitations

The Offline Crash Diagnostic tool is not intended to help you self-diagnose crashes. The tool is primarily intended to reduce support call times and to simplify how a support professional identifies crashes.

The Offline Crash Diagnostic tool cannot work without an Internet connection. The tool must be able to connect to the Microsoft Online Crash Analysis Web site to send data and to receive data.