Microsoft's BSOD Is Getting More Descriptive With QR Codes (cio.com)

itwbennett writes: Reddit user javelinnl posted a picture last week showing a new dreaded Blue Screen of Death (BSOD) featuring a QR code and a link that may appear in a future version of Windows 10. "Right now, the code and the link take users to a webpage that discusses generic fixes for errors that might cause a crash," writes Blair Frank from CIO. "In the future, though, Microsoft could provide a QR code that leads to more specific information about what caused the computer freeze up." As of this writing, Microsoft had not responded to Frank's request for comment, but when he forced a Blue Screen of Death on his Surface Pro 3, he was unable to get a QR code to appear, though a link to the help page did. The QR code shown in the image simply points to a generic resource page for "troubleshooting blue screen errors."

Comments

How about something more useful?

[Anonymous Coward]

Like, I don't know, say, a system log that would store messages from drivers and system components like dmesg?

How about a memory dump before crashing that can be inspected later? Whatever happened to human readable error messages even?

Stop reinventing the goddamn wheel, it's not gonna work if it's square.

Re:How about something more useful?

[xlyz]

What makes this great is that your client/coworker/family member can take a picture of the code and send it to you. That's far more doable than having them try to remember what the error message said. "Oh, it said skynet falls or something". Apps like Google goggles will search the picture for the QR and you have usable information.

What if your client/coworker/family member directly take a picture of the error message? Why going through this QR crap?

Re:How about something more useful?

[arglebargle_xiv]

That was my reaction as well, if it's like the Windows Update help stuff then it's going to be just another way of telling users "Something went wrong. We have no idea what it is, or at least we have lots of data to help diagnose it but we aren't going to give you any of it. Here's a link to a Bing search that will return 200 hits for other people who have run into this problem and couldn't solve it either. Error 800420EE". Totally, utterly useless.

Re: How about something more useful?

[Anonymous Coward]

And you really expect those kinds of people to know what to do not only with a QR code but also the error message on the web site, which could be the exact same error message given directly on the BSOD?

Give me a fucking break. MS is only doing this because it gives them another lame excuse to harvest data. All of this shit could and should be done locally.

Re:How about something more useful?

[thegarbz]

or at least we have lots of data to help diagnose it but we aren't going to give you any of it

All the data is right there in c:\windows\minidump.dmp. But you never bothered wondering why your computer dumps memory contents during a BSOD right?

Re: How about something more useful?

[fuzzyfuzzyfungus]

Speaking of 'harvesting data', it would be interesting to see what sorts of URLs end up showing up.

There are always privacy implications if you want to provide genuinely useful input on why a system crashed, since a crash dump can be very informative indeed about what the user was doing when the crash occurred; that's not some sinister MS-thing, just how it works. However, as the wonder full people in audience analytics 'user engagement tracking' and whatnot have spent years exploiting; it's really, really, easy to get additional data on who is following links by programmatically generating unique ones that redirect to the destination, rather than just linking directly.

If the QR code is just "https://support.microsoft.com/en-us/kb/123456" then it makes me want the damn kids to get off my lawn; but it's otherwise harmless. If it eventually ends up at that domain; but starts out as an email marketing standard referrer-slurry URL that redirects you through one or more unnecessary tracking steps before eventually landing you at the URL you were supposed to reach in the first place, that's slimy above and beyond the call of duty.

Re:How about something more useful?

[arglebargle_xiv]

All the data is right there in c:\windows\minidump.dmp

... at the bottom of a locked filing cabinet stuck in a disused lavatory with a sign on the door saying beware of the leopard. As I said in my original post, "we have all the data but we're not going to give it to you", all you need to do to get it is walk your mother through running the command-line dumpchk.exe and interpreting the results over the phone for you. It's so simple, anyone can do it!

Re:How about something more useful?

[KGIII]

Theoretically, MS could even collect this information across systems and say, "Lots of other people with the same version of the driver have experienced similar crashes, but the problem appears to be fixed in there new driver, which can be downloaded here:" and then link to it.

Except you turned that service off at Thanksgiving because you didn't want Microsoft spying on your mother.

One steps forward after two steps back?

[HideyoshiJP]

I mean, I remember when they actually used to include bonafide technical information on the screen, like faulting module in addition to the usual stop code. I know they had to remove it to make room for the :( emoticon and all, but maybe one day you can again find out what's wrong with your Windows PC via QR code. Maybe. One day. Microsoft cannot comment any further at this time.

Old dog, old tricks?

[paavo512]

In the future, though, Microsoft could provide a QR code that leads to more specific information about what caused the computer freeze up.

Microsoft has not been able to provide useful error messages for the last 30 years, why should it be any different with QR codes?