Windows 7 Cool Feature – Problem Steps Recorder

Windows 7 ships with a utility named PSR (Problem Steps Recorder) that records the steps you’ve taken on the computer automatically including mouse clicks. You can use these recordings to speed up issues when you’re dealing with tech support.

Problem Steps Recorder can be used to automatically capture the steps performed by a user on a computer, including a text description of where they clicked and a picture of the screen during each click. This capture is then automatically saved to a file that can be used by a support professional to help the user troubleshoot the issue or understand what steps were taken by the user.

Steps :

• Click Start ->Click Run or (Win + R) to open Run Command.

• Type PSR and Press Enter.

• Problem Steps Recorder toolbar will appear

• To Start the capture simply press on the “Start Record” button:

• Now whatever you do on your computer it will be recorded in snaps as well as text.

• To Stop recording simply press “Stop Record” button.

• You will be prompted to save the resulting ZIP file:

• Write the name of the file and save it on the desktop or any location.

• Now extract the compressed file by right click extract all option.

• A Problem.mht file will be there in the extracted folder.

•  Now open the file in internet explorer.

• Snaps including text and timings of all events will be there in that file.

•  By default, PSR will record only 25 screenshots, but this can be changed to any number. Click on the small down-arrow next to the help icon, and then select Settings.

•  In any case, PSR is more than just a screenshot capturing tool. Besides automating the capturing of what’s going on the screen, it will also highlight the user’s mouse clicks, and, most importantly, will provide a detailed textual metadata with a description of what the user is doing.

• Enjoy.