Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Todd M Colby

Warren G Stevens

Jan Thomas Miksovsky

A method and system for dynamically updating the error messages corresponding to a shipped software product. The exiting generic error messages shipped with a software product are replaced or appended as errors are resolved or better understood, whereby a user who receives an error message will see the latest known information for that error message. A file of updated error messages is automatically downloaded when the user is connected to the Internet. Any time an error message is to be displayed, an error handling mechanism compares identifier information of the error message to the file of updated error messages, and if a match is found, overwrites or extends the existing error message that was shipped with the code for display to the user. If no match is found, the existing message is displayed. An updated error message can be changed or reset to the original message if a problem changes or goes away, and updated messages may include certain identifying information for the purpose of assisting product support personnel in resolving user problems.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Todd M Colby