In order to assist more effectively with certain problems, our Technical Support department may request system specific information or error reports related to the problem you are experiencing. Be sure that you have contacted Technical Support first before submitting any of this information to find out if it is necessary or not.

Below are some of the most common files we look at to help track down what might be causing your problem. Select a topic from below to learn more about:

• System Information File (Windows)
• Minidump File (Windows)
• System Profiler Report (Mac OS X)
• Problem Report File (Mac OS X)

System Information File (Windows):

The System Information tool built into Windows collects basic information about your computer, such as what devices and drivers are installed, what background services are running on your system as well as details regarding any recent installations or crashes. This file can be very helpful for diagnosing problems and collecting basic info about your system.

To obtain this file, do the following:

1. Open the Run prompt on your computer by holding down the "Windows" key and pressing "R" on your keyboard
2. Type the following into the Run prompt: msinfo32
3. Click [OK]. The System Information tool will launch. Please give it a moment to generate the report if this is the first time you've opened it.
4. Click on File > Save
5. In the Save As window, make sure the "Save as type" is set to "System Information File (*.NFO)
6. Name the file Yourname.nfo and then click [Save]

Minidump File (Windows)

A "minidump" or "dump" file can be an important tool for diagnosing why your application is crashing. It is important to note that this file alone will not often tell the entire story, so it is best to provide this file along with a step-by-step recipe of what you were doing at the time of the crash. For detailed instructions on obtaining this file, please click here.
 

System Profiler Report (Mac OS X)

The System Profiler tool built into Mac OS X collects basic information about your computer, such as what devices and drivers are installed, what background services are running on your system as well as details regarding any recent installations or crashes. This file can be very helpful for diagnosing problems and collecting basic info about your system.

To obtain this file, do the following:

1. Click on the Apple Menu in the upper left corner of your Tool bar and then select "About This Mac"
2. Click "More Info..."
3. After the System Profiler tool launches, go to File > Save
4. In the Save dialog change the File Format to "Rich Text Format (RTF)"

Problem Report File (Mac OS X)

When an application in Mac OS X crashes, the Problem Report dialog will pop up and ask if you would like to send a report to Apple. The details of this report can be helpful for us to diagnose your problem, however you will need to generate the file. For steps on how this process is done, please click here.