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To understand what error reporting is and learn how to disable error reporting in Windows XP - with no Office installed - see my previous article.

Office XP (2002)

This applies to all Windows systems with Microsoft Office XP installed.

• Click Start>Run, type Regedit, click OK.
• Now make your make your way to this key first:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\
  10.0\Common
• In the right hand pane, you need to create 4 new Dword values.  (to create them, just right click a blank area and choose New>DWORD value)
• Name them as follows:
  • DWNeverUpload
  • DWNoExternalURL
  • DWNoFileCollection
  • DWNoSecondLevelCollection
• Then double click each of the four values you created and enter 1 as the data value.

• 
  Next go to this key:
  HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\Office\
  10.0\Common
• Create the same dword values - with the same names and all set to 1 - as you did for the first key.
• Exit the registry and reboot your computer to ensure the change takes effect.

Office 2003

To disable error reporting in Windows XP with Office 2003

• Click Start>Run, type regedit and make your way to this key first:
  HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Policies\Microsoft\PCHealth\
  ErrorReporting\DW
• In the right hand pane, right click a blank area and choose New>DWORD value and create three Dword values, named as follows:
  • DWReportee
  • DWNeverUpload
  • DWNoFileCollection
• Double click each one and enter a value of 1

• Next, repeat the above steps at these other three keys:
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Policies\Microsoft\
    PCHealth\ErrorReporting\DW
  • HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\PCHealth\
    ErrorReporting\DW
  • HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\PCHealth\
    ErrorReporting\DW
• Once done, exit the registry and reboot.

NOTE: In the Office 2003 reg changes, the value DWReportee is really the only value that should be needed to disable error reporting (setting it to 1 should totally disable error reporting) but just to be sure, I also included two others to ensure that no file collection or uploads are made from your computer.

I also have pre-made registry files to disable Office error reporting as described in this article. You can download them here:

• Office XP (2002)
  • Download
• Office 2003
  • Download

Once downloaded, just unzip and double click them to incorporate them into your registry.

For more registry tips, subscribe to my Registry Answers.

Vic Ferri owns the very popular WinTips and Tricks and Registry Answers.  Subscribe to either and receive free Windows and Registry Tips.  He is also in charge of the Printing Tips  pages at Linda's Computer Stop.  Vic has also created a program which allows you to Lock & Hide desktop folders in Windows 9X/ME.  Read more and get the free demo here.  And, he now offers a service to convert PowerPoint presentations to .exe files which can be viewed on computers which do not have PowerPoint installed.