Quick Tip - Steps to Decode Windows Error Code

Introduction

In Microsoft world, many times we come across these types of errors (Message box with some error code / Hex code). I have experienced this on Windows services / Visual studio / Task schedulers / office tools etc.

A quick tip to analyze these errors or at least understand the cause before we hit Google and look for solution.

Using These Steps

1. Sample Error

   

2. Open the calculator in Scientific mode. Select ‘Dec’ and enter the above highlighted code.

   

3. Click on the ‘Hex’ to convert it to Hex value. Value you should get is – ‘80070775’.
   C++

   // 8007 - Represents Win 32 Status code.
   // 0775 - Represents the error code.

4. Enter the Error code – 0775 in the calculator, make sure ‘Hex’ is selected.

   

5. Click on ‘Dec’ to get the decimal value – 1909 in this case.

   

6. Go to command prompt and type as seen below. “net helpmsg 1909”.

   

Points of Interest

• Decoding the hex code

History

• 31^st March, 2016: Initial version