How to report an issue?

[Guest Raybo58]

How does someone report a specific issue to the appropriate MS OS maintenance

team?

 

I get an error that says "This application has requested the Runtime to

terminate it in an unusual way. Please contact the application's support team

for more information."

 

Specifics:

 

I get the above error when playing the game Half-Life 2: Episode One.

 

After an exhuasting search I found what appears to be the answer I needed on

the Steam website, which is to install a hotfix from MS. The problem is that

the fix is not available for the x64 version of Windows XP Pro, but it is

available for just about every other version. So naturally I would like to

direct Microsoft's attention to this issue. But how does one do that?

 

What follows is my conversation with several CS agents so far after filling

out the original hotfix request form...

 

--- Original Message ---

From : raymond

Sent : Monday, December 10, 2007 3:28:02 PM UTC

To : CNTUS.HOTF.NA.00.EN.TRA.BGL.CS.T01.CUS.00.WB@css.one.microsoft.com

Subject : Microsoft Online Customer Service

 

CUSTOMER PROVIDED SYSTEM PROPERTIES

Country/Region: United States

 

Hotfix

Article Hotfix ID:896256

Platform:64-bit Operating System (x64, EM64T or AMD64)

Product language:English

 

PRODUCT

Half-Life 2: Episode one

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: CNTUS.HOTF.NA.00.EN.TRA.BGL.CS.T01.CUS.00.WB@css.one.microsoft.com

To: raymond

CC:

Subject: RE: SRX1052119233ID - Microsoft Online Customer Service

Date: Mon, 10 Dec 2007 18:20:03 +0000

 

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Customer Service.

 

 

I have received your request for a hot fix; however, I do not have enough

information to ensure I send you the correct hot fix.

 

 

The hotfix article KB896256 applies to:

 

Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Standard x64 Edition

 

Microsoft Windows Server 2003, Enterprise x64 Edition

 

Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, when used with:

 

Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

 

Microsoft Windows XP Professional

 

Microsoft Windows XP Tablet PC Edition 2005

 

 

Please assist us by confirming the product name and hotfix article number.

As soon as we receive clarification from you, we will process the request.

 

 

I appreciate your patience and look forward to your response.

 

Thank you,

 

Ramesh

 

Microsoft Customer Service Representative

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

From : Raymond

Sent : Tuesday, December 11, 2007 10:26:33 AM UTC

To : "Microsoft Online Customer Service"

Subject : RE: SRX1052119233ID - Microsoft Online Customer Service

 

The information you have requested, the hotfix article number and the

product name, are both contained in the original hotfix request I submitted,

as evidenced above. However I will endeavor to provide you as much info as I

can.

 

When I reach a specific point in the game Half-Life 2:Episode One the game

crashes and displays the exact error message as is mentioned here...

 

http://support.steampowered.com/cgi-bin/steampowered.cfg/php/enduser/std_adp.php?p_faqid=572&p_created=1168547363&p_sid=s6i28WSi&p_lva=&p_sp=cF9zcmNoPTEmcF9zb3J0X2J5PSZwX2dyaWRzb3J0PSZwX3Jvd19jbnQ9NjcmcF9wcm9kcz0yNDgmcF9jYXRzPSZwX3B2PTEuMjQ4OzIudTAmcF9jdj0mcF9zZWFyY2hfdHlwZT1hbnN3ZXJzLnNlYXJjaF9ubCZwX3BhZ2U9Mw**&p_li=&p_topview=1

 

and they recommend the hotfix prescribed by Microsoft in the following

article...

 

http://support.microsoft.com/kb/884538

 

The article states:

 

"CAUSE

This problem may occur when you use the /GR and the /MD compiler switches,

and the version of the Msvcrt.dll file and of the Msvcirt.dll file is 7.0.x.

 

Note This problem does not occur when you use a version of the Msvcrt.dll

file and of the Msvcirt.dll file that is earlier than 7.0."

 

The version of msvcirt.dll in my System32 folder is 7.0.3790.3959

(srv03_sp2_rtm.070216-1710)

 

My system details are as follows..

 

Windows XP Professional x64 with all of the latest sevice packs and updates

as of 12/10/2007.

 

Motherboard:

Manufacturer : ECS

Model : 945GCT-M

System BIOS : 63-0100-000001-00101111-072407-Lakeport

Total Memory : 2GB DDR2-SDRAM

 

Chipset 1:

Model : Elitegroup Computer Sys 82945G Processor to I/O Controller

Revision : A3

Bus : Intel AGTL+

Front Side Bus Speed : 4x 200MHz (800MHz data rate)

Maximum FSB Speed : 4x 267MHz (1068MHz data rate)

Width : 64-bit

 

Processor:

Model : Intel® Core2 Duo CPU E4500 @ 2.20GHz

Speed : 2.20GHz

Cores per Processor : 2 Unit(s)

Threads per Core : 1 Unit(s)

Type : Dual-Core

Bus : Intel AGTL+

Package : FC LGA775

Rated Speed/FSB : 2200MHz / 4x 200MHz

Multiplier : 11/1x

Minimum/Maximum Multiplier : 6/1x / 11/1x

Generation : G8

Name : C2DC (Conroe) Core 2 Duo 65nm 2.4-3.33GHz 1.0375-1.3V

Revision/Stepping : F / D (0)

Microcode : MU06FDA1

Core Voltage Rating : 1.325V

 

Video Adapter:

Model : Intel® 82945G Express Chipset Family

Chipset : Intel® 82945G Express Chipset Family

RAMDAC : Internal

Video BIOS : Intel Video BIOS

VGA Compatible : No

Total Memory : 224MB (218MB Video)

Texture Memory : 218MB

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

From: CNTUS.HOTF.NA.00.EN.TRA.BGL.CS.T01.CUS.00.WB@css.one.microsoft.com

To: raymond

CC:

Subject: RE: SRX1052119233ID - Microsoft Online Customer Service

Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2007 12:11:57 +0000

 

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Customer Service.

 

 

The hotfix described in 884538: “You receive a "This application has

requested the Runtime to terminate it in an unusual way" error message when

you run a custom Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 program in Windows XP" applies only

for Microsoft Windows XP Service Pack 2, when used with:

· Microsoft Windows XP Professional

· Microsoft Windows XP Home Edition

 

I also would like to inform you that the hotfix is available only for X86

platform for English language.

 

Please assist us by providing the exact hotfix article (E.g., KB895477), the

platform, and the product (E.g., Windows XP Home Edition Service Pack 2,

Windows Server 2000 Service Pack 4 etc.) in which you would like to install

the hotfix. As soon as we receive clarification from you, we will process the

request.

 

 

I hope your issue is resolved at the earliest and appreciate your patience

in this regard. Meeting and exceeding your expectations are my top

priorities.

 

 

Thank you,

 

Ganga

 

Microsoft Customer Service Representative

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

From : Raymond

Sent : Tuesday, December 11, 2007 5:47:41 PM UTC

To : "Microsoft Online Customer Service"

Subject : RE: SRX1052119233ID - Microsoft Online Customer Service

 

ok, even though the information you have requested is already in the thread

of this email several times, I can provide it yet again.

 

The article number is kb884538

 

But it seems like you're trying to tell me that the hotfix is currently

unavailable for the 64-bit version of Windows XP Pro.

 

So, if that is the case, could you please forward this to your OS

maintenance people as a request to provide the users of this product the

benefit of their services?

 

Thank you

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

From: CNTUS.HOTF.NA.00.EN.TRA.BGL.CS.T01.CUS.00.WB@css.one.microsoft.com

To: raymond

CC:

Subject: RE: SRX1052119233ID - Microsoft Online Customer Service

Date: Tue, 11 Dec 2007 22:30:01 +0000

 

 

Hello,

 

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Customer Service.

 

The platform for the hotfix article ID 884538 is unavailable in Microsoft

Knowledge Base.

 

I have included some self-help resources that may address your issue, and

information on how to contact Technical Support. If the self-help resources

that are provided do not resolve your issue, or if you prefer assisted

technical support, you can contact the technical support team directly at the

URL that is provided below.

 

Assisted Support:

 

 

You may work with a Microsoft Support Professional via e-mail, telephone,

and for some products, chat to resolve your issue. Depending on how you

obtained your software, there may be fees to use the Assisted Support option.

Please visit the following link and select the appropriate version to contact

the Support Team:

 

http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?&ln=en-us&gprid=1173&

 

 

Please note that if the software came from your computer manufacturer,

please contact your computer manufacturer directly. Contact information for

most major computer manufacturers is available at:

 

http://support.microsoft.com/default.aspx?pr=oemphone

 

 

Self-Help Resources:

 

 

You may search the Product Solution Center or the Knowledge Base of

self-help articles to resolve your issue using the following link:

 

http://support.microsoft.com/ph/1173

 

 

You may also post your issue in the Microsoft news groups. Please visit the

link below to look for a possible resolution:

 

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone/newsgroups/reader.mspx?dg=microsoft.public.windowsxp.general&lang=en&cr=US

 

 

I hope the issue is resolved soon and appreciate your patience.

 

Thank you,

 

 

Dharman

 

Microsoft Customer Service Representative.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

From : Raymond

Sent : Wednesday, December 12, 2007 8:35:44 AM UTC

To : "Microsoft Online Customer Service"

Subject : RE: SRX1052119233ID - Microsoft Online Customer Service

 

I'm not sure what you mean by "The platform for the hotfix article ID 884538

is unavailable in Microsoft Knowledge Base".

 

Do articles need platforms? And does the knowledge base normally contain the

platforms that these articles need?

 

I've already found the prescribed solution to my problem in article 884538,

which is to request the hotfix from you.

 

What I'm trying to clarify now is whether or not it is available for my

version of Windows.

 

And if it's not, that would seem to be an issue of neglect on the part of

Microsoft's OS maintenance team. So I'm asking you to help me by forwarding

this to the appropriate department or escalating the matter to a higher level

of customer service.

 

I paid for my version of Windows and it deserves the same attention as the

other versions which have received the benefit of this hotfix.

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Hello,

 

Thank you for contacting Microsoft Customer Services.

 

I appreciate the time taken to write back to us.

 

 

I would like to inform you that Hotfix is based on platform, hotfix only

provided according to the Platform.

 

The hotfix ID you have provided is applicable only for 32bit platform and it

is not applicable for 64bit.

 

I suggest that you contact Microsoft Support Professional via e-mail,

telephone, and for some products, chat to resolve your issue. Depending on

how you obtained your software, there may be fees to use the Assisted Support

option. Please visit the following link and select the appropriate version to

contact the Support Team:

 

http://support.microsoft.com/oas/default.aspx?&ln=en-us&gprid=1173&

 

 

I hope the above information is helpful and appreciate your patience.

 

Thank you,

 

Roshi

 

Microsoft Customer Service Representative

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

end of conversation

 

The trouble is that all of the "Self Help" options, other than this one,

require that you pay a minimum of $60 just for the privilage of reporting

your problem, which just seems un-American to me.

 

The MSDN option doesn't seem appropriate because it's not a developer issue,

but even if it was you need a paid subscription just to be heard by them as

well.

 

It seems clear that MS farms out it's Hotfix request load to Indian CS

centers that can't or won't deal with issues that involve more than searching

the Knowledge Base for you.

 

So to recap: There is a problem with the Operating System. Mocrosoft knows

about it. They've provided a fix for their other products. Now, as a paying

customer, I'd like to know by what means I may direct their attention to the

missing fix for my system.