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Is it possible to have werfault.exe not run when specific executables crash? I'm developing some software and (yes I know, it's hard to believe) it occasionally crashes (on purpose) and each time this happens it takes a few seconds for werfault.exe to do whatever it wants.

It seems I can turn off the whole service that supports this feature, but I'm happy for it to run on other parts of the system.

So can I tell it to not worry about a certain subset of executables?

EDIT As requested by @Moab, here was my research:

  • Google for "disable werfault.exe for specific processes windows 10" and a few variations.
  • Wade through several pages of results.
  • Conclude that this information is not readily available, or I don't know the correct terminology to search for it.
  • Realise that there's an opportunity to capture this on Stack Exchange as a canonical example of the problem, helping me and others.
  • Think a little more about how to phrase the problem.
  • Consider whether to ask on Stack Overflow, Super User or Server Fault.
  • Choose Super User seeing as this is likely a desktop computer administration issue, not a server one.
  • Head over, ask question.
  • Get useful answer quickly. Thank author, vote and accept answer.
  • Provide some more relevant information about a useful API I discovered for this in a comment on the accepted answer.
  • Later, scratch head at why someone objects so strongly to my question.
  • Spend time wondering whether I could really have offered some extra information to the question to help.
  • Figure there's nothing to do but try it, so here it is.

EDIT 2 Actually the above steps are now redundant. This question is now the number one result on Google for my original search terms. I figure this achieves the fourth point from above.

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    This is not a Question and Answer forum, What has your research effort shown using Google? Questions on SU are expected to show some research effort on your part and should be included in your question. – Moab Apr 25 '16 at 22:25
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    @Moab, according to superuser.com: "Super User is a question and answer site for computer enthusiasts and power users." Perhaps they have different rules to Stack Overflow (where I am a long time user) but the only requirement there is to have a question that has a definitive answer. Personally I find questions that are filled with too much description are hard to decipher. Instead I just got to the point. I don't understand how downvoting and adding condescending comments contributes positively to this community, but whatever. – Drew Noakes Apr 26 '16 at 7:40
  • If you hover your mouse over the vote up arrow it will say "this question shows research effort, it is useful and clear" I don't make the rules here. This is how we are different than a Q&A forum. – Moab Apr 26 '16 at 16:27
  • I guess you missed this part also..superuser.com/help/how-to-ask – Moab Apr 26 '16 at 16:31
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    Being honest, Its a damn fine question now. Better questions get better faster answers most of the time here on SU. – Moab Apr 27 '16 at 0:08
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You are experiencing Windows Error Reporting (which can be nice sometimes). You can absolutely configure it to not run for certain applications.

The MSDN page WER Settings, documents that you can configure Windows Error Reporting for the entire machine or per user:

HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting

Open regedit and add the following as a REG_SZ (a string value). You might have to add the ExcludedApplications key as well:

ExcludedApplications\[Application Name]

Note: MSDN documents that you should use the WerAddExcludedApplication function, rather than manually adding items to the Windows Error Reporting registry key, to have the excluded.

I would use this if you want to create a .reg file:

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\ExcludedApplications]
"YourAppName.exe"=""
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  • My answer is right, you reposted the SAME reg snipped what I already posted. Sorry, this is a -1 – magicandre1981 Apr 27 '16 at 15:34
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    You're setting the string to a dword, which may work, but doesn't really make sense to me. Also -- my answer was primarily to provide sources and some more context. I'm not going to argue that it's very similar, but if you go into regedit, follow the instructions to create the ExcludedApplications key, and then export it, you do not see a dword:00000001. – PerryC Apr 27 '16 at 16:05
  • @magicandre1981 your answer was helpful, but this answer provided much more detail and was ultimately more useful. Thanks to you both. – Drew Noakes Apr 28 '16 at 10:45
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Copy this into a .reg file and import it by doing a double click on it

Windows Registry Editor Version 5.00

[HKEY_CURRENT_USER\Software\Microsoft\Windows\Windows Error Reporting\ExcludedApplications]
"MyApp.exe"=dword:00000001
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  • Thanks, I'll try this out. Is there a reference for this? I'd like to use a wildcard if possible. – Drew Noakes Apr 25 '16 at 16:38
  • In the end I found I could do this programmatically via the WerAddExcludedApplication API. I guess it writes into this location on the registry. – Drew Noakes Apr 25 '16 at 16:50
  • hm, I have no idea if both ways work the same, but nice to hear that you fixed it. – magicandre1981 Apr 26 '16 at 4:20

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