NetWorker: How to Identify Windows Operating System net helpmsg Codes

Summary: This article is to help identify errors which originate outside of, but are passed by applications.

This article applies to This article does not apply to This article is not tied to any specific product. Not all product versions are identified in this article.
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Instructions

Method 1 (Microsoft Documentation):

See: Tutorial - Debug system error codes - Win32 apps | Microsoft Learn This hyperlink is taking you to a website outside of Dell Technologies.

Method 2 (Single Query):

When an operation fails with a generic system error code, you can query the single error code using the net helpmsg command. 

  1. Open an Administrator Command Prompt or PowerShell Prompt.
  2. Run: net helpmsg error_code_number

Example:

net helpmsg example

Method 3 (Generate a Full List of Error Codes):

  1. Open an Administrator command prompt and run the following (change output location or filename as needed):
0..15999 | ForEach-Object {
    $msg = ([ComponentModel.Win32Exception]$_).Message
    [PSCustomObject]@{
        ErrorCode = $_
        Message   = $msg
    }
} | Where-Object { $_.Message -and $_.Message -notmatch "Unknown error" } |
    Format-Table -AutoSize | Export-Csv C:\Temp\Win32ErrorCodes.csv -NoTypeInformation
  1. Review the .csv file and cross-reference that any system errors observed.
Example:
Windows Error Codes File 

Affected Products

NetWorker

Products

NetWorker
Article Properties
Article Number: 000061764
Article Type: How To
Last Modified: 22 Jan 2026
Version:  5
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