A diagnostic server software component for an automated banking machine is provided. The diagnostic server is operative to periodically retrieve diagnostic messages from a nonvolatile memory of the machine and store the diagnostic messages on the hard drive of the machine. The software is further operative responsive to communication from an external computing device to send diagnostic messages stored on the hard drive to an external computing device. The software may further be operative to route transaction diagnostic messages between the machine and a remote host banking system. The software may retrieve the diagnostic messages directly from a specified memory address of the nonvolatile memory. The software may periodically communicate with terminal control software of the machine to cause the terminal control software to retrieve the diagnostic messages from the nonvolatile memory.