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Use the Windows Server 2012 Essentials Log Collector

Published: July 9, 2012

Updated: October 4, 2012

Applies To: Windows Server 2012 Essentials

When you are troubleshooting computer issues, a representative from Microsoft Customer Service and Support may ask you to gather logs from servers, computers on the network, or both by using the Windows Server 2012 Essentials Log Collector.

The Log Collector copies program logs, event reviewer logs, and related environment information into a single zip file at a specified location. You can run the Log Collector directly from the server or any computer on the network, or by using a remote connection to the computers.

Note
The Log Collector does not analyze network issues or make changes to any server or computer on the network. For information about how to troubleshoot network issues, see the Help documentation for your server product. In this guide, the computers on your network, other than your server, are called “network computers.” Download the Windows Server 2012 Essentials Log Collector installation package.

Note

The Log Collector does not analyze network issues or make changes to any server or computer on the network. For information about how to troubleshoot network issues, see the Help documentation for your server product.
In this guide, the computers on your network, other than your server, are called “network computers.”
Download the Windows Server 2012 Essentials Log Collector installation package.

To install and run the Log Collector, perform the steps in the following topics:

Environment information collected

For each network computer or server that you specify, the Log Collector gathers the following environment information and places it into the log collection file.

Operating system version
CPU manufacturer and description
Memory amount and allocation
Network adapters that are bound to TCP/IP
Locale
Processes
Storage configuration
Host file information
Event Logs including Application, System, Windows Server and Media Center
Service Control Manager messages
Reboot events and Windows Update events
System Errors and Application Errors

Services information collected

Server services

Windows Server Client Computer Backup Service
Windows Server Client Computer Backup Provider Service
Windows Server Devices Provider
Windows Server Domain Name Management
Windows Server Service Provider Registry
Windows Server Settings Provider
Windows Server UPnP Device Service
Windows Server Remote Web Access Administration Provider
Windows Server Health Service
Windows Server Storage Service
Windows Server SQM Service

Network computer services

Windows Server Client Computer Backup Provider Service
Windows Server Health Service
Windows Server Service Provider Registry
Windows Server SQM Service

Logs and registry information collected

For each network computer or server specified, the Log Collector gathers log and registry information from the server and network computer as follows.

Server logs and registry information

Server product logs, from <ProgramData>\Microsoft\Windows Server\Logs
Scheduled tasks
Setup API logs
Windows Update logs
Health Alerts file
Devices Info file
Server Backup Log file
Panther Log file
Services
Registry keys, from
- \\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Server\
- \\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DevicesProviderSvc
- \\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\CurrentControlSet\Services\DomainManagerProviderSvc

Network computer logs and registry information

Network computer product logs at <ProgramData>\Microsoft\Windows Server\Logs
Health Alerts file at <ProgramData>\Microsoft\Windows Server\Data
Windows Update logs
Setup API logs
Scheduled tasks info
Registry keys from \\HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE \SOFTWARE\Microsoft\Windows Server\

Logs for computers that do not run a version of the Windows operating system

The Log Collector does not gather log files from computers that do not run a version of the Windows operating system. For non-Windows computers, manually copy the following log files to the same location where you are storing the Log Collector files.

System.log
Library/Logs/Windows Server.log
Library/Logs/CrashReporter/LaunchPad-<nnn> (copy all of the LaunchPad-<nnn>.crash files)
Library/Logs/DiagnosticReports/LaunchPad-<nnn> (copy all of the LaunchPad-<nnn>.crash files)