Overview
This lecture introduces the Windows Event Viewer, explaining its purpose, organization, and how to use custom views and filters for efficient troubleshooting.
Accessing the Event Viewer
- Event Viewer logs system events on Windows and is accessed from the start menu or by running eventvwr.msc.
- The default view provides a summary of recent, potentially important events.
Event Log Groupings
- The left pane lists event groupings: Custom Views, Windows Logs, and Application and Services Logs.
- Windows Logs applies to system-wide events, like operating system issues or driver failures.
- Application and Services Logs contain events from specific applications or OS components.
Using Custom Views and Filters
- Custom views allow you to filter and display only relevant events across logs.
- You can create a custom view to show, for example, only 'Error' and 'Critical' events from the last hour.
- Filters help focus on events of interest by severity, time, or source.
Navigating and Interpreting Logs
- Each log entry represents an event, showing details like severity level (Information to Critical), date, and time.
- Selecting an event displays additional details for troubleshooting in the lower pane.
- The Security log tracks access-related events; System log tracks OS-level issues; Application logs target specific apps.
- Exploring logs aids troubleshooting, bug reports, and understanding system issues.
Key Terms & Definitions
- Event Viewer — Windows tool for viewing and managing logged system and application events.
- Custom Views — Filters created to display only specific types of events across different logs.
- Windows Logs — Logs containing operating system-wide events, such as System or Security logs.
- Application and Services Logs — Logs for individual applications or OS components.
- Severity Level — Categorization of event importance (Information, Warning, Error, Critical).
Action Items / Next Steps
- Practice opening Event Viewer and create a custom view with specific filters.
- Explore different event log categories and identify sample events.
- Prepare for the next lecture on Linux log systems.