Use Event Viewer in Windows 10 to Diagnose System Issues

Event Viewer is a built-in tool in Windows 10 that offers an organized view of logs and events generated by system components. It helps administrators and advanced users diagnose issues, understand system warnings, and monitor Windows operations.

Introduction to Event Viewer in Windows 10

Key Terms Explained

• Event: A record generated by system components indicating a significant occurrence.
• Log: A collection of related events documented by Windows and its applications.
• Filter: A tool within Event Viewer to narrow down logs based on specific criteria.
• Custom View: A user-created perspective in Event Viewer, tailored to show specific event types or logs.

Why Use Event Viewer?

Understanding the logs and events in Event Viewer can provide insight into the health and performance of a system. It can indicate hardware failures, system misconfigurations, software issues, and potential security threats.

Accessing Event Viewer

1. Press the Windows key, type Event Viewer, and press Enter.
2. The main window will display a summary of critical, error, warning, and informational events.

Understanding the Main Sections

The main window has three panes: the left pane shows the log categories, the middle pane lists events, and the right pane provides actions.

• Windows Logs: Contains logs about the system, security, applications, setup, and forwarded events.
• Applications and Services Logs: Provides logs from individual applications and services.

Viewing Details of an Event

1. Select a category from the left pane.
2. Choose an event from the middle pane.
3. Details, including event ID, level, and source, will be displayed in the bottom pane.

Filtering Events

To narrow down events and find specific issues:

1. Right-click on a log category and choose Filter Current Log.
2. Specify criteria such as event level or event ID.
3. Click OK to apply the filter.

Creating a Custom View

For frequent checks on specific events, creating a custom view can be beneficial.

1. In the right pane, choose Create Custom View.
2. Select criteria and define the view.
3. Name the custom view and save it for future use.

Conclusion

Event Viewer is a valuable tool for maintaining and troubleshooting Windows systems. By understanding its features and functionalities, it becomes easier to diagnose system issues and ensure a smooth-running computer.