A Guide for Monitoring and Exporting Windows Event Logs

 How to Use FullEventLogView by NirSoft

Windows event logs are essential for understanding system activities, diagnosing issues, and troubleshooting errors. FullEventLogView by NirSoft is a powerful, lightweight tool designed to make viewing, analyzing, and exporting these logs straightforward. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started.

What is FullEventLogView?

FullEventLogView is a portable utility for Windows by NirSoft that lets you view and export detailed event logs, including errors, warnings, and other operational activities. It’s perfect for tracking system performance, identifying issues, and sharing logs with support teams.

Step 1: Download FullEventLogView

1. Visit the official FullEventLogView page on NirSoft’s website.
2. Scroll down to find the "Download FullEventLogView" link and download the ZIP file.
3. Extract the ZIP file to a folder of your choice.

  Step 2: Launch FullEventLogView

1. Navigate to the folder where you extracted the files.
2. Double-click FullEventLogView.exe to launch the program—no installation is required, as it’s a portable application.

Step 3: Customize the Log Display

FullEventLogView offers a variety of ways to customize what you see in the event log viewer:

1. Filtering Logs by Columns:

• Go to View > Choose Columns to add or remove columns. This customization lets you control which event details (like Event ID or Provider Name) are visible, making it easier to focus on specific information.

    2. Setting a Date Range:

• Use Options > Advanced Options to filter logs by date and time. Narrowing down logs by a specific time range is useful for identifying events around the occurrence of a particular issue.

 

   3. Filtering by Event Type:

• Filter logs by selecting specific event types, like Error, Warning, or Information. This enables you to target only the types of events you’re interested in.

Step 4: Viewing Detailed Event Log Information

1. Click on any log entry to see its details in the lower pane.
2. The details pane provides comprehensive information, including:
   • Event ID: Unique identifier for each event.
   • Level: Severity of the event (Error, Warning, Information).
   • Provider Name: Source of the event.
   • Task Category: Type of operation or task.
   • Description: Detailed event information.

This detailed view helps in understanding each event and diagnosing any system performance or operational issues.

 

Step 5: Exporting Event Logs

Exporting logs is a simple process in FullEventLogView, making it easy to share logs with IT support or archive them for documentation:

1. Select Logs to Export: Click on individual log entries or press Ctrl + A to select all.
2. Save Logs to a File: Go to File > Save Selected Items and choose the format (CSV, HTML, XML, etc.) and location for the file.
3. Uses of Exported Logs: Exported logs can be analyzed later, sent to support teams, or stored for future reference.

Why Use FullEventLogView?

FullEventLogView is an invaluable tool for system admins and anyone wanting a detailed look at Windows event logs. Whether you’re troubleshooting, monitoring, or documenting, this lightweight utility offers a straightforward and flexible way to view and export event logs without the need for a full-fledged logging solution.