Log files

For those who have spent any time trying to troubleshoot Configuration Manager, by now they will probably have noticed that there are lots of log files, in fact at last count there are in excess of 360 across clients and servers. The information we find in these log files is also not the most detailed there is available as there are options to enable more verbose logging for deeper troubleshooting requirements. We can find an exhaustive list in the Microsoft TechNet library at http://technet.microsoft.com/en-gb/library/hh427342.aspx.

Client log files

In this section, we are going to run through some of the client log files and indicate what we need to be looking at when troubleshooting a Configuration Manager client. Throughout other chapters, we will come back to specific log files and we will look in more detail, so in this chapter we are going to take an overview.

Let us start with the Windows client install files. We can find these by default in %windir%\ccmsetup\Logs and all log files are enabled by default.

If we are using Linux clients, we will see the following two log files:

There are also client logs for Apple Mac OSX clients:

Now, as Configuration Manager was originally and is predominantly for managing Windows clients, there are lots of log files found in %windir%\CCM\Logs. If the client is installed on the same server as a Management Point, however, the client installation path by default will be %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Configuration Manager\SMS_CCM\Logs. Following are some of the common logs you will want to get familiar with for day to day problems:

There are numerous other log files for the Windows client, and whether we need them will depend on what components we have enabled in our Configuration Manager infrastructure. In the next chapter, we will cover the troubleshooting of clients and we will look in to some more of the log files and what to look for.

Server log files

When referring to server log files, we are talking about the server roles and components that make up Configuration Manager. These log files are also plentiful and detailed, so it is important to know which log files relate to which role to save time and prevent picking out log files at random.

When we are installing a Configuration Manager site onto a server for the first time, there is a standard set of log files that we can check for success or failure outside of the installation console. These log files will be stored on the root of the drive that we are installing Configuration Manager onto.

Now looking at the roles and components we have mentioned earlier in this chapter, one easy place to figure out which log is related to which component is in the Configuration Manager Service Manager. If we don't wish to keep referring to that, then check out the Microsoft TechNet Library link or the following summary table for the frequent use server log files. These log files are all found on the site server in the default location of %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Configuration Manager\Logs.

It should be noted at this point that there is also another location on a Configuration Manager server that contains log files, and this is %ProgramFiles%\Microsoft Configuration Manager\SMS_CCM\Logs. This folder is essentially the Configuration Manager client log file area on the site server. Some log files which reside on this folder will be discussed in later chapters when we look specifically at the components and roles of Configuration Manager.

As with the client logs, there are a number of other log files available depending on what roles we have installed. We will cover these in a later chapter when we look at troubleshooting specific areas of Configuration Manager, but as an indication there are also logs available for the following roles and components:

• Fallback Status Point
• Management Point
• Software Update Point
• Applications and Packages
• Asset Intelligence
• Backups
• Certificates
• Compliance
• Configuration Manager console
• System Center Endpoint Protection
• Software Metering
• Configuration Manager Migration
• Mobile Device Management
• Operating System Deployment
• Out of Band access
• Remote Control
• Reporting Services Point
• Network Access Protection
• Microsoft Intune Connector
• Configuration Manager Console