How to Use Event Viewer

Event Viewer provides a central location for operating system and application event logging. On most computers, Event Viewer contains thousands of events generated by Windows, drivers, and applications. Most of these events can be safely ignored. However, when troubleshooting problems, you should examine the event log to find events that might be related to your problem. It is entirely possible that no events will be related to your problem, however, because not all problems may initiate an event.

To open Event Viewer and view hardware-related events, follow these steps:

1. Click Start, right-click Computer, and then click Manage.
2. Under System Tools, expand Event Viewer.
3. Under Event Viewer, expand Windows Logs and then click System.
4. In the Actions pane, click Filter Current Log.
5. In the Filter Current Log dialog box, select the Critical, Warning, and Error check boxes. Click OK.

Browse through the displayed events. Most of the events will not be related to your problem, but it is important to evaluate each event to determine any potential impact. In particular, pay close attention to events with a source of Advanced Configuration and Power Interface (ACPI), PlugPlayManager, or another source related to the hardware feature that is experiencing problems.