Windows 7 / Getting Started

Performance Monitor Logging

In Windows XP, you created Performance Monitor logs or alerts by using the Report Type node under Performance Logs And Alerts in the Performance interface. You could configure each log to contain a single data collection entity (counter log, trace log, or alert). Beginning with Windows Vista, Performance Monitor uses the concept of data collector sets. In Windows Vista, a data collection entity is referred to as a data collector and must now be a member of a DCS. A DCS can contain any number of data collectors, allowing for greater control over performance monitoring and data organization tasks.

DCSs have been implemented to provide support for performance reports that require data from multiple log files of different types. These data collectors include counter, trace, alerts, and system configuration logs. You can add any number of data collectors to a single DCS. Before Windows Vista, each data collection entity contained its own scheduling properties to be used by the Performance Logs And Alerts service. Beginning with Windows Vista, all members of a DCS use the scheduling properties-and other common properties-that have been specified for the parent DCS. The DCS is implemented as a single Task Scheduler object, and you can specify a single task to execute after all the included data collectors have completed.

There are three types of DCSs:

  • User-defined Most, if not all, user-configured DCSs fall into this category.
  • System XML DCS templates that have been saved to Windows\PLA\System are displayed here. You cannot create these; they are included with Windows Vista.
  • Event trace sessions These are DCSs configured for Event Tracing for Windows (ETW) tracing. (For more information, see the section titled "Understanding the Windows Event Architecture" later in this tutorial.)

Note Log files created from DCSs in Windows Vista and later are not backward compatible with earlier versions of Windows. However, you can view logs created in earlier versions of Windows in Performance Monitor in Windows Vista and later.

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In this tutorial:

  1. Windows 7 Desktop Maintenance
  2. Performance Monitoring
  3. Improvements to Performance Monitoring in Windows 7
  4. Using Performance Monitor
  5. Real-Time Performance Monitoring
  6. Performance Monitor Logging
  7. Creating a Data Collector Set
  8. Configuring a Data Collector Set
  9. Using Data Manager to View Performance Data
  10. Starting and Stopping Data Logging
  11. Viewing Performance Data
  12. Comparing Performance Monitor Logs
  13. Performance Monitor User Rights
  14. Remote Data Collection
  15. Using Windows PowerShell for Performance Monitoring
  16. Resource Monitor
  17. Overview Tab
  18. CPU Tab
  19. Memory Tab
  20. Disk Tab
  21. Network Tab
  22. Reliability Monitor
  23. How Reliability Monitor Works
  24. Windows Performance Tools Kit
  25. Event Monitoring
  26. Understanding the Windows Event Architecture
  27. Channels
  28. Improvements to Event Monitoring in Windows 7
  29. Using Event Viewer
  30. Understanding Views
  31. Viewing Event Logs
  32. Saving Event Logs
  33. Configuring Event Subscriptions
  34. Considerations for Workgroup Environments
  35. Creating a New Subscription
  36. Using the Windows Events Command-Line Utility for Event Monitoring
  37. Using Windows PowerShell for Event Monitoring
  38. Using Task Scheduler
  39. Improvements to Task Scheduler in Windows 7
  40. Understanding Tasks
  41. Understanding the Task Scheduler Architecture
  42. Understanding Task Scheduler Security
  43. Credentials Management
  44. Securing Running Tasks
  45. Understanding AT and Task Scheduler v1.0 Compatibility Modes
  46. Understanding the Task Scheduler Snap-in
  47. Understanding Default Tasks
  48. Creating Tasks
  49. Defining Triggers
  50. At Startup Trigger
  51. On Connection To AND Disconnect From User Session Triggers
  52. On Workstation Lock AND Unlock Triggers
  53. Defining Actions
  54. Defining Conditions
  55. Defining Settings
  56. Managing Tasks
  57. Viewing History
  58. Using SchTasks.exe for Creating and Managing Tasks
  59. Task Scheduler Events
  60. Troubleshooting Task Scheduler
  61. Tasks Won't Run If the Service Is Not Started
  62. The Task Will Run Only When a Certain User Is Logged On
  63. The Task Action Failed to Execute
  64. Interpreting Result and Return Codes
  65. Understanding the Windows System Assessment Tool
  66. Understanding WinSAT Assessment Tests
  67. Examining the WinSAT Features Assessment
  68. Running WinSAT from the Command Line
  69. Understanding WinSAT Command Exit Values
  70. Running WinSAT Using Performance Information and Tools
  71. System Capabilities Section
  72. OEM Upsell And Help Section
  73. Understanding Windows Error Reporting
  74. Overview of Windows Error Reporting
  75. How WER Works
  76. Store Management System
  77. ReportArchive Folder
  78. WER Service
  79. Understanding the Error Reporting Cycle
  80. Understanding WER Data
  81. Configuring WER Using Group Policy
  82. Configuring WER Using the Action Center