> Log (automatically created by Windows NT)

• System Records information and alerts about NT?s internal processes. Events related to drivers or services which fail to start or System errors, including STOP errors that result in the blue screen, are recorded in the System log.
• Security Records security-related events. Auditing information is viewed here. Administrator of Server Operator on the computer where the security log resides to view. Can be viewed across domains with appropriate trust relationship.
• Application Records NT application events, alerts, and system messages. Dr Watson application errors are viewable here.

The Tools

• By double clicking on an Event in the Event Viewer Log  database - the Event Detail Window gives you more information about the triggered event.
• At the command prompt, type "net helpmsg message identification number"
• There is a Help File and an Access file on NTSRK4 Supplement 2 that lists:
  • All of the event ID's - number that identifies a particular event type.
  • Component -  (usually same as Log)
  • Log - System, Security, or Application
  • Source - software that logged the event (could be application name, component of system, or large application such as a driver name found in Devices Applet)
  • Type - classification of event severity
    • System, Application Logs: Error, Information or Warning
    • Security Log: Success Audit or Failure Audit
  • Recommended User action - thank you very, very much.

(Symbols to the left of the Date above in the) System Log Database (Application Log Database contains same symbols). The lowest STOP error in the list, in a series of errors, is usually the culprit that caused all the other stop errors.

• Error (red sign with white stop message) - big problems buddy. Loss of data or function. Fix it buddy.
• Warning (yellow circle with black exclamation) - not necessarily significant now but may be a pretty good indicator of future woes.
• Information (blue circle with white i) - infrequent events that describe successful ops of major server services

Symbols in the Security Log Database (visuals not shown)

• Success Audit (shows a padlock) security access attempts that were successful.
• Failure Audit (shows a key) security access attempts that failed.