???? Understanding Event Viewer Logs

Event Viewer is one of the most powerful built-in tools in Windows Server. It records system, security, and application-level events, giving administrators insight into server behavior, errors, and suspicious activities.

Learning how to interpret Event Viewer logs is essential for troubleshooting and securing any Windows environment.

✅ Why Use Event Viewer?

• Diagnose system crashes and application failures

• Audit user logins and access attempts

• Detect unauthorized changes or threats

• Analyze network, service, and hardware-related issues

• Maintain compliance and security logs

???? Types of Logs in Event Viewer

1. System Logs

   • OS-level events: driver failures, boot issues, hardware errors

2. Application Logs

   • Events generated by installed applications and services

3. Security Logs

   • Login attempts, privilege use, audit policies

4. Setup Logs

   • Events related to installations and updates

5. Forwarded Events

   • Logs collected from other servers via event subscriptions

???? How to Access Event Viewer

• Press Windows + R, type eventvwr.msc, and hit Enter

• Or search for Event Viewer in the Start menu

???? Key Areas to Check

???? System Logs

Check for:

• Event ID 41: Unexpected shutdown

• Event ID 7000–7099: Service startup failures

• Event ID 6005 / 6006: System start/stop

????️ Security Logs

Look for:

• Event ID 4624: Successful login

• Event ID 4625: Failed login attempt

• Event ID 4672: Admin privilege use

???? Application Logs

Check:

• Event ID 1000: Application crashes

• Event ID 1026: .NET Runtime issues

• Event sources like MSSQLSERVER, IIS, etc.

???? Tips for Better Log Management

• Use filters to narrow down events by ID, source, or severity

• Export logs as .evtx or .csv for external analysis

• Schedule regular log reviews

• Use Event Log Forwarding for centralized log management

???? Final Thoughts

Understanding Event Viewer is crucial for server health, diagnostics, and security auditing. With the right knowledge, you can identify problems before they become incidents.

Need help setting up advanced log analysis or forwarding logs to SIEM systems? Our support team is here to help.