Microsoft's ConfigMgr 2012 Troubleshooting - Log Files

In my time dealing with SCCM or as it is also known as ConfigMgr, it is a very good tools to maintain, update and monitor an environment. Features that is comes with are Software Updates, Application management, Operating System (OS) deployments and a whole host of other features.


The point of this blog is to help troubleshoot issues, this is an open blog so feel free to point out other options or mistakes from myself.  I am not saying I am master of SCCM in any way shape or form. SCCM is a beast of a system, and as always there are many ways to troubleshoots and fix issues. If there is a better way to troubleshoot an issue let us know.

Let's start with log files.

Log Files 
Log files in ConfigMgr 2012 is a mine field. From Site System Server to  Site Server to Client side log files are everywhere. Hope the following information will help out in what direction to start troubleshooting.
Of course you will need to know how to read the log files. Notepad is most people's default, but the issue with Notepad is the log files are not well formatted in it. Plus that when you want to read the log file when it is being generated and try and find an issue. Notepad does not auto update, so when you load a log file that is being generated any new event(s) that get added to the log file will not show up. 
So I use CMTrace, this can be found from here

The link takes you to Microsoft's download center for System Center 2012 R2 Configuration Manager Toolkit. This  Toolkit, has 15 very useful tools to help you manage and troubleshoot SCCM 2012.
  
As always Microsoft's TechNet website is a good place to start.

Technical Reference Article - https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427342.aspx

Client Logs - https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427342.aspx#BKMK_ClientLogs

Site Server Logs - https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427342.aspx#BKMK_ServerLogs

ConfigMgr Functionality Logs - https://technet.microsoft.com/en-us/library/hh427342.aspx#BKMK_FunctionLogs

For clients log files are located at '%SystemRoot%\CCM\Logs'. %SystemRoot% is a variable that will point to the location where your Windows OS is installed. In most cases it will be 'C:\Windows'.

When installing the SCCM Client the log files are located at 'C:\Windows\CCMSetup'.

For Servers the log files will be located in the installation directory of SCCM. So we will be looking in 'C:\Program Files\Microsoft Configuration Manager\Logs'

Client Logs on a Site System are located at 'C:\Program Files\SMS_CCM\Logs' Setup logs are in 'C:\Windows\CCMSetup'

Here is a spreadsheet with the paths, information is taken from Microsoft's website. Link