When troubleshooting a computer system, it
can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what the error is or to determine
what caused the error. The problem might be recognized right away, and
the solution might be obvious, but it is important to know why that
error occurred. It is also important to know the event that caused the
error in the first place. Fixing the problem without fixing what
caused the problem will not prevent it from coming back. Windows 9x
maintains error log files of system operations that show which events
occurred that led to the error. The filenames that these log files
have are indicative of the type of information they track.
BOOTLOG.TXT
The BOOTLOG.TXT file contains the system information that is collected
as the system is booting up. The file is actually created during the
Windows installation process. It is not updated automatically each
time the system boots up. The file can be updated by pressing the F8
key during start up or by starting Windows with the WIN /b switch.
The log information is recorded in five steps:
- Loading real-mode drivers – The system loads the real mode drivers
and if it is unsuccessful in doing so, it reports an error in the
log.
- Loading Virtual Device Drivers (VxDs) – The system
loads the Virtual Device Drivers and it will mark the log if it is
unsuccessful in doing so.
- Initialization of Critical VxDs – Check this section to
verify that system critical VxDs have been initialized.
- Device Initialization of VxDs – This log shows all of the
VxDs that have been successfully initialized. In this section,
each device will be initialized and a success or failure report
will be generated.
- Successful Initialization of VxDs – This section verifies
the successful completion of the initialization of the system VxDs.
SETUPLOG.TXT
This file is also created during the installation process and contains
the system setup information. It can be used for safe-recovery
situations and is stored on the system root directory. The entries in
this file are entered in a step-by-step list in the order they
occurred during the start up process. This can be helpful when
troubleshooting because it shows exactly where the error occurred.
DETCRASH.LOG
If the system crashes during the hardware detection phase of the start
up process, the DETCRASH.LOG file will be created. This file will
contain information about the processes that were running when the
crash occurred. This file cannot be read directly because it is in
binary form. To read this file, use the DETLOG.TXT file.
DETLOG.TXT
Use this file to read the information that is generated when the
DETCRASH.LOG file is created. It will tell which components have been
detected by the system and which ones have not. This file is
essentially a detailed report of the hardware detection phase of the
system Plug-and-Play Operation.
