is it important to clear the Windows Event Log? How to do it.

[John C. Walton]

Is it important to clear the Windows Event Log? How to do it.

 

[Regedit32]

Hi John,

The Windows Event logs can be deleted if you want to, but as to whether its important to do this; personally I'd say NO and leave them alone.

The Windows Event Viewer built into Windows captures every action of your computer from boot to shutdown, and while many of these events are trivial in that nothing has gone wrong - thus the log simply states what action occurred and what triggered it and whom triggered it (i.e. the person logged in at the time) - the data is still useful.

When things do start going wrong, BSOD errors, other alerts to troubles with the Windows system, being able to compare logs of a stable computer versus a real time log showing the actual error is very helpful in analyzing and solving the problem.

Any log you delete is permanently lost for such analysis, however Windows Event Viewer unless disabled will continue to create new logs (it just cannot re-create old logs you chose to delete).

If you really want to delete the logs, then the default location for these logs is:

• C:\Windows\System32\winevt\Logs
• This assumes Windows is installed on the C-drive of course.
• You can open the Logs folder and safely delete its entire list of logs if you really want to do this.
• On average though most logs will be smaller than 70kb in size; although some may be more than 1mb.

Third party applications like CCleaner: https://www.piriform.com/ccleaner/download have an option to automatically clear these logs for you if you'd rather let software manage this for you. This works in both the free and paid for versions of CCleaner.

I can confirm this program runs fine in Windows 10.

I personally prefer to manually manage my System; but CCleaner is relatively simple to use, and provides options such as backing up files, and registry keys prior to cleaning (removing / repairing) them. It also contains tools that allow you to uninstall applications you've installed and does a reasonable job at also removing Registry keys created by the application you are uninstalling.

CCleaner also contains a Startup manager that allows you to see what programs load as you computer boots up. From the Startup tool you can stop or allow programs to start during boot time.

It also makes use of Intelligent Cookie Management; meaning you can select cookies to be kept safe from the clean. This is useful for game sites, web emails, etcetera which make use of Session cookies to remember your login details for a period of time. If those are deleted you have to re-enter that information the next time you use the website needing those details; so by protecting them from a cleaning action, you save a little hassle and time.


Regards,

Regedit32

 

[davehc]

I find it useful, if I am trying to isolate an event which is troubling me (the computer). After a reboot, it is easier to isolate the event which is causing a problem. Apart from that, as regedit says, there is no real purpose in deleting the logs.

 

[Saltgrass]

I normally leave mine alone but some can become very extensive. You do have some options which might involve exporting or saving the current log if you want and then using the File-Options to delete files, which I have never done or selecting individual logs and Selecting Clear Log from the Action menu.

 

[davehc]

I have a bat file which, at a click, does the job for me, so it isn't a big deal. But, as posted, Cleaner has the option to do it, so by using that utility, you can clear all the accumulated rubbish on the computer in one go.

 

[nilasree]

i accedentaly made run a file as administrator.now i want to remove that file .but as it is running in windows event log i can not remove it.i want to delete that file .but how do i do it?if anyone knows please tell me.i would be grateful to you.

 

[davehc]

Nilasree. Yo have joined in a thread which is more than ten years old, and on another subject. Start a new thread with you request.