- The Event Manager of Windows allows you to monitor and analyze all system activity.
- It provides key benefits for computer diagnostics, security, and troubleshooting.
- Keeping detailed records helps anticipate and resolve incidents before they become serious.
Have you ever had a problem with your computer and didn't know How to find the source of the fault? If you're a Windows user, there's a fundamental tool that often goes unnoticed, but is key to understanding and resolving errors, warnings, or any other important system event: the Windows Event Manager, also known as Event Viewer.
In this article you will discover in a clear, extensive and enjoyable way What is the Windows Event Manager for, what kind of information does it provide, how can you use it to monitor system performance and troubleshoot problems, and what Tricks will allow you to get the most out of this utility. You won't need extensive computer knowledge, as we'll explain everything from the most basic to the most advanced functions, combining essential theory with useful practice.
What is the Windows Event Manager?
The Windows Event Manager, or Event Viewer, is a native tool of the Microsoft operating system that is responsible for recording absolutely everything that happens on the computer., from routine actions such as turning on or off, to security incidents, system failures, hardware, application errors, or configuration changes. This tool centralizes all relevant system activity in one place, acting as a sort of black box where events that occur on the computer are stored.
Its main objective is Help users and administrators detect, analyze, and solve any kind of computer problem, no matter how small or large. But it goes much further: it's also the starting point for auditing tasks, preventative maintenance, post-incident forensics, and even performance optimization.
For decades, the Event Viewer has been built into all versions of Windows, evolving from the Windows NT 3.1 era to the present. Windows 11Its interface has improved, but the fundamentals remain the same: collecting, organizing, and displaying system information in real time and in an accessible manner.
Why is the Event Manager important and what benefits does it provide?
You may think that this type of tools only interest IT professionals, but the truth is that The Event Manager has advantages for any user who wants to know what is happening on their computer.Some of his main contributions are:
- Rapid problem diagnosis: It allows you to identify the source of failures, errors or blockages in the system or applications.
- Security control: Records access attempts, permission changes, validations, and suspicious incidents.
- Monitoring updates and components: Monitors the activity of the operating system, drivers and associated services.
- Audit and traceability: Keep a record of all important actions, useful for forensic analysis and regulatory compliance.
- Efficient incident resolution: It stores detailed data, such as identifiers and technical information, that enable precise solutions to be found.
- Custom alert settings: You can create filters, views, or subscriptions to be notified when something relevant happens.
Ultimately, the Windows Event Manager is a vital source of information for understanding and managing the operation and security of your computer. Even if you're not an expert, you'll find it increasingly useful as you learn more about it and use its capabilities.
Structure and main sections of the Event Viewer
When you open the Event Manager, you'll find a simple interface, typically divided into three large panels:
- Left panel: Tree structure, where you can navigate through the different categories and subcategories of event logs.
- Center panel: Details of the selected events, displaying a list with columns such as date, source, event type, ID, and a brief description.
- Right panel: Shortcuts for common actions, such as filtering, searching, exporting, or creating custom views.
The main sections into which the event logs are grouped are:
- Windows Logs: Events related to the operating system, installed applications, security, and basic services are stored here.
- Application and service logs: Includes events specific to applications, particular components, and system providers (such as ETW, Event Tracing for Windows).
- Custom views: Allows the user to create specific filters or groupings according to their needs.
Each stored event contains information such as date, time, type, source, event identifier (ID), the device where it occurred, and a detailed description. Additionally, many events include a direct link to the Microsoft website for further information, facilitating interpretation and troubleshooting.
Types of events that Windows logs
The Event Manager classifies incidents and events into several types to help you understand their nature:
- Information: Notifications about the normal operation of programs, services, or the system itself.
- Warning: It points out potential problems or situations to watch out for, which could lead to errors if not acted upon in time.
- Error: Records failures in the operating system, applications, hardware, or services, both critical and minor.
- Critical: Serious incidents that significantly affect the operation of the equipment.
- Audit: Related to security actions, access, permission changes or events relevant from the point of view of system integrity.
This categorization allows you to identify at a glance what is happening and prioritize attention to the most important events.If, for example, you see many repeated warnings, it may be time to take action before serious errors arise. And if critical events appear, it's best to investigate as soon as possible.
Main event logs: application, security, and system
The most relevant logs provided by the Windows Event Manager are:
- Application: It records events related to installed programs, both system and third-party, allowing you to detect operating problems, crashes, or incompatibilities.
- Safety: Events related to security policy, login attempts, password changes, denied access, auditing, and any sensitive actions are stored here.
- System: It is the registry where all the events related to the Windows components themselves are concentrated, such as the Boot, shutdown, services, drivers, hardware errors or internal conflicts.
Additionally, depending on your system configuration and installed applications, you may find other subcategories or custom logs, such as those for specific services, network monitoring, specific devices, and more.
Why does each event have an ID and what is it for?
One of the key elements in the Event Manager is the event identifier or Event IDEach event type is assigned a unique number, which allows you to recognize it, search for it, and even find its meaning in Microsoft documentation or specialized forums.
For example, the most typical Event IDs include:
- 4624: Successful login to the system.
- 4625: Login error or failed authentication attempt (very useful for detecting possible unauthorized access attempts).
- 4634: Successful logout.
- 4720-4726: Changes to user accounts.
Knowing the ID of a specific event is essential for searching for technical information, understanding the origin of a specific problem, or even applying solutions documented directly on the Microsoft support website.. Additionally, in enterprise environments, Event IDs enable advanced auditing and event correlation between different machines or users.
What is the Windows Event Manager used for?
The main use of this tool is to know exactly what happened on your computer, when and why.. But that simple phrase encompasses a host of practical scenarios that can be useful for both home and professional users:
- Detect faults and errors in the system: When a problem occurs in Windows or an application, you can check Event Viewer to find out the cause, when it happened, and whether it has happened before.
- Analyze warnings before they become serious problems: Warnings are typically alerts to abnormal behavior that, if repeated, could lead to major failures.
- Monitor the security of your equipment: Any access attempt, permission change, audit policy modification, login and logout, etc., is logged.
- Track network incidents or connectivity issues: The Event Manager is very useful for understanding when and why your Internet connection has failed, which services have experienced issues, or if any network devices have gone down.
- Keep a record of changes and configurations: If someone (or you) changes an important setting, installs or uninstalls a program, those steps are also recorded in various logs.
- Troubleshoot drivers, hardware, or devices: When a peripheral stops working or Windows displays seemingly incomprehensible error messages, they are usually reflected in the Event Manager.
- Identify causes of unexpected shutdowns or restarts: Windows often restarts due to an error, an update, or critical issues; the Event Viewer often holds the key to why.
- Optimization and preventive maintenance: Even if everything is working fine, you can use it to detect suspicious patterns, performance warnings, applied updates, and anticipate potential future issues.
You can think of the Event Manager as a kind of "medical history" for your operating system., where all symptoms and diagnoses are recorded so that they can be consulted when necessary.
How to access the Event Manager in Windows 10 and 11
There are several ways to open Event Viewer, depending on your operating system version and preferences:
- From the Start menu: Press the Start button and type "events viewer" in the search box. The system will show you the app directly; just click to open it.
- Via Administrative Tools: Go to the Start menu < Administrative Tools < Event Viewer. This path is the same in Windows 10 and 11.
- From file explorer: Write in the search box "events viewer" and the utility will appear.
- Running the command: Use the key combination Windows + R, writes eventvwr.msc and hit Enter.
In Windows 11, you can also access from Windows tools within the Control Panel, or from the advanced options of the Start context menu. In all cases, the appearance and functionality of the Event Viewer is virtually identical..
How to interpret the information displayed by the Event Manager?
Once you access this tool, you can navigate through the different categories in the left panel to view events grouped by type. Selecting a specific event displays a detailed summary with relevant information in the center or bottom panel:
- Date and time of the event.
- Origin: The program, component, or service where it took place.
- Event type: Information, warning, error, etc.
- Event ID: A unique identifier that makes it easy to search and diagnose.
- Description: More or less detailed explanation of the event that occurred.
- Team and user involved.
If the event is related to a Microsoft component, a direct link to the official website will usually appear, where you can find more information, check possible causes, and see recommendations for resolving the issue.
Sometimes the description may include technical parameters, error codes, or specific routes. You don't have to be an expert to understand the basics, but if you need help you can look up the ID on the Internet or in the Microsoft support center..
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