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Clear Windows Event logs?


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Hi Darren :)

 

I'm speaking just for myself here, but I would hate to see this implemented as a ccleaner default action.

 

There is just so much info these logs can give you for troubleshooting and once they are gone..well.

 

So I prefer just to do it manually when I'm sure there are no error logs I need.

 

But that's just me :)

 

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I think that DarrenShan has a great idea, but i can also see the point that hazelnut made. I sometimes do it manually. What if Ccleaner gave you the choice of cleaning out the event logs?

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It actually has been suggested before.;)

 

The problem with blindly deleting those logs can be a big issue. For example when a piece of software is having invisible/hidden issues in the background such as an anti-virus/anti-malware with something failing, i.e.; not fully protecting the system.

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I believe these are what you want

 

This is already built into CCLeaner (on the system tab "windows log files")

[Windows Log Files]
ID=1017
LangSecRef=3003
LangRef=3145
Default=True
FileKey1=%SystemDirectory%\wbem\Logs|*.log
FileKey2=%SystemDirectory%\wbem\Logs|*.lo_
FileKey3=%windir%|*.log
FileKey4=%windir%|*.bak
FileKey5=%windir%|*log.txt
FileKey6=%commonappdata%\Microsoft\Dr Watson|*.log
FileKey7=%commonappdata%\Microsoft\Dr Watson|*.dmp
FileKey8=%windir%\Debug|*.log
FileKey9=%windir%\Debug\UserMode|*.log
FileKey10=%windir%\Debug\UserMode|*.bak
FileKey11=%windir%|SchedLgU.txt
FileKey12=%windir%\security\logs|*.log
FileKey13=%windir%\security\logs|*.old
FileKey14=%windir%\SoftwareDistribution|*.log
FileKey15=%windir%\Logs|*.log|RECURSE
FileKey16=%windir%\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData|*.Log|RECURSE
FileKey17=%windir%\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData|*.Log|RECURSE
FileKey18=%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows|*.log|RECURSE
FileKey19=%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows|*.log|RECURSE

 

and From Winapp2.ini

[Windows Logs More*]
LangSecRef=3003
DetectFile=%WinDir%
Default=False
FileKey1=%WinDir%\SoftwareDistribution|*.log
FileKey2=%WinDir%\Logs|*.log|RECURSE	
FileKey3=%WinDir%\ServiceProfiles\LocalService\AppData|*.Log|RECURSE
FileKey4=%WinDir%\ServiceProfiles\NetworkService\AppData|*.Log|RECURSE
FileKey5=%LocalAppData%\Microsoft\Windows|*.log|RECURSE
FileKey6=%AppData%\Microsoft\Windows|*.log|RECURSE

 

ADVICE FOR USING CCleaner'S REGISTRY INTEGRITY SECTION

DON'T JUST CLEAN EVERYTHING THAT'S CHECKED OFF.

Do your Registry Cleaning in small bits (at the very least Check-mark by Check-mark)

ALWAYS BACKUP THE ENTRY, YOU NEVER KNOW WHAT YOU'LL BREAK IF YOU DON'T.

Support at https://support.ccleaner.com/s/?language=en_US

Pro users file a PRIORITY SUPPORT via email support@ccleaner.com

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I am personally glad it does clean those.

99% of the time, the computer does great & you don't need those taking up space.

Good thing it cleans them!

 

Thanks, Nergal, for pointing that out.

I was going to point that part out, but you beat me to it!

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I will have to check on my machine later then to see...

 

CCleaner definitely needs option to clear logs for those who just don't need/want the logs.

If a computer is going bad, it can generate them on the fly.

 

+ I can usually tell if a harddisk/component is failing without a dump

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I will have to check on my machine later then to see...

 

CCleaner definitely needs option to clear logs for those who just don't need/want the logs.

If a computer is going bad, it can generate them on the fly.

 

+ I can usually tell if a harddisk/component is failing without a dump

 

I don't agree that ccleaner definitely needs this option for users by default.

 

Event logs are not dumps.

 

Support contact

https://support.ccleaner.com/s/contact-form?language=en_US&form=general

or

support@ccleaner.com

 

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The event logs files are capped to maximum of 512KB (by default) which isn't really much if you think about it.

 

If you want to prevent any further software / system logging then run "services.msc" and disable the "Event Log" service.

As for CCleaner I doubt this idea could ever be implemented event logs files are protected from outside deletion or modification.

 

While on a similar subject does CCleaner remove debug logs of Piriform products and Windows crash dumps i.e. %windir%\minidump\*.dmp ??

 

Richard S.

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Event viewer log files are not cleaned by ccleaner on my machine. I don't believe ccleaners windows logs files -system does clean them.

 

Where are they?...I'll try it. :)

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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They're in the folder: C:\Windows\System32\Config

AppEvent.Evt - Application

SecEvent.Evt - Security

SysEvent.Evt - System

(and no cheating using an offline boot disc) ;)

 

Richard S.

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...

(and no cheating using an offline boot disc) ;)

 

Richard S.

 

Would never stoop so low... :P

 

Anyhow, CCleaner's "windows logs files -system ... analyze" does not find them, and adding them to "custom files and folders ... analyze" does not find them. Unlocker shows them locked by ...system32/services.exe, but you can delete them. After that, the event viewer still shows the same info as before they were deleted. Cannot tell what would happen after a reboot.

 

One probably shouldn't do this...I've no idea what would normally happen on restart, but all these reckless deletions will be gone after restart here.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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Login every so often I clear my event viewer logs out after checking them out. I have done this for years now with no issues. The thing that worries me about something else doing it instead of me is that any issues in the logs I may have wanted to look at are gone, and can never be got back.

 

Support contact

https://support.ccleaner.com/s/contact-form?language=en_US&form=general

or

support@ccleaner.com

 

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I understand. And you were right, of course, CCleaner didn't clean them, and should not.

The CCleaner SLIM version is always released a bit after any new version; when it is it will be HERE :-)

Pssssst: ... It isn't really a cloud. Its a bunch of big, giant servers.

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Login every so often I clear my event viewer logs out after checking them out. I have done this for years now with no issues. The thing that worries me about something else doing it instead of me is that any issues in the logs I may have wanted to look at are gone, and can never be got back.

That is very understandable...

 

However, since you never had a problem for years, I don't really think you will have any problem in the next several years as well. Even if you do, there are always ways to check things. For instance:

 

-> Dead harddrive -> No Operating System found error

-> Dying harddrive -> Random problems... Windows boots erratically, or sometimes not at all. Usually accompanied by an irregular click/click noise right before it dies if it is a mechanical drive

-> Dead video card -> No output

 

The symptoms are usually unmistakable, so I don't foresee you having anything to worry about. However, if you still want to worry & get a few grey hairs, hahaha!

 

Life is short! Why worry? You will always have what you need to handle the day, just relax! If you have problems, ask one of us, I would most certainly be glad to help you if you need it...

 

:)

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What the heck are you talking about?

 

I use the event viewer to troubleshoot software errors as I am a beta tester for a couple of software companies.

 

I need the event viewer to see which event id errors occurred at a specific time and how it relates to the said software. Also things like the beta software affecting auto retrieval of certificates and Windows Time. This info is then relayed back to the software devs

 

Got nothing to do with hardware.

 

Support contact

https://support.ccleaner.com/s/contact-form?language=en_US&form=general

or

support@ccleaner.com

 

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What the heck are you talking about?

 

I use the event viewer to troubleshoot software errors as I am a beta tester for a couple of software companies.

 

I need the event viewer to see which event id errors occurred at a specific time and how it relates to the said software. Also things like the beta software affecting auto retrieval of certificates and Windows Time. This info is then relayed back to the software devs

 

Got nothing to do with hardware.

Couldn't you Sandboxie that folder?

So you could revert all changes when your done?

 

That way, if it affected certificate retrieval, you could revert it.

 

Just thought I would add my $0.02 worth. Just in case it might help you! I believe you already use Sandboxie, but I was just wondering if you ever thought of using it for that particular folder?

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Help me do what?? What particular folder??

 

You don't seem to understand the concept of alpha and beta testing and the helpfulness of Windows Event Viewer. Even for folk not testing software for devs, they are so useful.

 

Bottom line is I don't believe Event Viewer logs should be deleted by ccleaner.

 

Support contact

https://support.ccleaner.com/s/contact-form?language=en_US&form=general

or

support@ccleaner.com

 

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I now forget what I did or what was done to me, but I wondered what Windows thought about the incident so I looked in the event log.

 

As it happens it was a non-event of no interest to Windows, BUT CRITICAL ERRORS WERE NOW DISPLAYED.

 

I hated pre-XP Windows that each morning would announce how many thousands of lost clusters it had found,

but it gives me no confidence that so much disaster now just gets buried out of sight.

 

Back on topic

 

If the event logs had not been available I would not have known that my ship had sprung a leak and I was in danger of capsizing.

Because the event logs were there and I saw the problem I was able to avert disaster.

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As I understand it the goal of CCleaner is to remove crap and thus freeing up disk space but it should be worth pointing out event logs are typically no bigger than 512KB, not 512MB or even 512GB.

 

Is 512KB of disk usage worth crying over??

 

Richard S.

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Help me do what?? What particular folder??

 

You don't seem to understand the concept of alpha and beta testing and the helpfulness of Windows Event Viewer. Even for folk not testing software for devs, they are so useful.

 

Bottom line is I don't believe Event Viewer logs should be deleted by ccleaner.

I always copy over what I need.

Guess we do things slightly different, haha!

 

I think the option should be there, if someone needs it, just not checkmarked by default.

This way, advanced users could clean it if they wanted, while users who still use it could just leave it unchecked.

 

I'm thinking your primary concern must be having it checkmarked by default, but I think they would he happy to leave it unchecked like they do other options & let the user decide.

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This way, advanced users could clean it if they wanted, while users who still use it could just leave it unchecked.

Unfortunately some users are NOT advanced but and they see every unchecked box as a bit more free space they can get for free.

 

They only need a little more "knowledge" and they would find Tools => System Restore and get a big boost to Free Space ! !

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Unfortunately some users are NOT advanced but and they see every unchecked box as a bit more free space they can get for free.

 

They only need a little more "knowledge" and they would find Tools => System Restore and get a big boost to Free Space ! !

I am already aware of that.

 

I know a few more tricks that I shall resist posting here...

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