Finding Errors Using the Event Viewer

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This content is no longer actively maintained. It is provided as is, for anyone who may still be using these technologies, with no warranties or claims of accuracy with regard to the most recent product version or service release.

The workflow engine writes messages to the System log in the Event Viewer when an error is detected. Even if you are not having problems with the service currently, you should check Event Viewer periodically for error messages about potentially troublesome conditions you have not yet identified.

There are two logs that might contain information about your workflow process:

  • Application log   The application log contains events logged by applications or programs. For workflow applications, the program developer decides which events to record using the AuditTrail Provider.
  • **System log   **The system log contains events logged by the Microsoft® Windows® 2000 system components. For example, the failure of a driver or other system component to load during startup is recorded in the system log. The event types logged by system components are predetermined by Windows 2000.

Event Viewer displays the following types of events:

  • Error   A significant problem, such as loss of data or functionality. For example, if a service fails to load during startup, an error is logged.
  • Warning   An event that is not necessarily significant but might indicate a potential problem. For example, when disk space is low, a warning is logged.
  • Information   An event that describes the successful operation of an application, driver, or service. For example, when a network driver loads successfully, an information event is logged.

To view application messages with Event Viewer

  1. On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Event Viewer.

  2. Under Event View (Local), select Application log to display events on the right side of the Event Viewer window.

  3. To see events of pertaining to your workflow process, on the right side of the Event View window, click the Source heading to sort the events by source type. Look for WorkflowAuditTrail and WorkflowEventSink events.

  4. Double-click the event to view the event message.

    The following is an example of the type of information you will see using the Event Viewer.

    Exchange 2000 Server Event Viewer

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See Also

Troubleshooting Workflow Applications for Exchange Server | Troubleshooting: Workflow Creation Issues | Error Messages