A visit to the classic Control Panel gives us access to the Administrative Tools menu, home of Windows' Event Viewer. Generally speaking, this tool does its job, but it can sometimes be very tricky to navigate due to the enormous number of logs a typical installation accumulates. Fortunately, the ever-productive Nirsoft comes to the rescue with FullEventLogView, a more compact and intuitive alternative that includes multiple filters to quickly locate specific entries.
Studying the logs on a Windows installation can be the difference between an indecipherable error, and a definitive solution. The amount of information the operating system records as 'events' is impressive, and if something strange happens along the way, we will surely find it there. The problem is that users haven't developed that habit, and the Event Viewer sits collecting digital dust in a corner. Add to that its interface, which isn't the most intuitive, but an excellent alternative exists in the form of FullEventLogView, developed by Nirsoft.
How to access all Windows logs with FullEventLogView
In its default configuration, FullEventLogView limits the log list to the last seven days, and even then it will take a few seconds to process the entries. All relevant information about an event will appear at the bottom of the interface, while a double click expands its properties, such as time and date, IDs, and channels.
However, in the advanced options menu we can filter specific events and keep only what interests us (for example, Critical, Error, and Warning), read all logs, or set a limit between two dates. We can also filter by providers, channels, IDs, and even custom strings in the description (useful for detecting unique errors).
The only thing FullEventLogView asks in return is patience. I'm not exaggerating: A Windows installation can store hundreds of thousands of entries, and the program must explore each subcategory to present the correct results. Beyond that, we find the stability and simplicity that characterizes Nirsoft applications. As always, FullEventLogView is free, open source, and portable, with 32 and 64-bit versions.
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