Viewing Error Logs

The Microsoft® SQL Server™ 2000 error log can be viewed using SQL Server Enterprise Manager or any text editor. The most current error log is named Errorlog (with no extension) and is located in the Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\Mssql\Log directory by default.

To view the SQL Server error log from SQL Server Enterprise Manager

1. Expand a server group, and then expand a server.
   
   
2. Expand Management, and then expand SQL Server Logs.
   
   
3. Click the SQL Server Log to view it. Error log information appears in the details pane.

The Microsoft Windows® 2000 or Windows NT® 4.0 application log provides an overall picture of events that occur on the Windows 2000 or Windows NT operating system.

To view the Windows 2000 application log

1. On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Event Viewer.
   
   
2. In the left pane, click Application Log.

   Microsoft SQL Server events are identified by the entry MSSQLServer or MSSQL$<server named instance> in the Source column. SQL Server Agent events are identified by the entry SQLServerAgent or SQLAgent$<server named instance>. Microsoft Search service events are identified by the entry Microsoft Search.

3. To view the log of a different computer, in the right pane, right-click Event Viewer, and then click Connect to another computer.

   Note  If you are viewing the log of the local computer, skip this step.

4. Complete the Select Computer dialog box.
   
   
5. Optionally, to display only SQL Server events, on the View menu, select Filter, and then in the Event Source box, select MSSQLServer or MSSQL$<server named instance>.
   
   
6. To view more information about an event, double-click the event.

To view the Windows NT 4.0 application log

1. On the Start menu, point to Programs, point to Administrative Tools, and then click Event Viewer.
   
   
2. If the application log is not displayed, on the Log menu, click Application.

   Microsoft SQL Server events are identified by the entry MSSQLServer or MSSQL$<server named instance> in the Source column. SQL Server Agent events are identified by the entry SQLServerAgent or SQLAgent$<server named instance>. Microsoft Search service events are identified by the entry Microsoft Search.

3. To view the log of a different computer, on the Log menu, click Select Computer, and then complete the Select Computer dialog box.

   Note  If you are viewing the log of the local computer, skip this step.

4. Optionally, to display only SQL Server events, on the View menu, click Filter Events, and in the Source box, select MSSQLServer.
   
   
5. To view only SQL Server Agent events, select SQLServerAgent instead.
   
   
6. To view more information about an event, double-click the event.

See Also

Error Messages