<You>: "Hey Wizard of OS, i have a problem with one of my packages. Can you help me?"
<Wizard of OS>: "Hi Dude, what's written in the log file regarding?"
<You>: "Errr, don't know...I...just thought there's an error and i better should call you..."
<Wizard of OS>: "Call me again, if you have parsed the log file...."
And you think: Damn, i totally have no idea where these Logfiles he's talking about, can be found...
the good news is, they are all together in a single place. You just have to know, how to get there. Currently i know 3 ways to open the log file location on a managed client. There are a few more possibilities, yes i know, but for this post, i assume you're logged on to physical or virtual client and then these 3 are enough.
- Oldschool - Drilling down the file system
- Expert - Let the DSM Agent do the work
- Comfort - Use the NetInstall Monitor
Oldschool - Drilling down the file system
This is the "classic" way, just drilling down the file system folders until you have reached your target. The problem with this method is, that it only works, if nobody has changed the log file location in the DSM config. If somebody has relocated the log file folder to somewhere else and you're not aware of it, you might need some time until you found the folder. If all is default, you'll find the log files here:
C:\Program Files (x86)\Common Files\enteo\NiLogs
Expert - Let the DSM Agent do the work
on my consulting jobs i see quite a lot of different environments. And i also often experience that the NiLogs folder has been relocated for whatever (hopefully valid) reason. Since i'm a lazy guy, i don't want to have a look for myself where this folder is, i can order the NetInstall Agent to do it for me... Sounds strange? No it isn't. All you have to do is to execute a file with some parameters and that's it!
Sounds easy? It is! Just open the "Run" box and enter the following command:
niagnt32 /start:logs
then it takes a few seconds and TADA a Windows Explorer window comes up showing you the content of the NiLogs directory.
Isn't that magic?
Well, there are a few more things you can do with this command. But this will be topics for future posts
Comfort - Use the NetInstall Monitor
the most comfortable method is to start up the NetInstall Monitor. It's a small tool for showing up detailed informations about the local client. These information can be very useful for troubleshooting. And one of the functions is it, to offer you a button that opens up the log file directory when you click it. No matter where it is located.
on my consulting jobs i see quite a lot of different environments. And i also often experience that the NiLogs folder has been relocated for whatever (hopefully valid) reason. Since i'm a lazy guy, i don't want to have a look for myself where this folder is, i can order the NetInstall Agent to do it for me... Sounds strange? No it isn't. All you have to do is to execute a file with some parameters and that's it!
Sounds easy? It is! Just open the "Run" box and enter the following command:
niagnt32 /start:logs
then it takes a few seconds and TADA a Windows Explorer window comes up showing you the content of the NiLogs directory.
Isn't that magic?
Well, there are a few more things you can do with this command. But this will be topics for future posts
Comfort - Use the NetInstall Monitor
the most comfortable method is to start up the NetInstall Monitor. It's a small tool for showing up detailed informations about the local client. These information can be very useful for troubleshooting. And one of the functions is it, to offer you a button that opens up the log file directory when you click it. No matter where it is located.
