How to Diagnose System Issues in Windows 11 Using the Error Log

How to Diagnose System Issues in Windows 11 Using the Error Log

You might experience issues like blue screens, freezing, unexpected restarts, and more when using Windows. 

Typically, our first course of action is to address these issues head-on using established techniques and solutions, but what if we explored every avenue and came up empty? 

Examining the so-called "Crash Logs" is the best option in order to identify the problem's underlying cause and a suitable fix. 

Windows records all of the events that take place while the computer is being used. If one of the processes fails, all the details behind this failure are included in the log. In this guide, we will introduce you to the error logs on Windows and the best ways to access them on Windows 11. Whether you are a regular or professional user, you will find what is useful in this article.

Windows records the issue in what are called crash logs whenever your computer encounters an issue, such as a Blue Screen of Death (BSOD). These logs provide detailed information about the problem, such as the date and time it occurred, the name of the program or process responsible for the error, error codes that can help you figure out what caused it (such as 0xc00000e), and other technical details about what was happening in the background when the problem occurred. You can find crash logs in Windows 11 in the following ways:

Event Viewer is the first location to look for error logs. As the name suggests, the tool is used to view events that Windows automatically logs during your use of the system, not just Windows-related events but also installed programs. 

The tool can be easily accessed by opening the Run window (by pressing the Win + R keys together) and typing [eventvwr.msc] and pressing Enter. When the interface opens, double-click on the Windows Logs folder on the left side and then click on System to display all system-related events, including errors and problems. If the error is related to a specific program, click on Application instead of System, and you will see all program-related errors.

Although you will see errors and events pertaining to the system or programs in general when you click on the System or Application subfolder, you can filter the list to show only errors or problems by selecting the Filter Current Log option from the options box on the right side and then selecting the desired time from the "Logged" drop-down list.

Below this list, you will find an option called Event Level, and next to it, 5 filters (Critical, Error, Warning, Verbose, and Information); select the Critical and Error options to display only critical errors.

A new list of all the critical errors within the time range you specified will show up after you filter and click OK.

Look for errors with codes like 41 and 1001, as they indicate major system errors. The first code, for example, indicates system crashes such as sudden shutdowns or unexplained reboots, while the second code indicates a Windows Error Reporting that is prepared immediately after a crash or error occurs. Double-click on any item in the list to view the general error details, and go to the Details tab to see more information about the error. The idea here is that you can use these details to search the Internet and find out how to solve it.

Additionally, you can quickly review errors and issues by using the PowerShell command prompt to examine the error log. 

All you have to do is run PowerShell on Windows in any of the ways we reviewed before, but the easiest way is to press the Win + S keys together on the keyboard to open the search bar, then type "powershell" or "Windows Terminal" if you are using Windows 11, and then from the search results, click Open. In the window that appears, paste the following command and press Enter:

Get-EventLog -Log system | where {$_.entryType -match “Error”}

The system will bring you the entire error log. If the log is long, you can also filter it to show the last 15 events, for example, by running the following command:

Get-EventLog -LogName System -Newest 15 -EntryType Error

Of course, you will find in front of each error the time it occurred, its source, and its code so that you can search for the solution easily.

A built-in Windows tool called the Reliability Monitor shows a graph that illustrates how stable your system is. 

The difference between this tool and the previous two tools is that it does not show you the error log directly but rather helps you monitor the problems that may cause these errors. 

To use this tool, type Control Panel in the search box on the taskbar and press Enter. Then go to the Security and Maintenance section, then Maintenance, then View Reliability History. You will now see a graph showing the stability of your system over a specific period of time, usually between weeks and months. Focus on the yellow and red icons and look at their descriptions.

Lastly, even if there are not any apparent issues, we advise you to periodically review your computer's error log to make sure everything is in order. Sometimes there are small errors that don't directly affect performance, but they can accumulate over time and lead to bigger problems.