Windows Agent Log Collection and Windows Software Probe Log Collection

Last Modified

Thu Jan 07 21:12 GMT 2021

Description

This article describes the locations of log files and the methods to collect them along with other info relative to Windows Agent failing/failing to upgrade/other agent related issues.

To provide the most info to support, please set the Log Level to '5' via Settings > Local Agent > Log Level, then allow some time to pass and/or reproduce the issue. The same goes for probes, but this setting is located under Administration > Probes > probename > System Communication > Log Level.

Environment

  • All N-able N-central versions. Steps above describe navigating the N-able N-central 10+ web interface.

Solution

Automatic Log Collection

The N-able N-central Agent now deploys with a diagnostic executable that should already be present. The following command can be run silently to collect a .zip file to the executing user's desktop. Please run the following as Administrator:

cd "C:\Program Files (x86)\MspPlatform\PME\Diagnostics\" && PME.Diagnostics.exe "C:\temp\PMELogs-casenumber-123.zip"

If there was an issue collecting the files using the command above, please see the manual steps further below.

Delivering the files to N-able Support

If the file is under 25MB, please attach it to the case via the N-ableMe case portal.
If the file is over 25 MB, please ask your technician for a Secure FTP link to use to upload the file.


Manual Log Collection

If the issue is persisting, it is greatly helpful to support if you can open a support case and immediately provide the info below.

Note:For probes, the files needed are the same except the install folder is: "Windows Software Probe" not "Windows Agent".

It may help if you could export the Application and System Event Logs (Start > Run > type "eventvwr.msc") and attach the "config" and "log" folders from the C:\Program Files (x86)\N-able Technologies\Windows Agent folder.

Note: To ensure you copy the files which are in use within these folders, you can copy the folder, then zip the copy.

For example: Copy and paste Windows Agent\log folder to "log - Copy" and right-click zip "log - Copy".

Also, from a command prompt (as administrator), collect the output from:
ipconfig /all

Finally, some other files may provide some useful info here: MSI log, NableTrace.log and the nableupgrade.log, found in c:\windows\temp (or the C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp folder of the installing user). If you are having difficulty locating/browsing to C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp, open a command prompt (as admin) and run the command below.

Copy installation logs to windows temp folder:
copy /y C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\Nable*.log C:\WINDOWS\temp\
copy /y C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI*.log C:\WINDOWS\temp\

Alternately, copy the files to the Desktop:
copy /y C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\Nable*.log C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\
copy /y C:\Users\<username>\AppData\Local\Temp\MSI*.log C:\Users\<username>\Desktop\