MONITOR.EXE & DATALOG.EXE Alerts Have Invalid System Log Data

ID: Q136148

The information in this article applies to:

Microsoft Windows NT Workstation version 3.5
Microsoft Windows NT Server version 3.5

SYMPTOMS

The system log displays an alert with the source DATALOG, but misses data for, or displays random characters for, the Value and Trigger fields.

This problem occurs, when you run MONITOR.EXE along with DATALOG.EXE (Data Logging Service) to report an alert in the system log based on the LogicalDisk and %FreeSpace parameters, if hard disk space runs low. The Value field should display the amount of current free disk space that triggers the alert, and the Trigger field should display the percentage value of low, free disk space that you specify to cause the alert.

NOTE: MONITOR.EXE is a command line utility ships with the Windows NT 3.5 Resource Kit. MONITOR.EXE controls the Data Logging Service that performs the same function as the Alert and Logging facility in Performance Monitor. You can schedule the DATALOG.EXE file to start automatically using MONITOR.EXE and the AT.EXE command, but Performance Monitor must be started manually.

STATUS

Microsoft has confirmed this to be a problem in Windows NT version 3.5. We are researching this problem and will post new information here in the Microsoft Knowledge Base as it becomes available.

WORKAROUND

To work around this problem, use Performance Monitor instead of MONITOR.EXE and DATALOG.EXE.

For example:

Assume you have a C drive with 150 MB total space. To be alerted every five minutes if there is less than 50% disk space free on your C drive:

Run Performance Monitor.

From the View menu, choose Alert.

From the Edit menu, choose Add To Alert.

In the Object field, select LogicalDisk.

In the Counter field, select % Free Space.

Under Alert If:

Select Under.

In the box, type the number 50. The number 50 is the percentage value under which the alert is to be triggered.

In the Instance list box, select "0 ==> C:" to select drive C.

Under Run Program on Alert:

Type the name of an alert program you want to run to alert you, if the percentage of low disk space is reached.

Select the Every Time option.

Choose Add and then Done.

Your alert program runs and the Performance Monitor Alert log displays alert messages if the low disk space trigger point is reached. The value that triggers the alert appears in the Performance Monitor alert message to the left of the percentage value you set as the trigger point.

Additional query words: prodnt reskit freespace

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