Question

I have an application that has created a number of custom event log sources to help filter its output. How can I delete the custom sources from the machine WITHOUT writing any code as running a quick program using System.Diagnostics.EventLog.Delete is not possible.

I’ve tried using RegEdit to remove the custom sources from [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SYSTEM\ControlSetXXX\Services\Eventlog] however the application acts as if the logs still exist behind the scenes.

What else am I missing?

Answer 1

I also think you’re in the right place… it’s stored in the registry, under the name of the event log. I have a custom event log, under which are multiple event sources.

HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\LOGNAME\LOGSOURCE1 HKLM\System\CurrentControlSet\Services\Eventlog\LOGNAME\LOGSOURCE2

Those sources have an EventMessageFile key, which is REG_EXPAND_SZ and points to:

C:\Windows\Microsoft.NET\Framework\v2.0.50727\EventLogMessages.dll

I think if you delete the Key that is the log source, LOGSOURCE1 in my example, that should be all that’s needed.

For what it’s worth, I tried it through .NET and that’s what it did. However, it does look like each custom event log also has a source of the same name. If you have a custom log, that could affect your ability to clear it. You’d have to delete the log outright, perhaps. Further, if your app has an installer, I can see that the application name also may be registered as a source in the application event log. One more place to clear.