Identify Location of SQL Server Error Log File to View Error

By Hally | Last Updated January 04, 2024

Once SQL Server starts up, there would be an errorlog file created automatically in permanent path in computer. It will record the process you done on SQL Server and how SQL Server responds, especially the errors happening while running SQL Server.

So learn to locate to SQL Server ErrorLog file and analyze the error recorded in ErrorLog file, which could help you to find the reason and solution.

Identify location of SQL Server ERRORLOG file and view error

Generally, if you have never changed SQL Server ErrrorLog file location, it will be saved in installation path by default. C:\Program Files\Microsoft SQL Server\MSSQL.1\MSSQL\LOG\ERRORLOG

And if you want to analyze a strange server, you also could identify SQL Server ErrorLog file location with these ways. One of the easiest ways is to verify SQL Server ErrorLog file path in SQL Server Configuration Manager.

Step 1: Open SQL Server Configuration Manager in SQL Server Configuration Tools.

Step 2: Choose SQL Server Services, right-click on SQL Server instance in right pane, then select its Properties.

Step 3: Select Advanced tab, and turn to Startup Parameters. In the attributed string next to Startup Parameters, look for "-e". And the SQL Server ErrorLog file location is listed following it.

Or you can directly see the ErrorLog file path in Dump Directory.

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