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Set Maximum Log Size

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Applies To: Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2, Windows Server 2012, Windows Vista

Event logs are stored in files. These files have a default maximum size, which you can change. You can perform this procedure by using the Windows interface or a command line.

To set maximum log size by using the Windows interface

  1. Start Event Viewer.

  2. In the console tree, navigate to and select the event log you want to manage.

  3. On the Action menu, click Properties .

  4. In Maximum log size (KB) , use the spinner control to set the value you want and click OK .

Note

Log size must be a multiple of 64KB and cannot be smaller than 1024KB. If you type a log size rather than use the spinner control, it will be rounded to the nearest multiple of 64KB.

To set maximum log size by using a command line

  1. To open a command prompt, click Start , click Run , type cmd , and click OK .

  2. Type the following command:

    wevtutil sl <LogName> /ms:<MaxSizeInBytes>

To view the complete syntax for this command, type the following at a command prompt:

wevtutil sl -?

Additional considerations

  • You must be a member of the Administrators group to set a maximum log size.

  • If you set a maximum log size that is smaller than the current size of the log, the maximum size will not be enforced until after the log is cleared.

Additional references