SMS: How to Increase the Size of the SMS Provider Log File (275742)

IMPORTANT: This article contains information about modifying the registry. Before you modify the registry, make sure to back it up and make sure that you understand how to restore the registry if a problem occurs. For information about how to back up, restore, and edit the registry, click the following article number to view the article in the Microsoft Knowledge Base:

256986 Description of the Microsoft Windows Registry

SUMMARY

Because of the large volume of information that is recorded in the Systems Management Server (SMS) Provider log file (Smsprov.log), it may be necessary at some point to increase the size of the log file for later viewing by using SMSTrace.

Microsoft only recommends increasing the size of the log file when advanced troubleshooting is necessary.

It is important to keep in mind the size of the log versus the performance. The log size is specified in hex. For example, a value of 10 would create a 16-MB log file.

MORE INFORMATION

WARNING: If you use Registry Editor incorrectly, you may cause serious problems that may require you to reinstall your operating system. Microsoft cannot guarantee that you can solve problems that result from using Registry Editor incorrectly. Use Registry Editor at your own risk.

To Increase the Size of the SMS Provider Log File

Open the Registry Editor (Regedt32.exe).
Locate the value
Log Size Mb
under the following key in the registry:
HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\SMS\Providers
On the Edit menu, click DWORD, type 2 (or the desired size in megabytes in Hex), and then click OK.
Close the Registry Editor.

NOTE: You must stop and then restart the Windows Management Instrumentation service to make the changes effective.

NOTE: A setting of "0" in the above-referenced registry location causes the default file size of the Smsprov.log file, which is 512 KB, to be used after stopping and restarting the SMS_EXECUTIVE service.